Learning objectives
This course of HYGIENE is a part of the Integrated Course of Hygiene and Inspection of food of animal origin. The course of HYGIENE is aimed at enabling the student to know and understand the hygiene principles of foods, the operational protocols for verifying hygiene requirements, the foodborne diseases, and the microbiological criteria of foods.
The expected learning outcomes are:
D1 - KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING: knowledge of the hygiene requirements of foods and protocols to assess hygiene requirements; knowledge of foodborne diseases; knowledge of the microbiological criteria of foods. D2 - APPLICATION SKILLS: evaluate the hygienic-sanitary quality of food; application of strategies aimed at the identification, prevention, elimination and reduction to an acceptable level of hazards in food. D3 - INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT: ability to interpret case-studies concerning the hygienic-sanitary quality of food within the correct regulatory context and evaluating the appropriate corrective measures; evaluation of teaching. D4 - COMMUNICATION SKILLS: written and oral communication through the scientifically correct vocabulary relating to food; ability to present, transmit and disseminate information on topics related to food inspection (from production to consumption); ability to communicate with experts or non-experts in the food production sector, and when started to work to superiors and/or customers; ability to communicate and collaborate in working group in the food sector. D5 - ABILITY TO LEARN: ability to consult bibliographic material and databases relating to regulatory systems of food; ability to critically consult websites relating to the hygienic-sanitary aspects of food; ability to profitably participate in seminars and workshops; ability to autonomously expand one's scientific-cultural background and keep updating on the most recent scientific and technological developments connected to food; ability to successfully carry out the Master's Degree courses of the LM70 class and in particular the Master's Degree course in Food Science and Technology.
Prerequisites
None
Course unit content
Hazards in food. Foodborne diseases. Foodborne diseases of bacterial, viral and parasitic origin. Main sources of contamination and procedures for preventing and/or reducing hazards to an acceptable level. Methods for evaluating microbial contamination. Microbiological criteria and sampling plans. The Regulation (EC 2073/2005. Sanitization procedures in the food industry.
Full programme
Food hygiene: definition and origins
Hazards and risks in the food sector
Foodborne diseases
Notes on epidemiology, surveillance systems, impact indicators; infections, intoxications, food poisonings; defense systems of the human organism
Diseases of bacterial, viral and parasitic origin
Sources of food contamination and procedures for preventing and reducing contamination
Microbiological criteria and Regulation (EC) 2073/2005
Methods for assessing the hygiene of production environments and food contamination
Sanitization procedures in the food industry
Bibliography
Teaching material provided by the teacher consisting of .pdf files extrapolated from the presentations used during classroom lessons. The updated teaching material is made available by the teacher on the Elly website (https://elly2024.saf.unipr.it) during the course and not all at the beginning of the course. For the purpose of preparing the exam it is recommended not to use the teaching material of previous years as the program may undergo changes and updates from one academic year to another.
For information on specific topics covered in class, consulting the following documents is recommended:
European Regulations on food hygiene (Reg. (EC) 852/2004; 853/2004; 2073/2005).
Igiene e tecnologie degli alimenti di origine animale, a cura di Giampaolo Colavita (Point Veterinaire Italie, Edizione 2023, language: Italian).
Teaching methods
Lectures will be performed face-to-face in the classroom, according to the teaching calendar. The course includes lectures and case-study discussions that will be carried out with the help of iconographic material collected in presentations. In the event of health emergency, the methods of teaching may be subject to changes that will be promptly communicated at Elly website and/or in the course website. If necessary, due to health emergency, teaching will be provided by Teams (guide at http://selma.unipr.it/) and lectures will be recorded.
Assessment methods and criteria
The achievement of the objectives of the course will be verified by a written test. This latter will consist of questions designed to verify D1- KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING, D2 – APPLICATION SKILLS and D3 – INDIPENDENT JUDGMENT. Some of the expected learning outcomes described by the indicators D4 - COMMUNICATION SKILLS and D5 – ABILITY TO LEARN are not directly assessed, but parts of the classroom lessons are structured in such a way as to propose to students real situation and problems, with respect to which the students themselves must carry out an analysis, evaluation and discussion.
The written test will consist of questions aimed at verifying a) the degree of knowledge of the hygiene and safety requirements of food production and of the hazards associated to food products, regulatory instruments, types of control and bodies responsible for control of food; b) the ability to assess the sanitary and hygiene quality of food; c) the ability to apply strategies aimed at identifying, preventing, eliminating and reducing hazards in food to an acceptable level; d) main foodborne diseases. The written test will be performed in person in the classroom through the Elly platform. If necessary (for example, unavailability of the computer room), the enrolled student who intends to take the exam will be informed and have to go to the classroom equipped with a notebook or tablet to connect to the Elly website and take the test. The written test is combined with the course of HYGIENE. It is not possible to take the examination of the individual courses separately. There is no oral exam.
Passing the joint written test allows the final mark of the exam of the Integrated Course of Hygiene and Inspection of Food of Animal Origin (12 CFU) to be recorded.
The written test will consist of multiple-choice questions. Each question will have 4 answer options, of which only one is correct. The test will be organized in two phases, one following the other to be taken in the same exam session.
PHASE 1: 10 questions; move on to PHASE 2 only if a minimum of 9 out of 10 answers are correct; otherwise, the test is considered finished, the exam is considered NOT passed and the student will have to perform the test in a subsequent exam session. No points will be awarded at this stage.
PHASE 2: 61 questions; each correct answer will be awarded 0.5 points; each wrong answer will be assigned a penalty of -0.5 points; each answer not given will be assigned a penalty of -0.8 points. The time available to carry out the test will be 30 minutes.
The exam is considered passed if the score acquired is equal to or higher than 18 (out of a maximum of 30.5). The sum of the points obtained in PHASE 2 will correspond to the exam grade. A score of 30.5 will correspond to a grade of 30/30 cum laude. The sum of the points obtained will be rounded up to define the exam grade.
In case the written exam in person cannot be carried out due to the health emergency, the exam will be performed online by Teams platform through a written test (the same described above) through the Elly website.
Students with DSA, BSE, or disabilities may submit a request to take advantage of the envisaged compensatory and/or dispensatory measures during the examination by contacting the Centro Accoglienza e Inclusione (https://cai.unipr.it/en/).
Other information
In the event of a serious health emergency, the methods of teaching and exams may be subject to changes that will be promptly communicated to Elly website and/or in the course website.
2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
This teaching contributes to the achievement of the UN objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
