Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding: the course aims to enable the student to have a general knowledge and understanding of the main properties of dairy products (composition, microbiology, texture, also in relation with the main features of processes and shelf-life) compared to the description made by different communication channels (laws, mass-media, advertising etc)
Applying knowledge and understanding:
The class aims to enable students to apply the knowledge learned in the employment context identified in the areas covered by the employment opportunities typical of the degree course
Making judgments: the course aims to enable the student to begin to develop an autonomous capacity to draw conclusions thanks to the skills learned to seek and gather relevant data, interpret them and use the most appropriate to communicate scientifically sound information
Communication skills: the course aims to enable the student to communicate his knowledge about dairy products to people expert and/or not expert of the dairy field
Learning skills: The course aims to give students the learning skills necessary to undertake further studies with a high degree of autonomy
Prerequisites
Knowledge of the fundamentals of food microbiology and chemistry is useful for an efficient understanding of the course contents
Course unit content
The class highlights the main characteristics (composition, chemistry, structure) of a wide range of dairy products used as food and as an ingredient in other foods, with attention to their links with key aspects of their method of production, territorial origin, labeling, methods of marketing and consumption, shelf life.
The class compares the available knowledge given by technical-scientific literature with the communication proposed by other information channels (laws, mass media, advertising, etc.) in order to discuss the logic underlying the different types of communication.
The groups of dairy products covered by the class are:
1) Fluid products for direct consumption where milk is the exclusive or main ingredient:
(liquid milk, fermented milk)
2) Products derived from milk or milk fractions processing:
cheese, cream, mascarpone, butter, cottage cheese
3) Products based on milk or milk fractions characterized by the use as a main ingredient in other foods:
condensed and powdered milk; infant formula
Full programme
The products discussed during the class are the following:
1) Raw milk for direct consumption
2) Liquid milk with reduced shelf life (pasteurized, microfiltrated)
3) Liquid milk with long shelf life (sterilized, UHT)
4) Functional liquid milk (hydrolyzed lactose, PUFA etc)
5) Condensed milk and dulce de leche
6) Powdered milk
7) Infant formula
8) Yogurt and fermented milk
9) Cheese: fundamentals
10) Fresh unripened cheeses
11) Soft cheeses with active rind
12) Blue cheeses
13) Cooked cheeses
14) Mountain cheeses
15) Mozzarella cheeses
16) Cream, butter and Mascarpone
17) Ricotta
Bibliography
Slides provided by the teacher
To improve knowledge:
Mucchetti G., Neviani E.(2006) Microbiologia e tecnologia lattiero casearia. Qualità e sicurezza. Tecniche Nuove Ed. Milano
Teaching methods
Lectures with slides presentation.
When lectures on a specific group of dairy products are over, students are required to discuss how they could present a product, considering what they have learned.
Assessment methods and criteria
The Assessment is carried out in a single final examination scheduled as follows:
the examination starts with exposure by the student of a multimedia presentation (e.g. Power Point) consisting of not more than 8 slides (beyond that of the title). The student will have 10 minutes for presentation. The topic of the presentation is freely chosen by the student.
The examination is completed with the discussion of the content of the presentation and the formulation of questions from the teacher about the topics of the course.
The final examination score is awarded on the basis of the following criteria:
1) quality of the presentation, as an index of the student's ability to choose material according to priority, given the imposed time limit and slide number, and organize the knowledge thereof in order to communicate clearly;
2) student's ability to answer issues and then apply his own knowledge.
Other information
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