Barbara Prandi

Barbara Prandi is a Researcher (Ricercatore a tempo determinato) at the University of Parma, affiliated with the Department of Food and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Her academic roles include teaching Food Chemistry and related courses across multiple academic years (2018/2019 to 2025/2026), focusing on food science and technology programs. She has served as a teacher tutor for Food Science courses since 2020/2021.

Her research interests center on food chemistry, with a focus on protein structure analysis, food allergenicity, and the application of fermentation techniques. Specific topics include the molecular properties of edible insects (e.g., Hermetia illucens), allergenic proteins, and the impact of processing methods on food components. Her work bridges fundamental biochemical studies and practical food technology challenges.

Recent research outputs (2024–2025) investigate protein digestibility, enzymatic reactions, and allergenicity in novel food sources like insect proteins and fermented cereals. These studies address both safety and nutritional aspects of alternative food ingredients.

Dr. Prandi collaborates with interdisciplinary teams, as evidenced by her co-authored publications on topics ranging from D-amino acids’ effects on protein digestibility to the structural changes in food proteins under varying conditions.