Unit ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOOD CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS AND FOOD MICROBIOLOGY

Course
Human feeding and nutrition sciences
Study-unit Code
A000429
Curriculum
In all curricula
Teacher
Claudia Zadra
CFU
12
Course Regulation
Coorte 2024
Offered
2024/25
Type of study-unit
Obbligatorio (Required)
Type of learning activities
Attività formativa integrata

ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOOD CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS

Code A000430
CFU 6
Teacher Claudia Zadra
Teachers
  • Claudia Zadra
Hours
  • 48 ore - Claudia Zadra
Learning activities Caratterizzante
Area Discipline per la caratterizzazione degli alimenti e gestione del sistema agroalimentare
Academic discipline AGR/13
Type of study-unit Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction Italian
Contents General principles of toxicology. target organ toxicity, biotranformations,
Food contatmination. Risk assessment and total diet study. Natural
toxicant. Agrochemicals. Environmental contamination. Analitical
methods in food toxicology.
Reference texts EFSA Reports
Casarett & Doull’s Toxicology -The basic science of poisons
Casarett & Doull’s - Tossicologia - I fondamenti dell’azione delle sostanze
tossiche
Frank C. Lu - Elementi di tossicologia - Principi generali, organi bersaglio,
valutazione del rischio
C.L. Galli, M. Marinovich, P. Restani - Tossicologia sperimentale
A. Capuano, G. Dugo, P. Restani – Tossicologia degli alimenti
Greim, Deml - Tossicologia - Zanichelli
Dolara –Tossicologia generale e ambientale
Paoletti, Nicosia, Clementi, Fumagalli - Tossicologia degli alimenti
Cerutti - Residui, additivi e contaminanti egli Alimenti
Melis - Additivi e tossici negli alimenti
Educational objectives Students will be offered the knowledge of the most common pollutants in
common food products. In particular, sources of pollution and the ways in
which these foods can be contaminated will be highlighted. Knowledge
will also be provided on the mechanisms proper to the toxic action of
these xenobiotics.
Finally, practical theoretical notions will be provided on the main
methodologies of analysis and quantitation of xenobiotic compounds in
biological matrices, in the light of current regulations.
Prerequisites Knowledge of inorganic and organic chemistry, biochemistry and botany
Teaching methods frontal lectures
teams about annual report EFSA
seminars about new contaminants
Other information news about European contaminazione of Foods, analitical Methods of
control, and new decontamination strategie
Learning verification modality oral discussion and written test of structure od molecules and their
degradation pathway
Extended program Risk analysis
Dietary Risk assesment
Maximum residue level
Total Diet study
Metabolism of xenobiotics
Bioconcentration, bioacculation, biomagnification
NATURAL TOXICANTS
Fitates, Ossalic acid, Terpenes, Nitrates, Biogenic amines, Micotoxins,
Glucosinolates, Cianogenetic Glicosides, Nitrosamines, Phenylpropanoids.
European regulation
MICROPOLLUTANTS: environmental pollution and food chain
Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds
Polycyclic aromatic compounds
Heavy metals (Arsenic,cadmiun, lead, mercury, tin)
European regulation Pesticides environmental pollution and food chain
Environmental Fate of pesticides, degradation pathway during food
processing
Insecticides,Hercicides, fungicides
European regulation and annual pesticide residue report
Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile 3 Good health and well-being
12 Responsible consumption and production

FOOD MICROBIOLOGY

Code 80004506
CFU 6
Teacher Laura Corte
Teachers
  • Gianluigi Cardinali (Codocenza)
  • Laura Corte
  • Angela Conti
Hours
  • 2 ore (Codocenza) - Gianluigi Cardinali
  • 46 ore - Laura Corte
  • 6 ore - Angela Conti
Learning activities Caratterizzante
Area Discipline per la caratterizzazione degli alimenti e gestione del sistema agroalimentare
Academic discipline AGR/16
Type of study-unit Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction Italian
Contents The course is organized as follows:
1 CFU: GENERAL
1 CFU: ECOPHYSIOLOGY OF MICROORGANISMS IN FOOD
1 CFU: DETERMINATION AND CONTROL OF MICROORGANISMS IN FOOD
1 CFU: OUTLINE OF THE TAXONOMY OF THE MAIN GROUPS OF MICROORGANISMS OF FOOD INTEREST
0.5 CFU: FOOD-BORNE DISEASES
1 CFU: FOOD FERMENTATIONS
0.5 CFU: THE HUMAN MICROBIOTA

