Domenico Fabrizio Nicosia
Tutor: Cinzia Lucia Randazzo
- 2021-2024: PhD course in Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science, University of Catania. Research project: “Industrial-scale development of a vegetable rennet based on Kiwi juice and a functional microbial culture for the formulation of healthy Halal-certified cheeses”.
- 2019-2020: Master’s Degree in Food Science and Technology, University of Catania; supervisors: Prof.ssa Cinzia Lucia Randazzo and Dr.ssa. Nunziatina Russo Degree thesis: “Studio dell’antibiotico resistenza di ceppi di Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus di origine alimentare e umana”. Final mark: 110/110.
- 2015-2019: Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science and Technology, Univeristy of Catania; supervisor: Prof. Luana Pulvirenti. Degree thesis: “Estrazione di composti bioattivi da scarti di lavorazione agroalimentare ". Final mark: 101/110.
The main objective of the phD research is to develop, at industrial scale, a vegetable rennet based on Kiwi juice and a functional microbial culture for the production of an innovative "Islam-compliant" healthy cheese. The research project addresses various degrees of innovation: from the implementation of new dairy production protocols, to the use of new alternative milk coagulants to animal rennet; from the formulation of a new vegetable microbial culture with functional and debittering properties to the development of the cheese-making / fermentation process. In order to compare the genetic and metabolic pathway of the innovative cheese microbiota with the conventional one, obtained with commercial rennet, omics approach will be applied.