Northwest Italy Research Articles

Estimating Willingness to Pay for Alpine Pastures: A Discrete Choice Experiment Accounting for Attribute Non-Attendance

Alpine pastures generate important ecosystem services, some closely related to the environment, others to historical and cultural aspects. The economic valuation of these services helps their recognition in public policies, thus encouraging their conservation and improvement. Discrete Choice Experiments are particularly useful in estimating ecosystem services as they allow the evaluation of each individual ecosystem service, allowing for policy modulation. However, preferences and willingness to pay may be influenced by some heuristics that respondents adopt when making their choices. The present study contributes to the Attribute-Non-Attendance (ANA) literature by analyzing the effect of serial ANA on WTP for the improvement of the ecosystem services of an Alpine pasture, the Entrelor pasture located in Val d’Aosta (North-West Italy). The novelty of this study is that we investigated ANA by asking a first group of respondents which attributes were ignored during choices, and a second group which attributes they considered. Our results show that considering ANA matters in DCE. In particular, framing the question positively (which attributes were attended) yields differences in marginal WTPs that are significantly and systematically higher for all the attributes. Conversely, with negative framing, differences in marginal WTP seem to be insignificant and unstable both in terms of magnitude and sign. Moreover, positively framing the ANA question can be more informative, as ANA appears more frequently. These results suggest that respondents probably do not feel judged for not having adopted the expected degree of attention with a positively framed ANA question.

Inter-row floor management is a powerful factor for optimising vine balance in a non-irrigated organic Barbera vineyard in northern Italy

Floor management in organic viticulture plays a key role as weed suppression and soil health must be warranted through practices that minimise the recourse to extensive tillage and herbicides, while any resident vegetation or sown cover crop should exert moderate competition for water and nutrients towards the consociated vines. Lack of knowledge exists about the fraction of soil cover crop coverage (Scc) which might represent the best compromise between the above needs. A four-year study (2017–2020) was conducted in an organically managed cv. Barbera/420 A vineyard in the North-West of Italy, comparing five floor management treatments each having light tillage as the practice chosen to control the under trellis weed growth. Inter-row treatments were permanent grass (PG), tillage (T), alternate tillage and permanent grass every second mid-row (AGT), a variant of this last treatment, where the tilled mid-row was used for growing a temporary winter cover crop terminated in spring (AGC) and temporary grass (TG) where grass was disked post-harvest (mid-October) until natural growth resumption in late winter (mid-February). An assessment was made for soil profile and physicochemical composition, floristic analyses performed in T, PG, and TG treatments, vegetative growth, yield components, grape maturity at harvest, single leaf gas exchange as well as midday and pre-dawn leaf water potentials. While overall scant, mostly season-related differences were found for leaf function and water status, soil management heavily impacted vine performance. Year-round soil cover crop coverage (Scc) regressed towards total pruning weight/vine and yield/vine showed high linear correlation (R2 = 0.93) for pruning weight/vine (to be reduced by 38% at 75% Scc vs. 0% Scc of the T treatment), whereas yield/vine was quite poorly correlated (R2 = 0.21) showing a 15% decrease in PG vs. T. Regressing Scc vs total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), total anthocyanins and phenolics concentration disclosed mild linear correlation (R2 = 0.52) for the two technology ripening parameters and a much tighter fit for colour and phenolics (R2 = 0.79 and 0.90, respectively). AGT had an intermediate behaviour between its two extremes (i.e. T and PG) without assuring any significant marginal gain. Conversely, modulating PG into TG through a temporary removal of the resident vegetation in the fall and AGT into AGC by growing a winter cover crop terminated in the spring as mulching, gave the highest yield at adequate technological and phenolic ripeness. PG assured maximum grapes total soluble solids and total anthocyanin concentration at harvest; however, due to its low vigour, several shortcomings also followed, such as low yeast available nitrogen and malic acid concentration, as well as a tendency to accumulate high amounts of flavonols. Our work led to the conclusion that AGC and TG treatments are quite valuable choices under the specific environment for successful soil management in organic vineyards.

