PhD Student: Noemi Sofia Rabitti (ORCID n. 0000-0002-8710-099X)
Supervisor: Prof. Monica Laureati – DeFENS
Dean: Prof. Diego Mora
Research area: Food Science and Nutrition
Research topic
Sensory and consumer science for the development of new, healthy and sustainable foods
Project Synopsis
Food preferences are the result of the combined effect of environment (exposure and experience) and genetic predisposition, which together play a central role in food selection and diet quality. There are large differences in how we perceive the sensory properties of foods and beverages with the obvious consequence that people greatly differ in what they like and eat. Moreover, inter-individual differences in taste, olfaction and the somatosensory system may have significant consequences on human health. A better understanding of the factors involved in sensory perception and food preference may contribute to the comprehension of the risk factors related to non-communicable diseases as well as the development of new sustainable and healthy food formulations. The overall aim of this project is to study individual variation in food perception and preference and its implication in consumer eating behavior and health status.
Project keywords
Consumer science, sensory science, nutrition
Contacts
DeFENS – Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences
Università degli Studi di Milano
Via Mangiagalli 25, Milan (MI), 20133
Tel: +39 0250319175
e-mail: noemi.rabitti@unimi.it
Website: http://analisisensoriale.unimi.it
Collaborations
Nicola Pirastu, Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Edinburgh
Eleanor Winpenny, Senior Researcher Associate, Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR) at the University of Cambridge
Nick Timpson, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at the University of Bristol
Rebecca Ford, Associate Professor in Sensory and Consumer Science at the University of Nottingham
Pernilla Sandvik, Associate senior lecturer at the department of food studies, nutrition, and dietetics at Uppsala University
Susanne Neugart, Full Professor at the Division of Quality and Sensory of Plant Products at the University og Göttingen
Joachim Schouteten, Lecturer at Ghent University
Collaborations within the Department
Prof. Maria Grazia Fortina
Prof. Alessandra Marti
Sponsor
Fellowship sponsor: Università degli Studi di Milano
Publications
Appiani M., Rabitti N.S., Proserpio C., Pagliarini E., Laureati M. (2021). Tartary Buckwheat: A new plant-based ingredient to enrich corn – based gluten – free formulations. Foods, 10(11), 2613.
Rabitti N.S., Appiani M., Cattaneo C., Ford R., Laureati M. (2021). Assessment of spatial lingual tactile sensitivity using a gratings orientation test. Journal of Visualized Experiments, 171, e62898.
Collaborative papers:
Korcari D., Secchiero R., Laureati M., Marti A., Cardone G., Rabitti N.S., Ricci G., Fortina M.G. (2021). Technological properties, shelf life and consumer preference of spelt-based sourdough bread using novel, selected starter cultures. LWT, 151, 112097.
Communications to congresses (*Presenting author)
Oral presentation:
Appiani M., Rabitti N.S., Methven L., Ford R., Wæhrens S., Bredie W., Laureati M. (2020). Assessment of oral tactile sensitivity in adults and children: relationship with texture preference and eating behaviour. A cross-cultural study in UK and Italy. 9th European Conference on Sensory and Consumer Research, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, December 13-16, 2020.
Poster:
Appiani M., Rabitti N.S., Methven L., Cattaneo C., Laureati M. (2020). Methodological approaches to measure lingual tactile sensitivity in adults and children: association with food neophobia, food texture preferences and consumption. 9th European Conference on Sensory and Consumer Research, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, December 13-16, 2020.
Rabitti N.S.*, Appiani M., Proserpio C., Pagliarini E., Laureati M. (2021). Identification of drivers of acceptance and rejection of new functional and sustainable plant-based ingredients. The case of tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum). 14 th Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium, ONLINE: Live and On – demand, August 9-12, 2021.
Updated:
[…] the VII National SISS Conference (Matera, 27-29 April 2022), Noemi Sofia Rabitti, PhD student in Food Systems (tutor: Monica Laureati), has been awarded with the SISS Young […]