Offer DescriptionPhD/Postdoc positions at the University of Cagliari in the Department of Mechanical, Chemical and Materials Engineering. Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for a fully funded government program. The applicant should have a degree in food or chemical engineering, food science and technology, chemistry, or related field and have a desire to apply their knowledge towards answering important questions in the food engineering arena.The project aims to characterize the digestibility and nutrient absorption in gluten free or gluten containing waste bakery products to be recycled in the animal feed sector. The digestion of waste bakery product will be characterized under experimental conditions simulating salivary, gastric, and intestinal environments. Animal models will be used to evaluate the absorption of nutrients contained in the feed. Bomb calorimetry will be used to determine excreted and ingested calories. State-of-the-art bioreactors and food technologies will be utilized with biochemical, biophysical, and biomechanical methods. Energy balance studies will be carried out to assess the relationship between caloric load and nutrient absorption, to optimize feed formulations and to assess the digestibility of various feed ingredients.The research activity will also investigate the feasibility of recovering waste from the bread chain to produce biodegradable and sustainable films. The focus will be on optimizing formulations and operating conditions to obtain stable films, as well as studying their formation and molding. Additionally, the chemical and physical characteristics of the films will be analysed using SEM, TGA-DSC, and contact angle measurements.RequirementsResearch Field Engineering » Chemical engineering Education Level Master Degree or equivalentResearch Field Engineering » Process engineering Education Level PhD or equivalentResearch Field Engineering » Chemical engineering Education Level PhD or equivalentResearch Field Engineering » Process engineering Education Level Master Degree or equivalentResearch Field Chemistry » Instrumental analysis Education Level Master Degree or equivalentResearch Field Chemistry » Instrumental analysis Education Level PhD or equivalentLanguages ENGLISH Level GoodAdditional InformationWork Location(s)Number of offers available 2 Company/Institute University of Cagliari Country Italy State/Province Cagliari City Cagliari Postal Code 09123 Street Via Marengo 2 GeofieldWhere to apply E-mailnicola.lai@unica.itContact State/ProvinceCagliari CityCagliari WebsiteStreetVia Marengo 2 Postal Code09123 E-Mailnicola.lai@unica.itfrancesco.desogus2@unica.it Mobile Phone+39-3755993995STATUS: EXPIRED