Work histories and provision of grandparental childcare among Italian older women

This work investigates the link between grandmothers’ participation in the labour market during adult life (between ages 18 and 49) and their provision of grandparental childcare later in life. Our contribution is twofold. First, we consider the Italian case, that despite its reliance on informal care has been under-researched. Second, we test two contrasting arguments on the association between grandchild care provision and grandmother’s work histories. On the one hand, lifelong homemakers could be more family-oriented and more likely to provide grandchild care in later life. On the other hand, ever-employed grandmothers could be more likely to have employed daughters and provide grandchild care to support their working careers. With data from the Multipurpose surveys on Families and Social Subjects (2003, 2009, 2016), we estimate logistic regression models, considering various specifications of grandparental childcare, and measuring labour market attachment in three different ways (having ever worked, length of working career, employment interruptions for family reasons). Results show a dualism between grandmothers who ever worked and those who never did, with the former more likely to provide grandparental childcare, especially when parents are at work. Grandmothers who worked only a few years are more similar, in terms of grandchild care provision, to those who worked throughout their life, than to lifelong homemakers. This association is stronger in the South and North-West of Italy. Overall, we showed that care responsibilities are inextricable from labour market participation, as grandmothers who already juggled family and work are those supporting the most their adult children’s work–family reconciliation.

Genetic Workup for Charcot-Marie-Tooth Neuropathy: A Retrospective Single-Site Experience Covering 15 Years.

Charcot–Marie–Tooth (CMT) disease is the most commonly inherited neurological disorder. This study includes patients affected by CMT during regular follow-ups at the CMT clinic in Genova, a neuromuscular university center in the northwest of Italy, with the aim of describing the genetic distribution of CMT subtypes in our cohort and reporting a peculiar phenotype. Since 2004, 585 patients (447 index cases) have been evaluated at our center, 64.9% of whom have a demyelinating neuropathy and 35.1% of whom have an axonal neuropathy. A genetic diagnosis was achieved in 66% of all patients, with the following distribution: CMT1A (48%), HNPP (14%), CMT1X (13%), CMT2A (5%), and P0-related neuropathies (7%), accounting all together for 87% of all the molecularly defined neuropathies. Interestingly, we observe a peculiar phenotype with initial exclusive lower limb involvement as well as lower limb involvement that is maintained over time, which we have defined as a “strictly length-dependent” phenotype. Most patients with this clinical presentation shared variants in either HSPB1 or MPZ genes. The identification of distinctive phenotypes such as this one may help to address genetic diagnosis. In conclusion, we describe our diagnostic experiences as a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic, combining a gene-by-gene approach or targeted gene panels based on clinical presentation.

Trichinella britovi outbreak in Piedmont, North-West Italy, 2019–2020: Clinical and epidemiological insights in the one health perspective

BackgroundTrichinellosis, a foodborne zoonosis due to nematodes of the genus Trichinella, occurs in the form of outbreaks following meat consumption. North Italy has been rarely involved. We report here the most significant wildlife derived trichinellosis outbreak ever registered in the Piedmont region. MethodWe retrospectively included 96 outpatients referred to our institution (December 20th, 2019–January 15th, 2020) 2020 after consuming raw sausages prepared from a single wild boar hunted in the Susa Valley, 59 km away from Torino, in November 2019. ResultsWe confirmed 35 cases and found additional 10 probable/suspected cases. Our cohort found that 47% of patients were symptomatic, with a median time from symptoms to presentation at clinic and serology testing of 14 days. Peripheral blood eosinophilia >500/μl and CK alterations were common. Further qualitative and quantitative analysis at the International Trichinella Reference Center c/o ISS, Rome identified T. britovi as the causative agent. ConclusionsNo autochthonous human case has ever been detected in Torino province, and a single wild boar has tested positive for Trichinella since active surveillance was implemented in 2013. This outbreak should raise attention on the preventive role of veterinary surveillance and the need to optimize sampling procedures and targeted health education.

Radon mapping in Piedmont (North-West Italy): a radio-geo-lithological approach

Background: In this work a radon mapping method implemented in Piedmont, an Italian Region in the Northern part of the country, is presented and discussed.
 Methods: The method is based on a “mixed approach”, combining together an experimental approach, based on a large set of experimental radon measurements performed with nuclear track detectors, and an empirical model, based on the geo-lithological characteristics of soils and rocks. This approach was named as “radio-geo-lithological” because the identification of geo-lithological units was defined considering not only the usual geological classification of the territory but also the radioactivity content of the most widespread rocks and soils of Piedmont.
 Results and Conclusion: This method allowed to classification of all municipalities of Piedmont (1181), thus permitting the identification of the Radon Priority Areas, a provision required by the new Italian law (Legislative Decree 101/2020), implementing the European Basic Safety Standards (Euratom Directive 59/2013).

