University of Parma (UNIPR) counts 866 researchers, 857 administrative and technical staff and attracts a large number of national and international students (about 26.500). UNIPR is member of several university associations and networks in Europe: European University Association (EUA), European Association for International Education (EAIE), International Association of Universities (IAU), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Global Universities Partnership on Environment and Sustainability (GUPES).
UNIPR offers scientific skills also in the fields of agri-food, industrial and environmental microbiology, food inspection, clinical microbiology, taxonomy, molecular biology and bioinformatics. In particular, the Food Microbiology Unit of Food and Drug Department has experience in the analysis, identification and characterization of microorganisms isolated from food products, food production processes and processing environments, which has resulted in over 4,000 microbial isolates currently available and preserved in the University of Parma Culture Collection (UPCC). Among these are the microorganisms characteristic of some Italian PDO food productions and UPCC is the depositary of the collections of: Consorzio Tutela Pecorino Toscano PDO, Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano and Consorzio Tutela Grana Padano.
The research aims to exploit, by a polyphasic approach, strains to be used as starter cultures for fermentation processes, but also to exploit their ability to convert biomasses from industrial waste and agri-food by-products into value-added compounds, like antimicrobials, flavours, enzymes, bioactive compounds. UPCC also collects foodborne pathogenic microorganisms that are phenotypically and genotypically investigated, in order to contribute to food safety risk evaluation.

Key persons

• Prof. Erasmo Neviani
  UPCC Founder. Member of the General Assembly of MIRRI-IT
• Prof. Valentina Bernini
  UPCC Scientific Coordinator. Member of the Scientific Committee of MIRRI-IT
• Prof. Camilla Lazzi
  Specialist in Starter selection for Industrial applications. Member of the Scientific Committee of MIRRI-IT
• Dr. Alessandra Masci
  UPCC Curator. Member of the Scientific Committee of MIRRI-IT
• Dr. Silvia Tavernini
  head of the European and international research unit, Member of the General Assembly of MIRRI-IT

Relevant previous projects

• C’è FERMENTO “Development of novel lacto-fermented fruit and vegetable-based products”, is a project funded by the as part of the Rural Development Program (PSR) Emilia-Romagna region 2014-2020, measure 16.1.01 “Operational groups of the European partnership for productivity and sustainability in agriculture”, Focus Area 2A
• “Antimicrobial production from vegetable wastes”, Fondazione CARIPARMA
• “Production of aromatic compounds from fruit and vegetable by-products”, Fondazione CARIPARMA
• GAIA “Generation of low Environmental Impact Antimicrobials: recovery of by-products and plant waste and from insect farming” POR FSE Emilia-Romagna region 2014/2020. High skills for research and technology transfer area b, Human resources for intelligent specialisation.