The food education project to fight waste From June 21 to July 1, 2025, Federica Quintiero (University of Pavia) conducted a food education initiative aimed at boys and girls from the Voghera summer camp, traveling to the mountain resort of Macugnaga.   The initiative promotes sustainable and innovative approaches in the fields of health and nutrition. Specifically, the activity aimed to introduce children to the issues of food and environmental sustainability through an educational program based on practical experiences and moments of shared reflection.   The project was divided into several phases. A significant portion was dedicated to promoting virtuous behaviors to reduce food waste, such as reusing leftovers and paying attention to portion sizes. Another key focus was reducing the use of single-use plastic by encouraging the use of water bottles filled with drinking water from local fountains: a natural, safe, and sustainable resource.   Among the most engaging moments, the cooking workshop allowed children to try their hand at preparing simple, low-impact dishes, contributing to the development of manual skills, creativity, and greater awareness of the value of food, in line with the principles of sustainability education promoted by NODES.   At the end of the program, a nutrition education lesson was offered, focusing on the creation of balanced meals, exploring topics such as the Mediterranean Diet pyramid, the variety and seasonality of foods, and the importance of informed choices. This project was a valuable educational experience, providing participants with concrete tools to develop healthy, sustainable, and conscious eating habits that can be maintained in their daily lives.

Secondary agro-industry at the reference event for the sustainable future of the global food system The Spoke 7 of the NODES project has recently brought the results of the research to Singapore, participating in the international conference Future Foods - Bridging the future of sustainability and food science, a reference event for the sustainable future of the global food system.   During the event, the results of some research activities conducted within Spoke 7 were presented, in particular in the context of the Industrial PoC "Circular Egg". Luisa Torri illustrated the main outcomes of the project, highlighting how the "circular egg" represents a concrete and promising solution for the market, capable of combining innovation and sustainability.   Next, Marta Bertolino presented the results of the activity "Apple pomaces: from waste to potential functional ingredient in biscuits. Investigation of the effects of variety and concentration of use", the result of a collaboration between the University of Turin and the University of Gastronomic Sciences, focused on the reuse of apple cake - a by-product of the food industry - to increase the nutritional value of biscuits, showing a virtuous example of circular economy applied to food.   A further contribution entitled "Appl[e]ause: evaluation of gastronomic pairing, context of consumption and consumer acceptability of apple pomace-based bakery products", presented in poster format by Nazarena Cela, illustrated a research activity developed in synergy between Unisg and Politecnico di Torino, demonstrating the strong interdisciplinary approach that characterizes Spoke 7.   Participation in Future Foods confirmed the international level of the activities conducted within Spoke 7, demonstrating how the NODES project is at the forefront of guiding future trends in the food system, through research, innovation and strategic collaborations.

The Spoke 7 event at Simbiosi, Innovation Center Giulio Natta The seminar "From research to business: sustainable strategies for public health" (June 20, 2025) represented an opportunity for discussion between the academic world, applied research and businesses on the topic of sustainability, with particular attention to its implications in the health and environmental fields.   Promoted as part of the NODES project and the extended OnFoods partnership, the event involved students, young researchers, university professors, startups and local businesses in a day full of ideas and testimonials. The program addressed the issue of sustainability through an integrated approach, along the entire supply chain: from the environment to nutrition, from the valorization of waste to the circular economy, up to the strategic role of businesses.   Hellas Cena opened the proceedings with a reflection on the link between environment and health, underlining the urgency of promoting lifestyles and dietary models capable of preserving public health and the planet. Following this, Sara Boussetta examined the concept of sustainable nutrition, illustrating innovative solutions for a fairer and healthier future. The dialogue between research and business was at the center of the speech by Vincenzo Della Monica, who presented the vision of Simbiosi: transforming utilities, industries and property owners into “environment producers” through nature-based solutions, waste valorization and resource regeneration.   The second part of the morning was dedicated to the valorization of bioactive molecules and the  fight against malnutrition, with the speech by Niccolò Meriggi (CNR IBBA) and Adele Papetti (University of Pavia), who highlighted the therapeutic and nutraceutical potential of compounds extracted from organic matrices. Closing the session, Pietro Agostinelli illustrated how artificial intelligence can support the circular economy, monitoring and optimizing the use of land and natural resources.   In the afternoon, a guided tour was organized at Simbiosi, a host company born from agro-environmental research projects and now active in the development of sustainable technologies applied to the real world. The experience allowed those present to see circular and nature-based solutions in action that integrate innovation, environmental protection and social responsibility.

The prestigious award given at the 45th SINU National Congress  On the occasion of the 45th National Congress of the Italian Society of Human Nutrition (SINU), held in Salerno from 28 to 30 May 2025, Federica Quintiero, research fellow at the Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine of the University of Pavia, was awarded for the scientific value of her contribution.   Federica, involved in the Spoke 7 of the NODES – Digital and Sustainable North West project, funded by the PNRR and active at the University's Food Education and Sports Nutrition Laboratory, received the Award for the Best Poster Communication with the work entitled Validation of structure of home cooking skills questionnaire: an Italian version (HCSQ- ITA).   The study, developed within the Spoke 7 – Secondary agro-industry of the NODES project, aims to validate the Italian version of the Brazilian questionnaire “Primary Health Care Home Cooking Skills Scale (PHCHCSS)”, a tool to evaluate the domestic culinary skills of the Italian population.   This represents the fundamental starting point for the launch of food education and culinary medicine projects, with the aim of improving not only the population's knowledge, but also their eating habits and culinary.