Antonio Iraci Fuintino

Self-presentation:

Antonio is a Veterinary Doctor currently associated with the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production at the University “Federico II” of Naples, Italy. He is a Specialist in Pathophysiology of the Reproduction of Domestic Animals and in Breeding, hygiene, pathology of aquatic species and controls of derived products. He currently works as Veterinary Manager at the Department of Veterinary Prevention Hygiene Service of Livestock and Livestock Production in Ragusa.

Project:

Exploring Sicilian cheese and red wine pairing by an in vitro simulation of tasting

My PhD project consist of evaluate the interaction between cheese, wine, and saliva through in vitro experiments. In my project, different typical Sicilian cheeses at different stages of ripening were selected to provide a different range of cheeses. Also, different red wines of Sicily were used in the study. Wine and cheese binding reactions will be simulated in three tasting trials, after which the phenolic content of the wine, the Saliva Precipitation Index (SPI), and total protein levels will be measured. The optimal pairing will be determined by assessing the wine's cleansing effect—its ability to reduce salivary and cheese proteins—the reduction in astringency (measured by SPI), and the amount of coating fat left in the mouth after consuming cheese

Supervisior:

Prof. Giuseppe Campanile, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples “Federico II”, Italy