Valentina Acierno

Valentina Acierno is a Researcher in Food Technology at Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Netherlands, specializing in food chemistry and sensory analysis with focus on cocoa, pulses, and novel food systems. Her work bridges analytical science with consumer acceptance studies, contributing to food safety and quality innovation through advanced methodologies including mass spectrometry and blockchain traceability.

Her research interests encompass:

• Food Chemistry: Volatile organic compounds, off-flavour mechanisms, and protein characterization in cocoa and pulses
• Sensory Science: Instrumental-sensory correlation for flavour profiling
• Digital Food Systems: Blockchain applications in traceability and novel food consumer acceptance
• Plant-Based Foods: Optimization of pulse protein functionality and faba bean breeding

Recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate a strategic shift toward integrating genomics (GWAS for faba bean traits) with digital traceability systems, addressing critical gaps in novel food acceptance and supply chain transparency. This reflects growing emphasis on multi-omics approaches combined with consumer behavior analysis to solve food quality challenges.

Dr. Acierno's scientific contributions include collaborative projects with Wageningen Social & Economic Research and Food Quality & Design groups, though no formal awards are documented. Her work has generated significant academic engagement with 70+ Mendeley readers and media coverage (e.g., Acetic acid in chocolate origin research).

Research leadership includes her completed PhD project "Food authentication with PIMMS" (2013-2020) and ongoing contributions to EU-relevant food innovation initiatives. Current work involves interdisciplinary teams focused on pulse protein concentrates and blockchain-enabled traceability systems, with datasets deposited in WUR repositories.