Pastaria Awards for thesis research: 2026 winners announced

The winners of the 2026 Pastaria Award for the best doctoral and master’s theses on pasta have been announced. With this initiative, Pastaria aims to recognize the work of young graduates and researchers.

The evaluation committee has revealed the winners of the 2026 edition of the Pastaria Award for the best master’s and doctoral theses on pasta, an initiative that reaffirms Pastaria’s commitment to promoting scientific research applied to the pasta sector.

The award is intended to acknowledge the contributions of young researchers who, through their studies, address key issues for the evolution of the supply chain: raw material quality, production processes, nutritional value, sustainability, and product shelf life.

Master’s Thesis Awards

For the 2026 edition, the Pastaria Award for master’s theses was granted to two papers analyzing the impact of technological processes on the nutritional and structural quality of pasta.

The first award goes to Cristian Tardini (University of Bologna) for his thesis Effect of the production process on bioactive compounds in dry pasta: from raw materials to final product. The research analyzes the evolution of phenols, antioxidant activity, and tocopherols from raw material to both standard and enriched pasta, highlighting that while the production process partially reduces bioactive compounds, enriched pasta retains higher levels than pasta made solely from semolina.

The second award was given to Imma De Sena (University of Naples Federico II) for her thesis Evaluation of the effect of thermal drying treatment of pasta using proteomic approaches. Conducted as part of the PRIN CALIMERO project, the study investigates how drying conditions affect protein structure and digestibility, emphasizing the role of semolina quality in the interaction between raw material and process.

Each winner of the master’s thesis award receives € 400 and a certificate issued by Pastaria.

Doctoral Thesis Award

The 2026 Pastaria Award for the best doctoral thesis was awarded to Flavia Dilucia (University of Foggia) for her dissertation Valorization and recycle of vegetable by-products for the formulation and study of high health value food products to extend their shelf-life.

The research explores the valorization of vegetable by-products through an innovative, non-thermal, and solvent-free method aimed at producing functional ingredients for fortified foods. The results show improvements in the chemical, microbiological, and sensory properties of the products, highlighting sustainable practices and circular economy approaches of particular interest to the pasta sector.

The doctoral award includes a € 700 prize and a certificate issued by Pastaria.

Award ceremony and publication

The award ceremony will take place during Fiera Pastaria & Festival 2026, scheduled in Florence on March 30–31, confirming the event’s role as a meeting point for industry, research, and innovation.

As in previous editions, the winning research will also be featured in summary scientific articles published in Pastaria, offering readers insights into the most significant outcomes of academic research applied to pasta.