Learning objectives
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
The main objective of the course is to provide the student with the tools necessary for an advanced understanding of the role of nutrition in human health. The first part of the course is dedicated to the deepening of issues related to food hygiene. The second part is aimed at clarifying the relationships between nutrition and pathology. For a better understanding, students will be directly involved through the analysis of case studies.
ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
The didactic objective consists in obtaining the knowledge necessary for a critical analysis of the relationship between nutrition and human health from a hygienic point of view. The topics covered during the lectures are also addressed through the analysis of scientific articles and case studies. This activity, which provides for the active collaboration of the students, aims to increase not only their critical analysis skills but also their ability to apply the acquired notions both in the field of applied research and in the world of work.
AUTONOMY OF JUDGMENT
The course aims to increase the ability to critically analyze the most current knowledge concerning the complex relationship between food, nutrition and health
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
The articulation of the course includes classroom discussion activities aimed at developing students' aptitude for using the scientific skills acquired to support their arguments.
The critical analysis of scientific articles and case studies both during the lessons and during the oral exam, allows the student to develop communication skills both in a group context and at an individual level.
LEARNING ABILITY
The continuous evolutions of scientific research and in particular in the field of human nutrition require a continuous updating of skills. For this reason, the course aims to provide the autonomy necessary for the achievement of a wider knowledge and for the alignment of skills with the progress of research in the field of food hygiene and human nutrition.
Prerequisites
Course unit content
The course of Hygiene of Food and Nutrition aims to investigate issues related to the healthiness of food and food styles, in a hygienic perspective. Topics related to the complex issue of food safety are discussed, with insights relating to the relationship between correct / incorrect nutrition and pathology, also in relation to the most recent studies of nutritional genomics and epigenomics. Furthermore, preventive interventions in the nutritional field are described, aimed in particular at the spread of correct food styles.
Full programme
-Epidemiology of infectious diseases transmitted with food
Epidemiology; Food infections and poisoning; Human infections of viral origin; Food security: biological risk ; Biohazard control
-Food safety and quality
Risk analysis; biological hazards; chemical hazards;. physical hazards; risk assessment and management; risk communication
-Quality systems
Quality planning and control; ISO 9000 standards; the HACCP system.
-Environmental hygiene
Environmental sanitation; cleansing and detergents; disinfection and disinfectants ;. sterilization
Microbiological monitoring of food.
Basic principles of analytical food microbiology; indicator microorganisms; sampling criteria
-Chemical contamination of food
Acute and chronic toxicity; natural toxic factors: mycotoxins; xenobiotics in food: pesticides; hormones; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; voluntary additives.
-Physical contamination of food
Insect contamination and its control; infestations of packaged products.
-Genetically modified food
Genetic engineering applied to plants; products on the market; genetic engineering and biodiversity; hygienic-nutritional aspects of genetically modified foods; regulations in the biotechnology sector
-Hygiene of nutrition
Influence of food on well-being and disease prevention; nutritional requirements; balanced diet; nutritional surveillance as a preventive tool; eating behavior, nutrition and epidemiology.
-Malnutrition and health effects
Malnutrition and infection; epidemiology of obesity; cardiovascular diseases; diabetes.
-Presence of genotoxic substances in food and health effects
Nutrition and cancer
-Food and nutrition: impact on the immune response
Adverse reactions to food: allergies and intolerances
-Nutrition and pathologies: role of genetics and epigenetics
Bibliography
“Igiene degli alimenti e nutrizione umana” Carla Roggi e Giovanna Turconi, Edizioni EMSI “Microbiologia dei prodotti alimentari” a cura di Giovanni Antonio Farris, Marco Gobbetti, Erasmo Neviani, Massimo Vincenzi, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana
“Manuale della Ristorazione” a cura di Salvatore Ciappellano, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana
Teaching methods
The course will be conducted through lectures on specific topics, with the help of power point presentations. Some scientific papers and case-study about the problems faced will also be analyzed and discussed. The course material and any further supplementary material will be made available, it is nevertheless strongly recommended the use of specific books for study.
Assessment methods and criteria
The assessment will be done through a final oral exam. The exam will be carried out face to face or remotely in case of severe problems.
The oral examination will aim to test the knowledge and ability of understanding of the various topics covered during the lessons and to highlight the ability of the student to make connections between topics. With regard to scientific articles and case-studies analysed in the classroom, the students must also demonstrate their ability in analyse the scientific subject treated, their understanding of the experiments carried out, the results obtained and their interpretation. This examination will assess the students' ability to apply knowledge to specific problems, to connect the various acquired knowledge and to give a critical judgment and also their ability to communicate the knowledge learned.
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