Learning objectives
At the end of the course, the student is expected to be able to: know the different types of species studied and the main areas of the world about their supply; know and understand the production systems that are the basis of the products of the different species covered by the course; apply the acquired knowledge to the different working realities related to the agri-food sector; deepen their knowledge, through the consultation of specialized texts, scientific or popular magazines, even beyond the topics seen in the classes; assess the reliability of the information provided by various sources in full autonomy, and express own evaluation and criticisms in an effective and scientifically correct way.
Prerequisites
Conoscenze di biologia e produzioni vegetali
Course unit content
- - -
Full programme
General part:
- Aromatic plants and their supply chain: cultivation and processing, market, critical factors;
- Factors affecting quality: genetic, agronomic (cultivation, harvest), post-harvesting and conservation;
- Secondary metabolites: main classes and their role in plant and food; essential oils: physical and organoleptic properties, extraction methods, uses;
- Quality and safety control of herb, spices and nervine plants and their products.
Special part:
- Aromatic plants and spices (examples among: cinnamom, cloves, hop, mint, nutmeg, origan, pepper, chili pepper, rosemary, saffron);
- Nervine plants (e.g. cocoa, coffee, the, mate);
For each species the following aspects will be considered:
-historical;
- botanicals: morphology, anatomy and physiology, with particular reference to the parts used as food and to the processes related to their formation on the plant itself;
- genetic and qualitative: origin and distribution of species, subspecies and varieties, and their acclimatization and quality characteristics;
- cultivation: the prevailing cultivation techniques, and their effects on the quantity and quality of production;
- transformation and conservation: limited to the techniques adopted in farms and food companies to condition and preserve the products;
- Market overview.
Bibliography
PowerPoint presentations given by the teacher to be integrated by personal notes taken during the lectures, the material uploaded on the Elly platform and/or by consulting the following texts:
- Alessandro Bruni - Biologia Farmaceutica (Biologia vegetale, Botanica farmaceutica, fitochimica), ed. PEARSON;- Calogero Rinallo – Piante Alimentari, ed. PICCIN; - Francesco Basso - Piante officinali, aromatiche e medicinali. Aspetti bioagronomici, aromatici e fitoterapici , ed. PITAGORA; - Baldoni R., Giardini L., 2000 - Coltivazioni erbacee. Pàtron, Bologna (Vol. II, Piante oleifere da zucchero, da fibra e aromatiche; - Sigmund Rehm, Gustav Espig, 1997. La coltivazione delle piante tropicali e subtropicali coltivazione, importanza economica, utilizzazione. Ed EDAGRICOLE.
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons
In-depth seminars
Group working
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral exam. The exam will be organized as a series of open questions on the subjects addressed in class. In particular, in addition to verifying the acquisition of basic knowledge, the ability to connect the general part with one or more individual species discussed during the course will be evaluated. Registration for the test takes place online through the ESSE3 SYSTEM.
Other information
- - -
