(ANSA) - Milan, October 1 - 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.