Technical Unit for Sustainable Development and Agro-industrial innovation
One of ENEA’s important objectives is to operate for the development and innovation of the national agro-industrial production system. The aim is to obtain food products using competitive, sustainable, and energy-efficient processes.
The focus is on the made-in-Italy agro-food, applying cross-disciplinary skills to the productive chain, and employing advanced facilities, technology platforms, and related service structures.
Laboratories and coordination activities
Green biotechnologies
- Research, development, and technology transfer in the areas of genomics, metabolomics, cytogenomics of plants of agricultural interest, of microalgal and microbial biotechnology, and of metabolic and protein engineering;
- Research, development, and technology transfer in the areas of microbial biodiversity, of traditional and in vitro plant breeding aimed at obtaining new plant varieties, and of biotic and abiotic stress control.
Sustainable management of agricultural ecosystems
- Research, development, and technology transfer of innovative and integrated tools for the analysis, protection, improvement, and sustainable management of agricultural ecosystems;
- Analysis of the impacts of energy production systems on agro-ecosystems and local biodiversity;
- Development of approaches to favor the adaptation of agro-food plants and vulnerable ecosystems to environmental and climate changes;Promotion of measures for the sustainable use of agro-ecosystems and biodiversity.
Methods and reference materials for quality of chemical and biological measurements
- Development of Methods and Reference Materials (RM) for quality of chemical and biological measurements and certification of processes and products.
Agro-industrial Innovation
- Research, development, and transfer of processing technologies and innovative diagnostic methods aimed at improving food quality and safety;
- Research and development of new raw materials, ingredients, and foodstuff in the area of "functional foods";
- Research, development, and transfer of technologies and methodologies for the characterization, extraction, and purification of molecules of nutritional and industrial interest from plant and agro-industrial residues.
