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Research area(s)

Valentina’s main research interests are in the area of food technology, sustainability, resource and energy efficiency.

Research Interests

She has an extensive industrial and academic experience in sustainable food processing and innovative food product development, which she has put into practice via extensive collaboration with the food industry. She has successfully delivered a number of national and international projects as principal investigator and co-investigator. She supervises research assistants, postgraduate and final year students and lectures on the MSc and BSc courses. Valentina has been publishing internationally in high regarded journals and presenting at the conferences worldwide. Her previous research was focused on improving the quality of the food products (nutritional and sensorial properties) using novel functional ingredients and different processing techniques.

Project details

2024-2026, (PI) British Council - The Wohl Growth Alliance Grants (the UK – Israel), collaboration with Tel Aviv University, Decarbonization of the Food Industry, $US 20 000

2023-2025, (PI), Innovate, UK, Better food for all: Next Generation Plant-Based Meats - Optimizing Nutritional Value and Sustainability through Ingredient Selection and Processing, £250 000/£500 000

2020-2025, (PI), EU - Horizon, 2020 – ASTEP, Application of Solar Thermal Energy to Industrial processes. €639 883/€5.0M 

2020 - 2027, (PI), UKRI- BBSRC - Centre of Doctoral Training in Food Systems (CDT). The Partnership for Sustainable Food Future, £720 000/ £5 M

2021-2024, (Co-I), EU- Horizon, 2020 - Prescient building Operations utilizing Real Time data for Energy Dynamic Optimization, €360 625/ €4M

2020-2025, (PI), UKRI- BBSRC - FoodBioSystems: biological processes across the Agri-Food system from pre-farm to post-fork,  £507 000/ £5M

2019-2020, (Co-I), Innovate UK - SolarSaver - Solar powered modular food drying system to reduce food production losses for off grid Africa and other Developing Countries, £126 000

2018- 2019, (PI), EPSRC (CSEF’s funds)- Collaboration with Universities of Reading and Nottingham, Transformation of food processing by –products into value – added products, £63 000

2018 -2019, (PI), Industry supported. Validation of the database for the Coeliac Diet and Nutrition Survey,   £10 000

2014-2017, (PI), Technology Strategy Board, Development of an innovative sustainable manufacturing baking system for producing a range of high-quality gluten-free and derivative gluten-free baking products with enhanced functional properties, £205 000

2014, (PI), Industry sponsored research. An investigation of the quality of gluten-free mixes available on the market, £12 000

2015-2016, (PI), CEDPS,  Development of drying rig, £10 000

2012-2014, (PI), British council, UK-Turkey HE Partnership Funding, Food Security – raising awareness of and improving food handling skills for manufacturers of food products, £25 000.

2012-2014, (PI), DEFRA – Technology Strategy Board, Development of comprehensive sustainable system for producing consistently high quality, high added-value sweet baked products by utilizing innovative combinations of functional ingredients and process design, £102 000

2011-2013, (Consultancy), European regional development fund (ERDF) Provide technical support and online training to managers and technical operatives in food industry, £1.4 M.

2011- 2013, (Consultancy), Sensory evaluation of gluten-free and wheat free products, £1 000.

2011-2014, (PI), Industry sponsored research, Development of high quality wheat-free and low protein products, £75 000

2011-2012, (PI), Industry sponsored research. To investigate the baking performance of sustainable palm bakery fats and sensory characterization of the resultant baked products compared with that of other commercial bakery fats. £24 000

2009-2011, (Co-I), North West Development Agency. Higher Level Skills Partnership, Innovation and Growth in Food and Drink,   £170 000

2009-2012, (PI), Dolton Research Institute. Exploiting waste stream and whole grains to enhance nutritional properties of ready to eat products, £36 000

2009, (Co-I). DEFRA - Feasibility Ã÷ÐÇ°ËØÔ, Evaluation of EKG technology as a low-cost method of dewatering food waste, £4 000

2010-2011, (PI), North West Development Agency, Reduction of salt level in bread making technology, £10 000

2008-2011, (PI), Dolton Research Institute, Development of nutrient-rich Teff bread and its effects on improving sports performance, £36 000

2009-2011, (Co-I), RoFAR (Roche Foundation for Anaemia research - Switzerland),  Teff (Eragrostis tef) as a functional food for the prevent of pregnancy iron-deficiency anaemia, CHF150 000.

2008-2010, (PI) Welsh Assembly, To achieve successful operation of gluten-free production, optimizing the physical and sensory characteristics of gluten-free bakery products and initiating a programme of new product development, £111 000.

2005-2008, (Research Fellow),   EU- Six Framework Programme Priority, REPRO- Reducing Food Processing Waste, £186 000.

2001-2005 (fully paid PhD scholarship), EU - Fifth Framework Programme.  The use of the small and large strain rheological; measurements to predict baking performance of bread and cake products. €62 000.