Italian chocolate producer Ferrero handed out awards for innovation in the hazelnut sector at Milan's Expo world fair, aiming to fund and improve research in the industry that provides one of the main ingredients for the company's famous Nutella chocolate spread.
Chile's 'Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias' picked up the Ferrero Hazelnut award contest's top prize of 150,000 euros with its project "Improvement hazelnut production incorporating novel technologies for the most important world production areas".
Perugia University took second place with its study entitled "New cultivation system for more profitable and sustainable hazelnut growing".
Finally third place was awarded to Spain's Institut de Recerca i Tecnologias Agroalimentàries', in collaboration with Turin and Palermo universities, for the project "Developing a modern hazelnut industry by innovative crop technology and plant material".
The projects were evaluated by an external and independent scientific commission at Piacenza's Catholic University of the Sacred Heart.
The award was launched by Ferrero Hazelnut Company, aiming to develop the sector globally. Universities, research institutes and non-profit organisations from around the world took part in the contest.
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