Agro-environmental and food microbiology

The division is focused on:
i) biotechnological approaches to increase food safety, shelf-life and functionality;
ii) phenotypic, genetic and biochemical approaches to characterize probiotic microorganisms and prebiotic substances for the sustainable and high-quality growth of plants, animals and humans.

Keywords: Antimicrobials, Byproducts, Endophytes, Fermentation, Food, Functionality, Innovative-Technologies, Microbiome, Modeling, Prebiotics, Probiotics, Rhizosphere, Safety, Shelf-life, Taxonomy.

Main research fields

Technological characterization and selection of microbial cultures for traditional, innovative and functional foods and optimization of fermentation processes.

Traditional and innovative technologies to increase food safety, shelf-life, functionality.

Mathematical modeling approaches to study the individual and combined effects of food process variables on pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms.

Natural antimicrobials and biocontrol agents to increase food safety and shelf-life.

Biotechnological approaches to valorize food and agricultural byproducts and their re-use.

Description, polyphasic taxonomic and functional characterization of new potential probiotic strains.

Beneficial and probiotic microorganism in plants, rhizosphere and soil.

Characterization of microbiome in humans, animals and soil.

Characterization and development of prebiotic substances.

Molecular characterization of the microbial community in agricultural soil under different agronomic management.

People

Daniele Alberoni

Junior assistant professor (fixed-term)

keywords: Apis mellifera L., Microbiome, Nosema ceranae, Beneficial microbes, Secondary metabolites, Metagenomics, Lactobacillus

Solidea Amadei

PhD Student

keywords: Food by-products valorization, Alternative protein sources, Biotechnological processes, Non-thermal treatments

Loredana Baffoni

Associate Professor

keywords: Soil microbiota, Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria, bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, insect and animal gut microbiota

Marco Bosco

Associate Professor

keywords: Plant-Probiotic Microorganisms, Sustainable Plant Breeding, Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi, Rhizosphere Microbiomes,

Chiara Braglia

Research fellow

Teaching tutor

keywords: Apis mellifera, honeybee, Honeybee health, Gut microbiota, Soil microbiota, Plant microorganisms, Microbiology

Beatrice Cellini

Research fellow

Teaching tutor

keywords: food by-products, Microbiology, functional microorganisms, innovative technologies, cold plasma, Food microbiology

Marianna Ciccone

PhD Student

Diana Di Gioia

Full Professor

keywords: Beneficial microorganisms, Soil microbiota, Probiotics, PGPR, Gut microbiota, Anti-microbial activity

Fausto Gardini

Full Professor

Andrea Gianotti

Associate Professor

keywords: Biofilm, safety, RTE foods, ancient wheats, Bakery products

Davide Gottardi

Junior assistant professor (fixed-term)

keywords: Microbiology, Recovery and valorization of food by-products, Fermented food, Probiotics, Gut microbiome and simulators,

Sona Hajiyeva

PhD Student

Muhammad Rehan Khan

Research fellow

Rosalba Lanciotti

Full Professor

keywords: Probiotics, Food product optimization, Microbial perforamce optimization, Selection of microorganisms of food and

Silvia Malavolta

Research fellow

keywords: Probiotics, microbiome, health

Paola Mattarelli

Associate Professor

keywords: prebiotics, gastrointestinal microbiota, microbial ecology, probiotics, essential oil, bifidobacteria, antibiotic

Junior Bernardo Molina Hernandez

Research fellow

Lorenzo Nissen

Junior assistant professor (fixed-term)

keywords: In vitro intestinal models, Prebiotics, Food Microbiology, Microbiota, Nutrigenomics, Cannabis sativa sativa

Joel Armando Njieukam

PhD Student

keywords: Biopolymers from microorganisms, Foods microbiology, Bio-active packagings, Food waste, fruits and vegetables,

Elia Pagliarini

PhD Student

Teaching tutor

Francesca Patrignani

Associate Professor

keywords: food microbiology, starter, probiotics, high pressure homogenization

Lorenzo Siroli

Fixed-term Researcher in Tenure Track L. 79/2022

keywords: food microbiology, food safety, microbial bacteriocin, probiotics, biocontrol

Giulia Tabanelli

Senior assistant professor (fixed-term)

keywords: Lactic acid bacteria, Biogenic amines, Fermented foods, Thermal treatments, Essential oils, Starter cultures,

Lucia Vannini

Associate Professor

keywords: natural antimicrobials, gene expression, active and biodegradable packaging, exploitation of food by-products, gas