Trichinella britovi outbreak in north-west Italy, 2019-2020: beware of wild boar

Trichinella britovi outbreak in north-west Italy, 2019-2020: beware of wild boar

Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Diagnosis: Results from a Tertiary Care Center in North-West Italy.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to direct most of the available resources towards its management. This has led to the neglect of all other pathologies, including cancer. The aim of this study was to verify whether the difficulty in accessing the health system has led to a reduction in new diagnoses of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and whether this has already been reflected in a more advanced stage of the cancer. A single-center, retrospective study including adult patients with a new diagnosis of HCC was performed. Patients were divided into three groups: the prelockdown phase (May 2019–February 2020), the lockdown phase (March 2020–December 2020), and the postlockdown phase (January 2021–October 2021); 247 patients were included. The number of patients diagnosed with HCC distinctly diminished in the periods March 2020–December 2020 (n = 69; −35%) and January 2021–October 2021 (n = 72; −32%) as compared to the period May 2019–February 2020 (n = 106). Noteworthy was the reduced surveillance in the period January 2021–October 2021 as compared to May 2019–February 2020 (22.9% vs. 36.6%, p = 0.056). No significant changes have yet been observed in tumor characteristics (BCLC staging distribution remained unvaried, p = 0.665). In conclusion, the number of new HCC diagnoses decreased sharply in the first 2 years of the pandemic, with no worsening of the stage. A more advanced stage of the disease could be expected in the next few years in patients who have escaped diagnosis.

Combining the Multilevel Perspective and Socio-Technical Imaginaries in the Study of Community Energy

The current paper contributes to the literature on community renewable energy by considering two projects developed in the north-west of Italy, in the Piedmont region. Community renewable energy is increasingly regarded by academic literature and policy discourse as crucial to ensure a socially and environmentally just energy transition. In spite of the growing diffusion of community renewable energy projects, there is still a lack of theoretically informed analyses. Our article tries to address this gap by combining two theoretical perspectives: the multilevel perspective and the socio-technical imaginaries approach. Applying the first perspective helps reconstruct the context and circumstances that have permitted the Piedmont’s energy community projects to emerge. Particular attention is given to the windows of opportunity created by the Regional Law 12/2018, which acknowledged the establishment of energy communities for the first time in Italy. The socio-technical imaginaries perspective allows the identification of collective ideas and meanings that emerge when individuals or groups promote a socio-technical innovation. Based on this analysis, three main future changes are associated with community renewable energy: an integral ecology approach, a stronger sense of community, and a local development opportunity for rural areas characterised by depopulation, a low employment rate, and high energy demand.

Hard Ticks (Ixodidae) from Wildlife in Liguria, Northwest Italy: Tick Species Diversity and Tick-Host Associations

Simple SummaryWildlife may carry ticks that can transmit pathogens to domestic animals and humans. Tick species from hunted and accidentally found dead wild animals were identified in the framework of a Regional Plan of Monitoring and Surveillance of Wildlife health in the Liguria region, northwest Italy. The results are presented to provide updated information on the tick species in the region and on their host preference. A total of 819 ticks, removed from 259 animals, were found and identified as belonging to five different species. Ixodes ricinus was the most frequent species, especially in roe deer and fallow deer, whereas Dermacentor marginatus was more specifically associated with wild boar. Wild animals are useful for characterizing and monitoring the tick population in an area, and these data will help in structuring control strategies.Hard ticks’ geographical distribution and abundance are influenced by wildlife population. This work presents the results of the identification of ticks retrieved from wild animals in the framework of a Regional Plan of Monitoring and Surveillance of Wildlife health. The frequency of distribution of ticks in different hosts and their geographical patterns were also investigated. Ticks were collected from game animals (Sus scrofa, Capreolus capreolus, Dama dama, and Rupicapra rupicapra) during two hunting seasons (2018–2019 and 2019–2020) in the four provinces of the Liguria region in northwest Italy. In the same period, ticks were also collected from carcasses of Vulpes vulpes, Canis lupus, Meles meles, and Asio otus received for necropsy. Tick species were identified according to taxonomic keys. A total of 819 ticks, removed from 259 animals, were found and identified. Overall, Ixodes ricinus was the dominant species (62.6%), followed by Dermacentor marginatus (24.5%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. (12.5%), Haemaphysalis punctata (0.2%), and Ixodes hexagonus (0.1%). I. ricinus was also the prevalent species in roe deer and in fallow deer and the only species collected from the three wolf carcasses examined. In contrast, D. marginatus was the dominant species in S. scrofa. This last tick species was also more frequent in one province (Imperia), whereas Ixodes spp. were more common in another one (Savona). Wild animals proved to be useful for characterizing and monitoring tick population.

