The degree focuses on the study of agricultural and food processing and plants, the development of new technologies, optimisation of processes and single equipment, and process risk analysis.

The aim is to provide students with basic knowledge and the necessary tools to plan and carry out scientific research (from both a theoretical and practical approach), which is vital for the innovation and growth in the agricultural and food sectors, that are so important for our country. The main research themes will be:

• Analysis and development of vinification and wine aging techniques, and optimisation of vinification equipment.
• Design of new food processes.
• Valorisation of food industry by-products: recovery of antioxidant compounds.
• Packaging: analysis of closures (cork based or alternative-to-cork materials) for liquid foods; study of materials for food applications.

The research methodology will consist in an initial theoretical approach (application of fundamental concepts describing phenomena at the basis of each transformation of the industrial sector), followed by lab- and industrial- scale experimentation to verify the hypothesised model. This research is going to be based on physical-mathematical modelling before, and experimental validation after, namely focusing on food safety aspects, through the application of the Risk analysis methodology.

Laboratories and collaborations

The Institute of Oenology and Food Engineering has been working on oenological process innovation since 1975, and on food processing since 1998. Its laboratories are equipped to perform all the main chemical analyses, lab-scale process experiments, and thermal analysis investigation of food reactions.

The research activity is carried out in collaboration with other university centres, both in Italy and abroad:

• Facultè d'Oenologie, Universitè de Bordeaux 2 - France;
• Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnologia Agroforestal, Universidad de Castilla, La Mancha- Spain;
• Ecole d'Ingènieurs de Changins e Nyon -Switzerland;
• School of Food Biosciences, University of Reading - UK.

In Italy, the institute collaborates with oenological, packaging and food companies, even through experimental programs in Italian and foreign farms.

Finally, the present PhD belongs to the national Food Technology PhD network which comprises many other Italian universities.