GENOBU - Water buffalo genome sequencing for the quali-quantitative improvement of agrifood productions

GENOBU is an original, innovative and multidisciplinary project combining genome sequencing of the water buffalo to the healthiness of animals and the improvement of quality and quantity of buffalo food products. The project will develop know-how and innovative process technologies to be provided to breeders and agro-food industry, with the objectives of optimizing the efficiency in milk processing, and to ensure best nutraceutical value to buffalo foods.

BRIDGES - Building Reflexivity and response-ability Involving Different narratives of knowledGE and Science

The complexity of the current global socio-ecological crisis highlights the limits of specialist science as the only voice capable of informing decisions. In the contemporary scenario, where the facts are uncertain, the values in contrast and the stakes are high, the social contract between science, society and politics is in a phase of profound transformation. To face this change, the scientific community has to revisit its social role, creating new relationships not only with society but also with ecological systems, to generate responsible research practices capable of producing relevant knowledge. BRIDGES is a social research project that develops trans-disciplinary and participatory research methods to strengthen the relationship between science, society and ecological systems in the Italian context. To do this, it uses as a case study a specific complex socio-ecological issue, very relevant in Italy: soil fertility.

BIO4VERBA - Safeguarding the biodiversity of the local Verzaschese and Bionda dell'Adamello goat breeds: enhancing their production and creating an ex-situ genetic reserve

BIO4VERBA project arises from the need of the breeders of the Verzaschese and Bionda dell’Adamello goat breeds to preserve and enhance their local breeds and the relative products.

BIO4VERBA has the following objectives:

1. to expand the Lombardia Farm Animal Genetic Resources Cryobank – LABank – launched in 2008 with the addition of the Bionda dell’Adamello breed and the increasing of the genetic material of the Verzaschese breed, already present in the LABank;
2. to characterize the milk of the two breeds (fat and protein composition, somatic cells content, fatty acids and terpenes, milk fat globule size, milk-coagulation time and microbiota composition);
3. analyze the “qualitative” contribution made by the milk of the Verzaschese breed in the production of Formaggella del Luinese PDO compared to the other cosmopolitan breeds, evaluating the microbiota and volatilome through an innovative approach (Next Generation Sequencing-Microextraction in Solid Phase Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry);
4. to characterize the Fatulì of the Saviore Valley at microbiome and volatilome levels for its enhancement;

5.     Support breeders who prefer grazing, through a characterization of their products (Formaggella del Luinese PDO and Fatulì of the Saviore Valley) that allow to identify the contribution of grazing to the sensorial cheese properties (characteristics of cheeses).

IN-FACT One Health Basic and Translational Actions Addressing Unmet Needs on Emerging Infectious Diseases

The INF-ACT research program addresses pressing unmet needs of human emerging infectious diseases in both fundamental as well as in translational aspects, taking into consideration human health in a wider context including domestic and wild animals as potential disease reservoirs and environmental factors enhancing the possibility for spillover (One Health approach).

The project is focused on three “vertical” research nodes

• Emerging and re-emerging viral diseases (respiratory viruses and zoonotic viruses);
• Arthropod vectors and vector-borne pathogens (with a focus on VBDs most at risk of expand or emerge in Italy, such as arboviruses);
• Diseases sustained by bacteria and fungi resistant to multiple antibiotics (AMR and molecular mechanisms of MDR).

and two “transversal” research nodes to interact with the basic and translational activities

• Integrated “One Health” epidemiology (man, animal and man-animal), monitoring and mathematical models;
• Development of new therapeutic treatment strategies (identification of molecular targets, generation of small molecule libraries for drug discovery, testing of lead compounds and their optimization).

The INF-ACT consortium is composed of 25 research Institutions from the public and the private sector from all over Italy; the CNR is involved in Node 1, 3, 4 and 5.

SIMCA - Innovative solutions for the improvement of the production technologies of the Valtellina Casera DOP in the process of reviewing the Disciplinary

The project aims to provide scientific evidence to support a revision of the production specification for Valtellina Casera DOP cheese to improving product quality. To this end, the entire production chain will be considered, from breeding to cheese ripening, verifying the influence of some production choices on the characteristics of the cheese. Specifically, we will evaluate the influence of: milk of different bovine breeds, use of raw milk in the dairy process, use of native and protective enzymes, curd pressing methods and cheese ripening methods.

The influence of cheese microbiota will be evaluated, through cultural methods and metagenomic analysis, on the (bio)chemical processes that characterize the maturation of the cheese, and on the sensory characteristics. The evidence obtained will provide useful elements for a precise revision of the specification and will also be able to provide elements to support a differentiation of the cheese within the PDO.

