Learning objectives
The main objective of this course is to provide students the basic knowledge of food sensory and physical properties and the available techniques for their characterization. In particular, the student should be able to:
1. know the main physical and sensory properties of solid and liquid food products.
2. plan physico and sensory characterization analysis based on food features and experimental hypothesis.
3. Evaluate in an independent way data and information to formulate solutions to simple and well-defined problems to the sector.
4. communicate the knowledge learned about the physico and sensory characterization of food products to other experts or non-experts in the sector, and when started to work, to superiors and / or customers.
5. to connect the different topics dealt with each other and with the basic and related disciplines and to have obtained the cultural tools and the bases to undertake the studies of the master's degree in food sciences and technology with high autonomy.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge on unit operations, food chemistry and food microbiology are strictly requested. Moreover, basics of physics are also requested.
Course unit content
- Basic concepts of rheology of fluids and solids
- Analytical techniques to measure viscosity and texture of food
- Water activity and its measure; sorption isotherm and food stability map
- Image analysis
- Color and its measure
- Colloids and emulsions
- Sensory analysis
Full programme
- Basic concepts of rheology of fluids and solids
- Analytical techniques to measure viscosity and texture of food
- Water activity and its measure; sorption isotherm and food stability map
- Image analysis
- Color and its measure
- Colloids and emulsions
- Sensory analysis
Bibliography
Mandatory:
- .Pptx presentations used during lessons
To deepen the study:
- Sensory evaluation of food: principles and practices, H.T. Lawless, H. Heymann, Chapman & Hall, New York, NY, 1998
- Sensory evaluation techniques 3rd edition, Meilgaard, Civile, Carr, CRC Press, 1999
- Valutazione sensoriale: Aspetti teorici, pratici e metodologici, E. Pagliarini, Hoepli, Milano, 2002
- Food texture and viscosity, concept and measurement, 2nd edition, Bourne, Academic Press, Food Science and Technology, International Series
- Image analysis of food microstructure, Russ, CRC Press, 2005
Assessment methods and criteria
Written exam on the topics of the course consisting of 4 open questions (maximum 8 points for each question). The teacher will evaluate both the degree of understanding of the topics based on the completeness of the answers and the student's ability to establish connections between the various topics, and the technical-scientific language acquired. The final score of the integrated course will be the result of the arithmetic mean of the scores of the two modules.