A multidisciplinary approach to detect the seismogenic source of the Tortona 1828 earthquake (Piedmont, Northwest Italy)

In areas with flat morphologies formed at the expense of soft rocks, detecting capable faults requires a field- based multidisciplinary approach to help bridge the knowledge gap. In this paper, we present the results of an investigation in the Tortona area (Northwest Italy), where, in 1828, an earthquake caused several casualties and significant diffused damages. Considering the relative “agedness” of this event and the absence of particularly intense seismic activity during recent years, the seismic risk of the epicentral area has not been investigated in detail. To obtain an evaluation of it, twenty-two archives and libraries have been consulted, searching for published and unpublished documentation containing the description of the coseismic effects. The obtained information has been compared with the most updated catalogues. An intensity in the Mercalli intensity scale has been assigned to each new macroseismic data point. Instrumental seismicity has been evaluated to get an estimate of the current released seismic energy. A field survey, coupled with aerial photo interpretation and Digital Elevation Model analysis, has been carried out to verify the presence of tectonic, as well as lithological, influence on the drainage pattern distribution. In this way, geomorphic evidence related to active tectonics has been investigated in the study area. Sharp deviations of the hydrographic network have been detected in the sectors crossing the Staffora and Curone Rivers. Geophysical surveys were used to evaluate the thickness of Quaternary successions and whether they document the presence of geological elements ascribable to capable faults. The investigations suggest the possible presence of a high angle, E-W striking fault affecting Late Pleistocene alluvial deposits.

Bacterial and Viral Pathogens in Swine of North-West Italy

Bacterial and Viral Pathogens in Swine of North-West Italy

Systemic sclerosis and vaccinations: a three-year register-based cohort study about vaccination rate and uptake from Liguria referral center, northwest Italy

ABSTRACT Patients with diffused Systemic Sclerosis (dSSc) are more subject to severe respiratory complications with higher rates of intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Vaccination represents the most effective means of prevention and care for frail patients, such as SSc patients, preventing infections, reducing mortality and morbidity, and granting a better quality of life. Both vaccinations against seasonal influenza and Streptococcus pneumoniae are currently recommended by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) guidelines on vaccination. The aim of this study is to give an updated analysis on S. pneumoniae and seasonal influenza vaccination coverage in a cohort of 91 patients with SSc and to investigate demographic and clinical variables significantly related to vaccine acceptance. The correlation between vaccine administration and other factors was investigated using a binomial logistic regression to evaluate the adjusted odds ratio (aOR). The patients followed up in this study reached higher percentages than the general population, passing the 75% target for both influenza and anti-pneumococcal vaccinations and reaching for influenza vaccine coverage rates of 83.8% for subjects undergoing immunosuppressive therapies and 88.9% for elderly subjects. For the latter group, it is important to emphasize the strong correlation between older age groups and vaccination acceptance.

Microplastics Occurrence in the European Common Frog (Rana temporaria) from Cottian Alps (Northwest Italy)

Microplastics (MPs) pollution is arousing growing attention, yet knowledge about its occurrence in amphibians is scant to date. With this study, we aimed to determine whether plastic (>5000 μm) and MPs (10–5000 μm) could be detected in adult Rana temporaria from a high-mountain ecosystem (the Cottian Alps, northwest Italy). To do this, aquatic compartments and the digestive tract of adult R. temporaria were analyzed. Water, sediment, periphyton, aquatic macroinvertebrates, and tadpoles tested negative for plastic and MPs. Microplastics were detected in all the adult frogs (n = 5); all the identified items (one per specimen) were fibers (size range: 550.91–2355.51 µm). A statistically significant positive correlation between the particle length and frog size was recorded. The predominant fiber color was blue. The chemical composition was polyamide (60%), polyethylene (20%), and polyethylene terephthalate (20%). Since both the biotic and the abiotic freshwater compartments (tadpoles included) revealed the absence of MPs, it can be assumed that adult frogs ingest MPs from the surrounding terrestrial environment.