COVES - Development and validation of a rapid method for the detection of SARSCoV-2 on environmental surfaces

The COVES project will develop and validate a simplified sampling and analysis procedure on a portable device for the specific and sensitive detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the environment. This procedure will ensure greater safety in the work areas, thus reducing the negative impact that the COVID-19 emergency has on the local and national economy and decreasing the gap between the information and the suggested solutions. The main result of the project will be the development of a method for the rapid analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 in the environment, suitable for a field-use also by non-expert users. The project involves Hyris Ltd, leader of the project, which develops the technology, IBBA CNR which will take charge of the method validations and IZSLER (section of Pavia) which will validate “in-situ” the efficacy of this method on various contaminated surfaces using SARS-CoV-2 positive samples with known concentration.

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DNA analysis using a low-cost portable device for food safety

FilAgro – Innovative and sustainable strategies for the agri-food chain

The FILAGRO project aims to provide solutions to several issues that are emerging in the field of modern agriculture. They concern: production sustainability, biodiversity and environment preservation; improvement in food quality, safety and healthy and nutritional aspects; technology development in favor of industry; new knowledge dissemination. These issues are highlighted as of high importance in the EXPO 2015 and Horizon 2020 programs as well as in the 2013-2015 plan of the Agriculture Directorate of the Lombardy Region.

ANAFI - Analysis of genetic variability and haplotype at protein milks loci aimed at protecting biodiversity and producing diversified milks

The objective of this project was to analyse how the frequencies of the main casein variants and haplotypes changed in the Italian Holstein breed, and the possible effects on milk technological properties (milks more suitable for dairy processing, with potential greater digestibility). The results obtained by the genotyping (Illumina beadchip) of all the historical data available (over 220,000 Italian Holstein Friesian individuals and over 600 Italian Jersey individuals) were analysed in order to verify how the allele frequencies to the casein genes have been changing in recent years. The results indicate that the increase of the B allele, favourable for cheese-making, and the decrease of the unfavourable E allele at the k-casein are compensating the increase of the A 2 allele at the β-casein, generally maintaining a good proportion of haplotypes associated with good cheese-making properties.

RABoLa - Sustainable strategies to reduce the use of antibiotics in dairy farming

The project, which involves different departments of the University of Milan (DISAA, DIMEVET, VESPA), researchers from the CNR ISPA and CNR IBBA and the DIANA Department of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Piacenza, aims the primary identification of operative practices for reducing the use of antibiotics in the dairy cow herds. During the study, operative protocols already preliminary tested (administration of Aloe arborescens, use of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris in pre and post dipping, molecules to inhibit Prototheca spp) will be validated during the entire lactation cycle of the cows.

This project will allow breeders to take advantages of new nutraceutical strategies and alternatives to the use of antibiotics, to enhance the innate defences and reduce the incidence and severity of mastitis. The validation of an effective protocol for the selective drying of animals would lead to a reduction of the preventive use of antibiotics, in line with what is requested at European level.

Duck-Tech - Development of an integrated and sustainable system to produce bio-product: recycling of wastewater from ofmsw anaerobic digestion

The purpose of the project is to develop an integrated biological system to purify wastewater originated by anaerobic digestion of OFSMW, based on duckweed ability to tolerate high nitrogen and phosphorous concentration.

The project is proposing to develop a sustainable and completely natural system capable of achieving two objectives at the same time:

– a biological wastewater treatment;

– the transformation of some pollutants in raw materials (starch and fatty acids) that can be used in food and biochemical industries , replacing products obtained from agriculture or hydrocarbons.

In addition we would like to make a contribution to the understanding of microbiome degrading in the rhizosphere of aquatic plants used in the system, highlighting its effects on urban organic waste purification and more broadly on microbial water safety.

MITICAL - Improvement of the cultivation and production of industrial hemp in Lombardy through innovative cultivation techniques

The MITICAL project aims to deepen knowlege on industrial hemp culture, focusing on the final use of two main products: seeds and flowers. The project will be based on the following activities:

• analysis of 4 hemp varieties, two monoecius and two dioecious, cultivated in two different pedoclimaticzones in Lombardy region,
• evaluation of the agronomic performances after different growing condition: control, biostimulant treatment, elicitor treatment,
• seeds:evaluation of nutritional quality by measuring protein and oil content, fatty acid profile and antinutritional compound content,
• flowers: evaluation of secondary metabolites content (CBD, THC,) and other polyphenols,
• study of transcriptome: correlation analysis between gene expression and phenotype/metabolite, identification of allelic polymorphism (SNP) and coexpression network,
• metagenomic analysis of soil: characterization of fungi, bacteria, metazoa, before and after hemp cultivation.

The project will be hold with the collaboration of agrofarms belonging to the two lombard agriculture districts and the results obtained on seeds will be viable for feed and food industries whereas those on flowers for pharma and cosmetic sector.

