School on applications of Pulsed Electric Fields for food processing. PEF School-2015
Sponsors
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- Date start: 07/02/2015
- Date end: 12/02/2015
- Venue: Council Chamber – “Vittorio Foa”, Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Salerno ProdAl and DIIn laboratories for practical activities
- Organizer: ProdAl Scarl, Università degli Studi di Salerno, DIIn
| Giovanna Ferrari ProdAl S.c.ar.l. e University of Salerno, Italy |
| Wolfgang Frey Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany |
| Dietrich Knorr Technical University of Berlin, Germany |
| Damijan Miklavčič University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Slovenia |
| Javier Raso University of Zaragoza, Veterinary School, Spain |
| Justin Teissie Institute of Pharmacology and Structural Biology, CNRS, France |
| Stefan Töpfl German Institute of Food Technologies, Germany |
| Giovanna Ferrari (Chair of the organizing committee) ProdAl S.c.ar.l., University of Salerno, Italy |
| Francesco Donsì ProdAl S.c.ar.l., University of Salerno, Italy |
| Roberta Ferrari ProdAl S.c.ar.l., Italy |
| Patrizia Lamberti University of Salerno, Italy |
| Paola Maresca ProdAl S.c.ar.l., Italy |
| Mariateresa Montesano ProdAl S.c.ar.l., Italy |
| Gianpiero Pataro ProdAl S.c.ar.l., University of Salerno, Italy |
The School
Following its debut in Zaragoza in 2014, the educational journey of the PEF School continued in Salerno (February 7–12, 2015). The initiative received support from the European project COST Action TD1104 (EP4Bio2Med), thanks to the active participation of ProdAl Scarl in this project (https://www.prodalricerche.it/en/cost-2/). This important network made it possible to provide grants funded by European resources to support the participants.
The main objective was to delve into non-thermal technologies, with a targeted focus on Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF) and their innovative use in the food industry (pasteurization and mass transfer optimization) as well as non-food sectors (medical and environmental).
Main Topics
The educational program was structured into 5 macro-areas:
- Fundamental principles and molecular modeling
- Measurement and evaluation of electroporation
- Pasteurization, assisted extraction, and effects on bioactive compounds
- Applications in the medical and energy-environmental sectors
- Equipment design and industrial transfer.
The daily format: balancing theory and practice
The School’s schedule was designed to ensure a perfect balance between high-level theoretical education and hands-on field application:
- Keynote lectures. Morning sessions led by top international experts and scientists in the field of electrotechnologies.
- Research space. Sessions dedicated to short oral and poster presentations by the participating students and young researchers themselves, stimulating debate and the sharing of their work.
- Afternoons in the Lab (Practical Work). The true beating heart of the program took place in the laboratories of ProdAl and the University of Salerno. Here, guided by the School’s organizing and support team, participants put themselves to the test with practical activities and the development of actual group projects, whose scientific results were presented and discussed on the closing day.
Key strengths of the School
- Multi-level approach. The School is designed both to transfer core competencies to those approaching the technology for the first time (PhD students, young researchers) and to delve into advanced industrial aspects for industry users.
- International network. It fostered direct and simultaneous classroom interaction between world-class experts and young researchers, creating a solid bridge between research and industry.
- Continuous update. Integrated into a traveling and collaborative European network, it guarantees immediate access to the latest electroporation protocols and methods.
Beyond the classroom: networking and local heritage
The school featured a rich program of side events to foster mutual networking and showcase the excellence of Southern Italy:
- The itinerary kick-off. After the welcome cocktail at the Grand Hotel Salerno, lecturers and students set off for Puglia, attending the Putignano Carnival parade. The educational activities officially began right after lunch at the traditional Masseria Barsentum, before a scenic stop among the trulli of Alberobello.
- Social moments. The evenings combined tradition and fun, ranging from the classic “giropizza” at Trianon in Salerno, to a karaoke night at the Rifugio Urupetra in Summonte, up to the Gala Dinner at Il Vecchio Mulino in Castelfranci.
- The closing event. The experience concluded with a street food evening in the historic center of Salerno and, the following day, an optional excursion to explore the archaeological park of Paestum.
School Program and Presentations
The 2015 edition in numbers
20 Lecturers. Leading international experts in the field of innovative technologies for food processing and beyond. Countries of origin: Brazil, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Slovenia, Ukraine, and the United States.
30 Participants. Researchers, professors, PhD students, and graduates from all over the world: Argentina, Croatia, France, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, Spain, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey.
An excellent approval rating. The customer satisfaction analysis conducted at the end of the course revealed an outstanding level of satisfaction among the participants, who fully praised both the quality of the teaching and laboratory activities, as well as the efficiency of the logistical and organizational aspects.
Towards the Third edition
The success achieved by this second edition has strengthened the Scientific Committee’s conviction to carry on this training initiative. The 3rd School on Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) Processing of Food will take place in Dublin from March 21 to 24, 2016, hosted and organized by University College Dublin (UCD).
