Alessandra Massa
Postdoctoral Scholar, Bioengineering
Bio
Alessandra Massa (she/her/hers)
Visiting PhD Student, Basque Culinary Center
Alessandra is a PhD student in Gastronomic Sciences at the Basque Culinary Center (Mondragon University). Her doctoral work focuses on exploring filamentous fungi as sustainable food sources to enhance gastronomic biodiversity. She aims to bridge science and gastronomy by integrating analytical chemistry, microbial biotechnology, sensory analysis, and food product development to find sustainable solutions to the way we eat. She has worked as a teacher of food development and technology at the Basque Culinary Center and as a food scientist at Esencia Foods, a startup focused on developing mycelium-based seafood alternatives. Alessandra has also collaborated on science-driven gastronomy projects in Michelin-starred restaurants such as Azurmendi, Mugaritz, and Culler de Pau, where fermentation is used as a tool to create new products and reduce food waste. Her favorite fungi are Rhizopus oligosporus and Neurospora intermedia, known for their ability to develop rich aromas and textures in novel food products.