FARM-INN Farm-level interventions supporting dairy industry innovation

The project FARM-INN aims to provide farm-level interventions supporting dairy industry enhancing safety and quality of milk and cheese and providing the necessary scientific evidence and new insight regarding their functional properties. The proposed actions will be carried out assessing and improving animal welfare and the environmental sustainability. In particular, two aspects will be tackled and studied in the proposed project: i) the development and use of new feed supplements adsorbing mycotoxins and reducing pathogenic and spoilage clostridia in milk ii) the characterization of cheese making and functional properties of A1 and A2 variants of beta-casein in milk. The evaluation of environmental sustainability of the adsorbent supplementations to the cow rations and the potential effect of cheese making using A1 and A2 beta-casein types in milk analyses through a Life Cycle Assessment approach will be performed.

The project will offer opportunities to the dairy farmers to strengthen their competitiveness, in the context of a better control of safety and quality issues, and will help dairy industry in placing on the market high-quality products adapted to the new expectations of consumers.

sPATIALS3 - Improvement of agrifood productions and innovative technologies for a safer and more secure and sustainable nutrition

sPATIALS3 is a technological and research hub involving 12 CNR Institutes belonging to 4 different Departments and 4 companies. Main objectives will be: obtainment of innovative food products improved for their nutritional and functional properties; provision and implementation of precision technologies to guarantee products quality, safety and traceability; development of innovative and eco-sustainable smart– and active-packaging to minimize and reuse wastes, where possible, and to increase food preservability; provision to consumers and producers of tools for results exploitation.

USEFUL - Development of techniques and supply chain processes (farms and dairies) to optimize environmental, territorial and managerial factors aimed at obtaining greater production efficiency and qualitative excellence in the production of DOP and typical cheeses

The USEFUL project aims to solve some critical issues in the production of Lombardy PDO cheeses (Grana Padano and Taleggio) in order to guarantee the competitiveness of the agro-industry companies. To this end, supply chain strategies and operational tools will be developed that allow to improve the microbiological and cheese-making quality of the milk and to improve all the cheese-making processes. These objectives will be achieved through the integration of the 3 sub-projects: Coordination, Innovation and Technological Transfer.

The expected results are: 1) to identify new procedures to improve animal health, food safety and the microbiological quality and cheese-making properties of milk; 2) to identify innovative procedures and operational tools to be used in the dairy industry to monitor the cheese-making and maturing phases of the cheese; 3) to define guidelines, technical manuals and fact sheets on the various procedures and techniques.

SAFE&SMART

LEGUPLUS - Evaluation of alternative legumes for sustainable and functional pig nutrition

The general objective of the project, coordinated by the University of Milan, is the evaluation of the potential use of new bean lines, with low content of antinutritional factors, and accessions of white lupin and blue lupin of particular interest as innovative protein sources in piglet feeding, both in terms of nutritional efficiency and environmental impact. An in vivo trial in piglets at weaning will allow to evaluate the nutritional efficiency of the new feeds, to identify variations of the intestinal microbiota associated to the different diets that will be tested and, finally, to evaluate the effective bioavailability of macro- and micronutrients and the reduction of environmental impact, both in terms of reduced excretion of phosphorus and minerals, and from the microbiological point of view. IBBA-CNR will be responsible for assessing and providing the bean genetic materials and for the activities related to microbiota analysis.

MAMMAL: Minimally-modified AMino Microbiota heALth

The MAMMAL project aims to improve infant formula by determining the impact of food processing on the generation of specific proteins included in the product which in turn promote a healthy gut microbiome.

MAMMAL will involve development of a platform using Machine Learning algorithms to process data from this research. This will enable us to connect food processing with the generation of different specific modified proteins and determine the effects these have on infants’ gut microbiota.  Companies which product infant formula will be able to use this platform to determine the most beneficial proteins to include, helping them to develop formula which promotes a healthy gut microbiome. The platform will also provide guidance on food processing and develop new targeted protein formulations which could be used within infant formula.

MIGHT: Gut Microbiota as a bioremediator for gut-health in infants

Understanding the relationship between diet, metabolites and host/microbiota is one of the key challenges in studying personalized nutrition for the more fragile segments of the population, such as children. In this regard, the incomplete digestive system of the infant fed with milk-based formulas can be affected by modifications of proteins/carbohydrates deriving from the manufacturing processes. Since the gut microbiota is crucial for homeostasis and the development of a functional immune system or the onset of intolerances, its modulation through dietary interventions is one of the most promising approaches.

The MIGHT project innovates the production of artificial milks, demonstrating that minimally modified amino acids could have specific positive outcomes (production of short-chain fatty acids, known for their anti-inflammatory properties) in the presence of some microbial species, even in the case of a reduced digestibility in the small intestine. Furthermore, IT tools (nutrition ontologies) will be developed, and data structuring will be managed through dedicated database resources. The results will be used as an interconnected set of innovative tools with the design of targeted modifications of proteins and amino acids in foods for other fragile segments of the population such as the elderly in order to improve the quality of formula and the health of the gut microbiota.