Associate professor at the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences of the University of Bologna since 2022, performing research in the field of instrumental and sensory analysis of foods and sustainable food technologies. Main interests lie in the analytical methods for assessing quality and authenticity of olive oil. He has been involved - and is currently part- of research teams in several national and EU research projects.
Education
Bachelor degree in Food Science and Technology (University of Bologna) in 2006, he got at the same university the Master Degree in Food Science and Technology in 2009 and the PhD in Food Science and Biotechnology in 2013, defending a research thesis titled "Analytical methods for evaluating the quality and the genuineness of olive oils ". In 2011, he had a 4-months research stay at the Institute of Food and Beverage Innovation of the Univerisity of Applied Sciences in Zurich, focused on the application of statistical methods to elaborate the sensory results related to olive oils.
Academic career
He was Junior assistant professor from 2017 to 2019 at the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences of the University of Bologna. After several years as research fellow at the same Department and at the Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Agrofood Research at the University of Bologna, in 2019 he becomes Senior assistant professor (fixed-term) at the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences of the University of Bologna and since 2022 he has been Associate Professor. In March 2017, he obtained the National Scientific Qualification as Associate Professor, sector 07 / F1, Food Science and Technology, valid from 28/03/2017 to 28/03/2027 (Article 16, paragraph 1, Law 240/10). For the academic years 2016-2017 and 2018-2019, he has been an adjunct Professor at the University of Bologna. In June-July 2018 he has been visiting scholar in a research stay at the University of California, UC Davis.
Teaching activities
Since 2010, he has been continuously teaching lecturers (laboratory exercises and practical lessons) within the Bachelor Degree Programme in Food Technology at the University of Bologna and he has been a member of the commissions for examining of several courses.
For the academic year 2016-2017, he has been an adjunct professor of the "Applications of Unit Operations" (module 2) in the Bachelor Degree Programme of Food Technology (University of Bologna); since the academic year 2018-2019, for the course "Sustainable Food Technologies" of the Master Degree in Sciences and Management of Nature (international currriculum "Global Change Ecology and Sustainable Development Goals", University of Bologna). Since the academic year 2020-2021 he is teacher of "Rapid analysis and screening to evaluate the quality and authenticity of foods with exercises" (Master Degree in Food Science and Technology, UNIBO) and of "Environmental Impact and Re-use of Food wastes" (Bachelor Degree in Land and agro-forestry Sciences, UNIBO).
In 2014, 2015 and 2016 he organized and contributed with tutoring and teaching activities for three editions of the Summer School at the University of Bologna about writing scientific papers related to the Food Science and Technology sector.
Scientific activities
Participation in numerous national and international research projects including:
- PRIN 2009 project "Innovative technological applications to increase the yield of virgin olive oil and seed extraction and control of their quality.", 17 October 2011 - 17 Occtober 2013.
- FARB project “Sensory and fast instrumental analyses of meat and meat products: an integrated approach for quality control and communication - MEATING project”, 1 February 2014 – 31 January 2016.
- EU H2020-SFS-2015-1, AUTHENT-NET “Food Authenticity Research Network” (Grant Agreement No. 696371), 1 April 2016 - 31 March 2018.
- POR FESR project 2014-2020 Emilia Romagna Region "Food Crossing District. Industrial symbiosis: new, shareable foods and products and a circular economies map in Emilia-Romagna ", 1 April 2016 – 31 March 2018.
- EU H2020-SFS-2014-2 project, OLEUM “Advanced solutions for assuring authenticity and quality of olive oil at global scale ” (Grant Agreement No. 635690), 1 September 2016 - 31 August 2020.
- PRIMA project SUSTAINOLIVE "Novel approaches to promote the SUSTAInability of OLIVE cultivation in the Mediterranean" (Grant Agreement no. 813904), 1 July 2019 - 30 June 2023.
- EU H2020 project, FOODLAND “FOOD and Local, Agricultural, and Nutritional Diversity” (Grant agreement No 862802), 1 September 2020 - 31 August 2024.
- EIT Food 2021, call Innovation, “REIMS-based analysis platform for improved traceability and consumer purchase intention of high-end food products”, January 2021- December 2021).
- Alma Idea 2022 project INARIM - INdagini analitiche rapide dell’ARoma e di IMmagine su prodotti alimentari di origine animale (INARIM), August 2022-December 2023, role: Principal Investigator.
-PRIMA SECTION 1 “Circular and Inclusive utilisation of alternative PROteins in the MEDiterranean value chains (CIPROMED), 2023-2026.
-PRIMA SECTION 2 “Innovative sustainable solutions for ready-to-eat traditional Mediterranean products and non-conventional healthy foods (InnoSol4Med)”, 2023-2026
-PNRR AGRITECH “National Research Centre for Agricultural Technologies. Role: UNIBO Task Leader ,Task 8.2.1 “Biotechnologies to produce electricity/heat and advanced fuel from wastes”
-EIT FOOD project “Professional Integrate Professional Development Advanced”, 2022.
Participation in several research collaboration through research contracts between the University of Bologna and food/non-food companies.
Referee for several international and Italian scientific journals in the field of Food Science and Technology.
Sensory Project Manager qualification issued by the Italian Society of Sensory Science since 2016.
Institutional activities and academic appointments
Tutor of the Bachelor Degree Programme in Food Science and Technology (2009-2010) and in Food Technology (2010-2011, 2011-2012) of the University of Bologna, conducting support activities for teaching of students.
For the academic year 2016-2017, he has been an adjunct Professor of the "Applications of Unit Operations" (module 2) in the Bachelor Degree Programme of Food Technology (University of Bologna).
He is supervisor and co-supervisor of several students’ final elaborates within the Bachelor Degree Programme of Food Technology and the Master Degree in Food Science and Technology, Science and Management of Nature and Chemistry (University of Bologna).
Web site coordinator for the website of the Interdepartmental Center for Industrial Agri-Food Research of the University of Bologna from 26 February 2020.
Member of the Communication Commission of the Interdepartmental Center for Agri-Food Industrial Research of the University of Bologna since 26 February 2020.
Member of the QA Management Commission and of the Credit Recognition Teaching Commission for the Master's Degree Course in Food Science and Technology of the University of Bologna from 16 November 2021.
Member of scientific and editorial committees.
Assistant Editor for the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis (ELSEVIER), from 1 April 2014 to 31 December 2016.
Section Board Member and Academic Editor for the scientific journal Foods (MDPI) since 2020.
Editorial Board Member for the scientific journal JSFA Reports (Wiley) since 2021.
Associate Editor fot the section “Sustainable Food Processing” of the scientific journal Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems since 2023.
Prizes and awards
- "Guido Paolucci" award, established by the Rotary club of Bologna with the patronage of the University of Bologna, for having had the best curriculum in the academic year 2007/2008 in all the agricultural degree courses.
- Prize from the Italian Academy of Cooking for the best thesis within the Master Degree in Food Science and Technology discussed at the Cesena Food Science Campus of the University of Bologna, in the academic year 2007/2008.
- Award “EVOO Excellence in Research Award” for under-45 researchers working in the area of virgin olive oils, given on 22 January 2020 in Bari.
- Award “Antico Fattore 2022” - category: “Elaiotecnica: dalla gestione dell’elaiopolio alle moderne tecnologie per migliorare la qualità del prodotto” given by the Accademia dei Georgofili.
Other activities
Since 2016, member of the Professional Committee of virgin olive oil tasters of the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences of the University of Bologna.