At the end of each block there are two hours of review of the content provided. The hours of supplementary teaching will be dedicated to helping students in the sedimentation of the contents provided, underlining the connections between the various contents, also in relation to the other module of the integrated course.
Reference texts MICROBIOLOGIA ALIMENTARE APPLICATA - Cocolin, Gobbetti & Neviani - Zanichelli
The Professor will provide students with educational materials, including lecture presentations and notes on quantitative microbiology, within the Unistudium platform.
Materials consistent with the needs of disabled students and/or DSA are provided.
Educational objectives The Food Microbiology module contributes to the objectives of the Course by providing students with fundamental skills on the role of microorganisms during the technological processes of food production, including their use in the production of probiotics, prebiotics and functional foods, on legislation and techniques available for microbiological risk analysis and control of the microbiological quality of food. At the end of the course the student will possess a solid knowledge of: a) the role played by microorganisms in foods; b) on the modifications they promote during technological processes; c) on national and community food and health legislation that regulates the microbiological safety of foods; c) on the criteria and parameters of the microbiological risk analysis. This knowledge will be functional to its possible occupational use both in the industrial sector, in food production/processing and distribution companies and in public and private structures responsible for controlling the quality and safety of food.
Prerequisites Knowledge of general microbiology, mathematics, chemistry and biochemistry. Ability to connect biological and biotechnological topics derived from biological matter.
Teaching methods Lectures, written and oral review. Test for self-evaluation. Numerical exercises.
Paths, materials and/or methodologies of assessment consistent with the needs of disabled students and/or DSA are provided.
Other information At the beginning of the course, students are encouraged to enrol through Unistudium, not only as the platform where educational materials are uploaded but also as the primary communication channel with the Professor. Regarding office hours, the Professor is available by appointment, to be scheduled in accordance with the other institutional commitments.
Students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) who wish to utilize their certification for the completion of the module must notify the SLD coordinator for the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The coordinator will provide all specific instructions to the Professor accordingly.
Learning verification modality Lectures, oral reviews. Administration of self-assessment tests. Numerical exercises. Paths, materials and/or assessment methodologies consistent with the needs of disabled and/or DSA students are provided.
Extended program 1 CFU: GENERAL
Introduction to the course; History of food microbiology; Recall of the fundamental concepts of microbiology functional to food microbiology; The role of microorganisms in foods; The philosophy of selection - in search of beneficial microorganisms - starter cultures; The risk of loss of biodiversity in the food sector; The sources of microbial contamination of a food. SUMMARY
1 CFU: ECOPHYSIOLOGY
Ecophysiology of microorganisms in foods; The Food ecosystem: factors that influence microbial growth and physiology in foods (extrinsic factors - intrinsic factors - implicit factors - process factors); Physiology and metabolism of microorganisms in food in relation to its ecological determinants; The physiological state of microorganisms : live cells, damaged cells, live but non-culturable cells; Quorum sensing – Biofilm. SUMMARY
1 CFU: DETERMINATION AND CONTROL OF MICROORGANISMS IN FOOD
Collection, conservation and culture media; Isolation in pure culture; Determinations of microbes in foods; Control of microorganisms in foods. SUMMARY
1 CFU: OUTLINE OF THE TAXONOMY OF THE MAIN GROUPS OF MICROORGANISMS OF FOOD INTEREST
Coagulase negative cocci; Lactic acid bacteria; Acetic acid bacteria; Spore-forming bacteria; Enterobacteria; Yeasts; Filamentous fungi. SUMMARY
0.5 CFU: FOOD-BORNE DISEASES
Foodborne diseases; Infections; Intoxications; Food safety management. SUMMARY
1 CFU: FOOD FERMENTATIONS
General concepts; Microbial starters; Main fermented foods; Bioprocesses and ingredients; Waste management; Cheese Wheys. SUMMARY
0.5 CFU: THE HUMAN MICROBIOTA
The human microbiota; Probiotics and prebiotics; Functional foods. SUMMARY

The hours of supplementary teaching will be dedicated to helping students in the sedimentation of the contents provided.
Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile 3. Health and well-being.
Share on/Follow us on