ITALY & INDIA BUSINESS FORUM “Food Processing” Prof. Roberto Massini The Italian food industry, Why Italian Food to India? The icons of Italian food, Italian food is a key part of a good way of life, The food heritage in Italian culture, Italian food: present and future, The unique spirit of Italian food engineers, Industry food products are very complex items, Food processing requires specific know-how, Requirements to play in the global food market, Italian food products: Prerequisites, Italian diet vs. USDA food guide pyramid, Indian Food Pyramids, Parma: a small beautiful town, Parma: “The heart of the food valley”, International Food Exhibition in Parma

1. ITALY & INDIA BUSINESS FORUM
New Delhi, 15 February 2005
“Food Processing”
Prof. Roberto Massini
University of Parma
Department of Industrial Engineering
Food Technology Section
roberto.massini@unipr.it

2. Roberto Massini Food Processing 2
In this Forum, which is attended by very distinguished people, I
represent the Italian food industry and I am particularly proud to do so.
Food Industry, that is the first industrial sector in the European Union,
also in Italy has a very important role, being second only to
metalworking.

3. Roberto Massini Food Processing 3
The Italian food industry
n Second sector of the Italian industry
n 6 800 companies with at least 20 employees
n 270 000 total employees
n A turnover of more than € 105 billions
n Exports which amount more than € 14 billions
The Confederation
of Italian Industry
The Italian Federation
of Food Industries

4. Roberto Massini Food Processing 4
What is conspicuous for this sector is not just data, but indeed its
significance in terms of image and “lifestyle”.
Today, in the world, eating Italian food is a deliberate choice, as in the
case with wearing Italian clothes.
However, because also Italian food machinery is widely very
appreciate, undoubtedly Italy has an unique relation with the food
concerns.
But the question is: why such a large and important country as India
should be interested in food products and food processing coming from
a little country that is on the other side of the world ?

5. Roberto Massini Food Processing 5
Why Italian Food to India ?
Hey elephant !
Do you want to taste
Italian food ?

6. Roberto Massini Food Processing 6
Why Italian food technology to India ?
Marco Polo
The old spice routes

7. Roberto Massini Food Processing 7
Of course, the door to India was open for Italy by Marco Polo with his
trips from Venice to the India subcontinent.
Moreover, our countries were connected by the old spice routs.
But this cannot be very important for the Indian food businessmen.
What is Italian food for Indian consumers ?

8. Roberto Massini Food Processing 8
The icons of Italian food
to the very popular Pasta and Pizza
from the very rare White Truffles

9. Some lucky and rich Indians may have tasted white truffles and most
Indians may have experienced the Pasta and Pizza.
Pasta and Pizza that, I am afraid, may have not been made using
authentic Italian ingredients.
However, Italian food is much more than some folkloristic symbols.
It is a key part of a good way of life
Roberto Massini Food Processing 9

10. Roberto Massini Food Processing 10
Italian food is a key part of a good way of life
Food to Italians is not only a physiological need
for an healthy life
but also an enjoyable part of life
Italian Food evokes the Italian landscape
and artistic expression

11. I am sure you have heard the saying: Italians live for food.
There is some truth to it.
Food to Italians is a reason for happiness and socialising, and the
same Italian culture well testifies a special role of food.
Roberto Massini Food Processing 11

12. Roberto Massini Food Processing 12
The food heritage in Italian culture

13. Since the Etruscan civilisation, banqueting marks the most important
events of Italian life.
Food has also a strong association with the concept of sensuality and
hedonism, as wonderfully represented by Caravaggio in his paint
Bacchus.
But it is not only a matter of an idealised lost time.
Roberto Massini Food Processing 13

14. Roberto Massini Food Processing 14
Italian food: present and future

15. Coming to our days, Italian young people still prefer the traditional
Italian Diet.
Moreover, we can see a distinct future for Italian food millions of
kilometres away from home, since some typical Italian foods have
functional properties particularly suitable for long duration space
missions.
My research group is involved in this type of research, with projects
funded both by the Italian Government and the European Union.
More in particular, we are attempting to enhance the functional
properties of traditional food by applying novel process technologies.
Also for the common Italian food, a great part of his success came from
the continuous improvement of the Italian food technology: a
continuous innovation to actualise the tradition.
Roberto Massini Food Processing 15

16. Roberto Massini Food Processing 16
The unique spirit of Italian food engineers
When you look at the Italian manufacturers of food machinery and
equipment you can clearly see the heritage of the innovative spirit of
the great artist and scientist Leonardo da Vinci.

17. Roberto Massini Food Processing 17
Italian Food Machinery Industry
Ø number one exporter in the world of food machinery
Ø world-wide leadership for vegetables processing, as
well as for other important food sectors
Why the Italian food machinery are widely running in all the
continents?
Because Italian food machinery industry still matches engineering
aspects with the humanistic culture.
The key of success is technical innovation and continuous
improvement, but also a tailor-made approach to the customer, and
even a beautiful design.