Parrots and parakeets in Genoa (Northwest Italy): preliminary report of a census and population dynamic analysis through citizen involvement

In the city of Genoa (NW Italy) three breeding species of Psittaciformes are known to occur: Psittacula krameri, Amazona ochrocephala and Amazona aestiva. We planned to update the knowledge of these alien species involving citizens in a project coordinated and managed by professional scientists and technicians from the Genoa University, the Natural History Museum “G. Doria”, the Municipality of Genoa and the Ligurian Environmental Protection Agency (ARPAL). The aims of the research are to highlight and quantify the impact on the urban environment of parrots and parakeets and evaluate which aspects of their presence are most perceived (negatively or positively) by citizens. The data obtained so far, on the basis of 227 observations, have allowed us to outline some aspects of the biology and habits of local Psittaciformes. We have related these characteristics to the impact that these species have on citizens, in terms of hygienic problems and levels of appreciation. The results, if confirmed by further data, will help us to develop targeted management measures but also to improve communication strategies for the future involvement of citizens in data collection.

Late Messinian flora from the post-evaporitic deposits of the Piedmont Basin (Northwest Italy)

In the Piedmont Basin (PB), one of the northernmost Mediterranean basins recording the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC), pollen and plant macroremains (leaves, fruits and seeds) were studied in four sedimentary sections of the post-evaporitic interval (5.6–5.33 Ma). The joint palaeobotanical investigations of the two datasets allowed the reconstruction of a floristic assemblage which consists of 133 taxa (95 woody and 38 non-woody taxa). The lowland/coastal vegetation reconstructed by integrating macro- and microfossil data exhibits several analogies with existing “types/formations” of South-Southeast Asia, whereas taxa occurring solely in the pollen record suggest the existence of altitudinal forests with conifers and a few angiosperms. We suggest that the generalized type of lowland, zonal palaeovegetation in the post-evaporitic Messinian of the PB was of no-analog type, but most similar to either “mixed mesophytic forests” or “broad-leaved evergreen forests”, which indicates a Köppen-Trewartha subtropical palaeoclimate.

Postmortem nasopharyngeal swabs performed during the COVID-19 infection: Analysis of preliminary clinical records by the genoa institute of legal medicine (North-West Italy)

COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is highly contagious. The persistence of the virus after infected individuals die remains unclear. This article reports the findings taken from postmortem nasopharyngeal swabs performed to investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the corpses transferred to the Genoa District Mortuary from the outset of the Italian lockdown (March 9) to the end of the first emergency phase (July 13). One hundred and eighty swabs were carried out: 13 corpses resulted positive for the virus, with the diagnosis being reached only after death. Seven were male and 6 female with an average age of 73.5 years old. The most frequent comorbidities recorded were arterial hypertension, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and pulmonary disease. In two cases, the swab tested positive at a distance of 125 h and 165 h from actual death. The nasopharyngeal swab results a useful way to screen corpses for COVID-19 and to handle bodies in Legal Medicine Centers where safe autoptic rooms are not available. Swabs are also a means of safeguarding forensic pathologists, identifying the presence of breeding grounds in the community and providing information for the Public Prosecutor's Office in legal cases. They are able to produce reliable results up to at least 7 days following death, provided that the corpse is correctly preserved.

Occurrence and spatial variation of Anisakis pegreffii in the Atlantic horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus (Carangidae): A three-year monitoring survey in the western Ligurian Sea

