Learning objectives
The course aims to provide students with a scientific approach and legislative issues in the field of food hygiene, with special reference to microbial and viral contamination of foods of animal origin as well as skills relating to the application of rules of hygiene as a preventive measure in the context of food poisoning (I and II descriptors of Dublin). They also include concepts for prevention during production, marketing and preservation of foods susceptible to bacterial and viral contamination. The production technologies of drinking milk, the conditions for the marketing of raw milk and related National and European legislation are treated with the aim of providing students with the skills needed to draw up HACCP plans as part of food production (III, IV and V descriptors of Dublin). During the laboratory exercises ISO official methods for detecting microorganisms of particular importance to hygiene and food safety (Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli, S. aureus, Enterobacteriaceae)are applied.
The aim of the curse is also to provide students with a scientific approach to the hygiene problems in the food area, regarding to the microbial contamination of food of animal origin and the application of hygiene regulations in the national and European legislation in force. Students deepen the aspects concerning some toxinfections and their prevention during the production, retail and preservation stages of food of animal origin. Traditional and innovative technologies on the food conservation.
Course unit content
The contamination of foods of animal origin.
Alterations of food of animal origin: meat products, milk, eggs and fish products.
Food poisoning: factors conditioning the food-borne diseases (salmonellosis, botulism, vibriosis).
Food contamineted by helminth parasites: toxoplasmosis, trichinosis (EC Regulation 2075/2005), cysticercosis, botriocefalosi, opistorchidosi, anisakiasis.
Food contaminated by protozoa parasites: cryptosporidiosis, amebiasis, giardiasis.
Processing technologies and food storage:
pasteurization, appertisation, sterilization, refrigeration and freezing, high hydrostatic pressure, drying and smoking, ionizing radiation, the use of chemical compounds (nitrites-nitrates, polyphosphates, organic acids) and antibiotics, fermentation, mechanically separated meat and manufacturing technology meat products.
Food Law: "hygiene package" EC Regulation 2073/2005 and SS. MM.
Sampling, labeling and related legislation.
HACCP.
Factors of bacterial growth in foods. The microbial and viral contamination of food of animal origin. Surveillance of foodborne zoonoses at National and European level.
Food poisoning: campylobacteriosis, listeriosis, infections by pathogenic Escherichia coli (with particular reference to EHEC, STEC and EggEC pathotypes), yersiniosis, brucellosis, Cronobacter sakazakii infection, poisoning by Staphylococcus aureus.
Food poisoning: histamine poisoning.
Food-borne viral diseases: Norovirus, Rotavirus, Hepatitis A Virus and Hepatitis E Virus.
Health problems and trade problems in raw milk (Reg. 853/2005, State-Regions Agreement 25.01.2007, 10.12.2008 OM, DM 12.12.2012). Processing technologies of drinking milk: pasteurization, UHT, sterilization microfiltration. Law 169/1989. Legal indicators of heat treatment of milk. Drinking milk of high quality.
Microbiological criteria for foodstuffs: Reg 2073/2005 and subsequent amendments
Bibliography
COLAVITA G.: Igiene e Tecnologie degli alimenti di origine animale. Le Point Veterinaire Italie, 2012, Milano
GALLI A., BERTOLDI A.: Igiene degli alimenti e HACCP in accordo con le nuove disposizioni del pacchetto igiene – Modelli applicativi. Ed. EPC Libri, 2006
FABBI M., MARONE P.: Trattato sulle infezioni e tossinfezioni alimentari. Ed. Selecta Medica, 2005, Pavia
SALVADORI DEL PRATO O.: Tecnologie del latte, Ed. Edagricole, 2005, Bologna
Aggiornamento normativo su: sostanzealimentari.it
RONDANELLI E.G., FABBI M., MARONE P.: Trattato sulle infezioni e tossinfezioni alimentari. Ed. Selecta Medica, 2005, Pavia
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons and laboratory practical sessions
Assessment methods and criteria
Final examination, eventually integrated with oral exam.