18. Roberto Massini Food Processing 18
Industry food products are very complex items

19. Roberto Massini Food Processing 19
Food processing requires specific know-how
Effectiveness and efficiency of a food process depend on:
v Deep knowledge of all the chemical, biological, biochemical,
physical and structural changes (both wanted and unwanted), that
the incoming materials undergo during the process (characterised
by a variability of the applied operative parameters).
v Planning of machinery and plants, keeping in mind that a careful
process control is needed to maximise the wanted effects and to
minimise the unwanted ones, as well as the discards.
v Planning and organising of all the production and supply chain
phases to obtain the wanted food product at the lower direct and
indirect costs

20. Nowadays, to bring a food product to the global market, the food must
fully satisfy all the basic requirements enforced by laws and by the
market.
However, to bring a winner food to the market, very peculiar skills and
very deep scientific and technological knowledge are needed.
To realise an optimal food product, we need to have a deep and
multidisciplinary scientific background, and also specific technological
skills.
The key problem to solve is to develop a fully automated, but flexible
and smarty, process control system.
Roberto Massini Food Processing 20

21. Roberto Massini Food Processing 21
Requirements to play in the global food market
Extra-Skills to win:
n Enhanced Scientific Know-how
n High Technological Know-how
n Creativity and Leadership
n Pleasure & Convenience
Prerequisites to participate:
n Full Hygienic Quality
n High Acceptability
n Total food chain Competitive Prices

22. Roberto Massini Food Processing 22
Italian food products: Prerequisites
Safety
n The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) is placed in Italy
n GHP, HACCP and Traceability implementation is compulsory and
subjected to a strict Official Control
n Italian food and food machinery are exported to countries having
the most strict food rules (U.S.A., Canada, Japan)
Healthiness
n Italian food is the best example of the Mediterranean Diet
Commercial Quality
n Italian food enterprises are certified for ISO 9001 norm
Economics
n Italian food plants are highly automated
n Italian enterprises have well organised supply chain management

23. Italian food products are present in all the major markets of the world
because they fully comply with international safety regulations, they
meet the latest consumer quality demands and they have a right
quality-price ratio.
In particular, the Italian version of the Mediterranean diet is scientifically
proved to be the best answer to the consumer demand, focuses more
and more on the healthiness.
Roberto Massini Food Processing 23

24. Roberto Massini Food Processing 24
Italian diet vs. USDA food guide pyramid
Italian diet proved to be more healthy

25. Roberto Massini Food Processing 25
Indian Food Pyramids
For Vegetarians For Non-Vegetarians

26. Roberto Massini Food Processing 26
Why both Italian food and food machinery behaves as to winning
players in the global market.
The main reason is the organized interaction among many highly
specialized actors.
To clarify this point, I would like to present to you the example of my
town, Parma that is considered “the heart of the Italian food valley”
and that well exemplified the excellence of Italian food system.

27. Roberto Massini Food Processing 27
Parma: a small beautiful town

28. Roberto Massini Food Processing 28
Parma: “The heart of the food valley”
A District Structure for the Excellence
q A rich and well-established food industry for the production and
processing of Italian and European goods, as well as for the
manufacturing of food processing equipment and of food packaging
q Headquarters of EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority
q University, highly qualified research study, and professional training
in the scientific – technologic – medical – economical - legal, and
humanity food sectors
q Headquarters of the Experimental Station for the Food Preserves
Industry, a prestigious research institute studying food conservation
q “Cibus” and “CibusTec”, some of the most prestigious International
Fairs for food products and food technology

29. Roberto Massini Food Processing 29
Food-related courses at the University of Parma
Undergraduate degrees:
n Food Science and Technology
n Gastronomy Science
n Animal Production Technologies and Food Safety
n Herbalist and Healthy Food Science
n Packaging Science and Technology
Postgraduate specialized degrees:
n Food Science and Technology
n Mechanical Engineering for the Food Industry
Postgraduate Master degrees:
n Technologies for Food Safety and Quality
n Promotion and Protection Strategies for Children Feeding Safety and Quality
n Marketing and Logistic of Agri-Alimentary Products
PhD Courses:
n Food Science and Technology
n National and European Rules on Food Production and Control
n Agri-Alimentary Economy
n Animal production, Veterinary Biotechnologies, Food Quality and Safety

30. Roberto Massini Food Processing 30
International Food Exhibition in Parma

31. Roberto Massini Food Processing 31
Conclusions
Hey lady beetle !
You made me fall in love
with Italian food, but now
how I can do it ?

32. Roberto Massini Food Processing 32
Conclusions
Indian people can enjoy Italian Food:
n A few, coming to Italy
n Many, by importing genuine Italian foods
n Most, also by importing Italian food machinery and know-how
But to develop an Italian food import to reach a relevant part of the
Indian consumers, the following requisites must be met:
Ø Reasonable custom duty
Ø Absence of non-tariff barriers
Ø Suitable distribution (cold chain and large surface retail)
Ø Adequate financial and insurance services

33. Roberto Massini Food Processing 33
Thank you very much for your attention
Indian students in food science and technology
are very welcome at the University of Parma