vera lavelli

Profile

Profile profile for vera lavelli

Photo: 
Job title: 
Associate Professor
Eurocaroten role: 
WG Participant
First name: 
Vera
Last name: 
Lavelli
Short research description: 

1. Recovery of plant food by-products to develop new food ingredients/additive

  • Extraction, formulation, encapsulation, drying, micronization;
  • Development of applications as fiber-source, antiglycation and antioxidant agents, inhibitors of enzymes relevant to human pathologies, colorants.

This approach has included valorization of by-products of tomato processing, apple processing and winemaking.

2. Development of foods for specific consumers’ needs

  •  Development of phytochemical-rich products with high anti-glycation and antioxidant properties; foods enriched with natural, plant-derived inhibitors of starch digestion enzymes; fiber-rich foods to address the needs of elderly, diabetic, overweight and obese people.

This approach led to the design of new tomato- and apple- based foods.

3. Predictive modelling of chemical, physical and microbial phenomena in foods

  • Kinetic study of the effects of processing and storage on physico-chemical, microbial and sensory indices; correlation study among food quality indices.

This approach was applied to preserved vegetables and fruits (tomato pulp, puree, and paste, peach and nectarine puree and nectar), minimally-processed fruits (chicory, carrot), dried products (apple, carrot, tomato) and extra virgin olive oil.

4. Study of the relationships between water properties and stability in dried and intermediate moisture foods

  • Mathematical modelling of the physical properties with Guggenheim-Anderson-de Boer and Gordon and Taylor models; evaluation of the kinetic of oxidation, non-enzymatic and enzymatic browning.

This approach was applied to develop optimal formulations of dried tomato-, carrot-, apple- and grape- based products.

5. Pilot-plant study and scaling-up of new technologies

  • Peach puree production with a new plant operating the pulping/finishing step at room temperature;
  • Production of extra-virgin olive oil from de-stoned fruits.

6. Food value chains

  • Development of high-warranty traceability systems.
Techniques routinely used: 
Spectroscopy, fluorimetry, liquid chromatography
Instrumentation/Facilities: 
Equipment for preparation of nano- and micro-structured food matrices (B-390 Buchi encapsulator, Panda plus 2000 GEA high-pressure homogenizer) Pilot plants for production of liquid, gel-like and powdered foods Basic equipment for food characterization
Country: 
Italy
City: 
Milan
Institution: 
University of Milan
Department: 
DeFENS, Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy
Address: 

Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy

Zip Code: 
20133
Phone: 
0039 02 50319172
Matrix: 
Foods
Waste
By-products
Sidestreams
Plants
Gender: 
Female
WG option 1: 
WG2
WG option 2: 
WG4
Scientific approach: 
Fundamental
Applied
Areas: 
Agro-food
Chemistry
Industrial Biotechnology
Production
Other keywords: 
Applications
Design
Food Quality
Functional Foods
Processing
Stability
STMS hosting: 
No
Meetings hosting: 
No

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COST is supported by the EU Framework Programme Horizon 2020.