DEPARTMENT, LABORATORY AND RESEARCH GROUP

The University of Bologna research group of Instrumental and Sensory Food Analyses is based at the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences-DISTAL, both in Bologna (viale Fanin 40) and Cesena (Piazza Goidanich 60) venues. Additionally, research activities are carried on at the Interdepartmental Centre of Industrial Agrifood Research-CIRI AGRO (via Quinto Bucci 336, Cesena).
All venues are equipped with sensory labs certified according to ISO and arranged with 8 sensory booths with notebooks and FIZZ data acquisition system. Labs are used for research and teaching activities and food companies’ consultant services.

The research group is constituted by: Prof. Tullia Gallina Toschi, full professor and coordinator of the research group, Dr. Alessandra Bendini assistant professor and deputy Panle leader, Dr. Enrico Valli Junior assistant professor (fixed-term), Dr. Sara Barbieri DISTAL Panel Leader with research fellowship, Dr. Federica Tesini with research fellowship, Dr. Rosa Palagano PhD student, Dr. Federica Sgarzi co-worker, Dr. Enrico Casadei with research fellowship and by Mara Mandrioli, laboratory techinician.

 

MAIN RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

The University of Bologna Instrumental and Sensory Food Analyses research group deals with: i) the quality evaluation of food and food products carried out by means of a trained panel and ii) the study of consumers perception and choices related with sensory characteristics of the food products. The skills of the research group wind up on different lines, and specifically on the quality evaluation of virgin olive oils, thanks to the activity of the permanent panel DISTAL, recognized by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture since 2006.

Regarding European (EU), Italian (I) and regional (R) projects carried out by the research group, many are devoted to sensory analysis. In particular:

• OLEUM
  Advanced solutions for assuring the overall authenticity and quality of olive oil (EU H2020 2016-20) http://www.oleumproject.eu/
• ECROPOLIS
  Documentation of sensory properties through testing and consumer research for the organic industry (EU) http://cordis.europa.eu/publication/rcn/15917_it.html
• MEATING PROJECT
  Sensory and fast instrumental analyses of meat and meat products: an integrated approach for quality control and communication (I)
  http://www.meatingpanel.it/
• ITALIAN TASTE
  Analizzare le preferenze alimentari degli Italiani (I)
  http://www.it-taste.it/
• FOOD CROSSING DISTRICT
  Simbiosi industriale: due nuovi alimenti da sottoprodotti ed una mappa delle relative economie circolari in Emilia Romagna (R)
  http://www.foodcrossingdistrict.it/
• PROGETTO PRIN 2015
  Olive phenols as multifunctional bioactives for healthier foods: evaluation of simplified formulation to obtain safe meat products and new foods with higher functionality (I)
• PROGETTO PRIN 2015
  Individual differences in the acceptability of healthy foods: focus on phenol and fat content (I)

 

TEACHING ACTIVITY

Prof. Tullia Gallina Toschi: https://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/tullia.gallinatoschi/teachings

Dr. Alessandra Bendini: https://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/alessandra.bendini/teachings

 

CONTACTS

Prof. Tullia Gallina Toschi
tullia.gallinatoschi@unibo.it
DISTAL – Via Fanin 40, 4127 Bologna e Piazza Goidanich 60, 47521 Cesena (FC)
CIRI AGRO – Via Quinto Bucci 336, 47521 Cesena (FC)

Dr. Alessandra Bendini
alessandra.bendini@unibo.it
DISTAL – Piazza Goidanich 60, 47521 Cesena (FC)
CIRI AGRO – Via Quinto Bucci 336, 47521 Cesena (FC)

Dr. Sara Barbieri
sara.barbieri@unibo.it
DISTAL – Piazza Goidanich 60, 47521 Cesena (FC)

Dr. Rosa Palagano
rosa.palagano@unibo.it
DISTAL – Piazza Goidanich 60, 47521 Cesena (FC)

Dr. Federica Tesini
federica.tesini@unibo.it
CIRI AGRO – Via Quinto Bucci 336, 47521 Cesena (FC)

Dr. Enrico Valli
enrico.valli4@unibo.it
DISTAL – Piazza Goidanich 60, 47521 Cesena (FC)
CIRI AGRO – Via Quinto Bucci 336, 47521 Cesena (FC)