The Atlantic horse mackerel ( Trachurus trachurus ) is a commercially important fish species. Most parasitological studies on the anisakid nematodes occurrence in T. trachurus to date have involved fish from the Atlantic Ocean, while few studies are available for the Mediterranean Sea. Since T. trachurus is used raw and cooked in Ligurian cuisine (northwest Italy), assessment of possible consumer health risks (i.e., anisakiasis and allergic issues) is warranted. With this study we investigated the occurrence of zoonotic anisakid nematode larvae in the Atlantic horse mackerel. Between 2017 and 2019 a parasitological survey was carried out on 481 T. trachurus from four commercial fishing areas (Sanremo, n = 45; Imperia, n = 30; Savona, n = 300; Arenzano, n = 106) in the Ligurian Sea (western Mediterranean Sea). All isolated larvae morphologically assigned to the genus Anisakis (n = 937) were identified as A. pegreffii by PCR-RFLP. The total prevalence of A. pegreffii was 60.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 56.5–65.3); the prevalence by area was: Savona (89.3%; 95% CI 85.8–92.8) > Imperia (20%; 95% CI 4.8–35.2) > Arenzano (16%; 95% CI 8.9–23.1) > Sanremo (4.4%; 95% CI 0–10.7). Anisakis pegreffii larvae were found in visceral organs (99.15%) and muscle tissue (0.85%). In addition, 411 larvae morphologically referable to the genus Hysterothylacium sp. were also isolated but only in the viscera. This parasitological survey provides new data on the occurrence and the level of anisakid nematode infection in the Atlantic horse mackerel. • The occurrence of anisakid nematode was investigated in Trachurus trachurus from the Ligurian Sea. • A total of 937 larvae of Anisakis pegreffii were collected. • The total prevalence of A. pegreffii was 60.9%. • Savona showed the higher prevalence (89.3%) compared to the other areas. • 411 larvae morphologically referable to the genus Hysterothylacium sp. were also isolated.

Perioperative Care in Colorectal Cancer Surgery before a Structured Implementation Program of the ERAS Protocol in a Regional Network. The Piemonte EASY-NET Project.

Background: In 2019, the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol for colorectal cancer surgery was adopted by a minority of hospitals in Piemonte (4.3 million inhabitants, north-west Italy). The present analysis aims to compare the level of application of the ERAS protocol between hospitals already adopting it (ERAS, N = 3) with the rest of the regional hospitals (non-ERAS, N = 28) and to identify possible obstacles to its application. Methods: All patients surgically treated for a newly diagnosed colorectal cancer during September–November 2019, representing the baseline period of a randomized controlled trial with a cluster stepped-wedge design, were included. Indicators of compliance to the ERAS items were calculated overall and for groups of items (preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative) and analyzed with a multilevel linear model adjusting for patients’ characteristics, considering centers as random effects. Results: Overall, the average level of compliance to the ERAS protocol was 56% among non-ERAS centers (N = 364 patients) and 80% among ERAS ones (N = 79), with a difference of 24% (95% CI: −41.4; −7.3, p = 0.0053). For both groups of centers, the lowest level of compliance was recorded for postoperative items (42% and 66%). Sex, age, presence of comorbidities and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score were not associated with a different probability of compliance to the ERAS protocol. Conclusions: Several items of the ERAS protocol were poorly adopted in colorectal surgery units in the Piemonte region in the baseline period of the ERAS Colon-Rectum Piemonte study and in the ERAS group. No relevant obstacles to the ERAS protocol implementation were identified at patient level.

Which Factors Drive Consumer Decisions during Milk Purchase? New Individuals' Profiles Considering Fresh Pasteurized and UHT Treated Milk.

The cow’s milk market is going through a critical period characterised by a continuous contraction in consumption as a consequence of the lack of competitiveness on the market of the conventional product (commodity) versus numerous specialties. This paper aimed to define the profiles of milk consumers in terms of individual preferences (assessed using the best-worst scaling methodology) and socio-demographic features. A survey was conducted in several stores of large-scale retail, convenience stores, and open-air markets distributed in north-west Italy to collect data from 1216 respondents. For milk shopper purchasing habits, two consumer groups were defined and compared in terms of preferences: the fresh pasteurized milk consumer (FPc) (56% of the total sample) and the ultra-high temperature treated milk consumer (UHTc) (35%). A series of two-ways multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were conducted to assess the effect of individuals’ socio-demographic characteristics and the type of milk chosen on the consumer preferences, simultaneously. Significant differences in milk purchasing habits and preferences emerged when comparing the two consumer groups (UHTc and FPc). Empirical evidence of the study supported the starting hypothesis, suggesting the significance or relevance of the consumer socio-demographic characteristic, as well as their interaction effect with the type of milk on the level of importance given to the considered milk quality attributes. On the contrary, the gender results were not significant for the milk preferences definition. The assessment of consumer preferences, associated with the individuals’ socio-demographic characteristics could have important implications for outlining more effective marketing strategies based on a more targeted communication (i.e., related to the sustainability dimension of the local product, nutritional value and brand), leading the consumer back to the commodity rediscovery concerning individuals’ features and habits.