Developing countries need to progress from producing and exporting commodities to adding value and increasing productivity through sustainable processing and manufacturing. This is also essential for domestic food security as it is a means of reducing post-harvest crop losses. This theme will cover: product development, quality and productivity, upgrading enterprises by introducing management and sustainable technological solutions (e.g. processing, ICT, TQM), research and development that is relevant for developing countries, and introducing more ecologically sustainable means of production relating to the use of water, energy, chemicals and other inputs.
Theme Manager
Prof. Achille Franchini
Achille Franchini, graduated in Veterinary Medicine and specialised in Avian Pathology, is full Professor of Poultry Science at the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Bologna since 1988 and head of the Department of Food Science since 2001. He is President of the Italian branch of World Poultry Science Association, President of the European Federation of the World’s Poultry Science Association, Chairman of the XII European Poultry Conference, held in Verona from September 10th to 14th 2006, and Co-Chairman of the Technological Platform “Italian Food for Life”, national platform of the FP7 Cooperation Work Program.
From 1979 to 1985 Achille Franchini was member of the Management Committee of the Italian Society for Avian Pathology and in 1980 he promoted the foundation of the Avian Immunological Study Group in collaboration with other European Scientists. He participated to the European FLAIR project named "Prevention and control of potentially pathogenic micro organisms in poultry and poultry meat processing", from 1994 to 2000 he was member of the Management Committee of COST Action 97 named "Pathogenic microorganisms in poultry and eggs” and since 2001 he is member of the Management Committee of COST Action 920 named “Foodborne zoonosis: a coordinated food chain approach”.
Achille Franchini is author of more than 170 scientific publications and referee for international journals with IF. His main research topics are: a) effect of vitamins, as antioxidant components of diet, on some cellular functions of immune system and performances in broilers and turkeys; b) feeding strategies for improving nutritive quality of poultry meat and eggs; c) molecular characterization of food-borne pathogens (Salmonella and Campylobacter); d) phenotypic and genotypic studies on antibiotic resistance in Salmonella typhimurium; e) control of Salmonella in poultry by competitive exclusion and dietary supplementation of organic and inorganic acids.
