Riccardo Nunzio Barbagallo

Since 1994, Professor Barbagallo has focused his research on the following topics relevant to the AGR/I/07-A research area:

(a) Research on food processing, chemical-physical and enzymatic characterization, valorization of typical Sicilian food products (wines obtained purely from Sicilian grape varieties, "Pecorino Siciliano" DOP, carob beans, "Pomodoro di Pachino" PGI, "Arancia Rossa di Sicilia" PGI, prickly pears, processing and storage of tomato and foods closely linked to the typical Mediterranean area (eggplants, peppers, anchovies, sardines).

(b) Research on food quality and shelf life control through the identification and screening of endogenous enzymatic activities (glycosidases, pectinases, oxidases, oxidoreductases, proteases) in fresh vegetables (oranges, grapes, olives, prickly pears, carob, strawberries, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, artichokes and cardoons, broad-leaf vegetables), processed vegetables (wine, tomato, jam), and minimally processed vegetables (tomato, lettuce, baby lettuce, Chinese cabbage), as well as endogenous enzymatic activities in animal products (fish products, milk and dairy products) and exogenous microbial products (molds, yeasts, and lactic acid bacteria).

(c) Research on the types and strategies for using certain natural inhibitors with low environmental impact to prevent browning and softening in minimally processed vegetables and fish products.

(d) Research on the characterization, purification, and immobilization of enzymatic activities applied to food processing.

(e) Research on the use of polymers as adsorbents for the removal of pesticides from beverages and other foods, the possibility of extracting colorants from eggplant peels, and the recovery of proteases from artichokes and cardoons for use as natural coagulants in the cheesemaking process.

(f) Research on the use of new processing aids in wine stabilization.

(g) Research on the dissemination and promotion of food science through specially designed questionnaires and surveys administered by various methods.

The research activity is supported by approximately n. 230 scientific publications in international journals, national journals, conference proceedings, etc. Among these publications, n. 69 publications were reviewed by Scopus/Web of Science and published in qualified international journals with referees, high impact factor (F) and high h-index (h).