MICROBIOLOGIA E TECNOLOGIE AGROALIMENTARI

Module TECNOLOGIE AGROALIMENTARI

Knowledge and Understanding
The course is intended to provide students with both theoretical knowledge and applied understanding of the principal processing technologies within the Mediterranean agri-food industry. The competences acquired will serve as a foundation for the development of technical, managerial, and organizational skills essential for the adoption of effective strategies in food risk prevention and control, with the ultimate aim of safeguarding human health.

Applying Knowledge and Understanding
Throughout the learning pathway, students will progressively acquire the ability to recognize and differentiate among the various technologies underpinning major food products. They will also be equipped with critical tools to assess technological developments and future prospects in the fields of sustainable production (in alignment with the United Nations 2030 Agenda) and the circular economy.

Making Judgements
Through classroom-based activities and guided study visits, students will develop the necessary competences to evaluate and determine the most appropriate processing systems for diverse production settings.

Communication Skills
On the basis of the knowledge and skills acquired, students will enhance their communicative and interpersonal abilities in the field of food safety (including wholesomeness and authenticity). They will be expected to employ appropriate technical terminology when discussing processing technologies, to articulate management procedures effectively, to identify potential critical issues, and to propose appropriate corrective measures.

Learning Skills
The course will provide the technical and procedural foundations required to prepare students for the labor market and/or advanced academic studies, enabling them to act with autonomy, awareness, and methodological rigor.

The teaching (6 CFU) comprises 21 hours of lectures and 42 hours of other activities, mainly guided numerical exercises for solving problems related to the food technologist profession. Lectures and exercises are mainly based on PowerPoint presentations available on the UNICT portal.

Information for students with disabilities and/or DSA

In order to guarantee equal opportunities and in compliance with current legislation, interested students may request a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on the educational objectives and specific needs. It is also possible to contact the contact person of the CInAP (Centre for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or DSA) of our Department, Prof. Anna De Angelis.

The course is structured into teaching modules addressing both theoretical and applied aspects of food processing technologies in the Mediterranean agri-food industry. The following topics will be covered:

1. Introduction

   • The agri-food industry: features, perspectives, and challenges.

   • Concepts of food safety and sustainability.

2. Scientific and Technical Foundations

   • Review of chemistry, microbiology, and food biochemistry.

   • Principles of engineering and unit operations in food processing.

3. Processing Technologies

   • Cereals and cereal-based products.

   • Plant-based products (fruits, vegetables, oils, wine).

   • Animal-based products (milk and dairy, meat, fish).

   • Traditional products of the Mediterranean region.

4. Quality and Safety

   • Strategies for the prevention and control of food risks.

   • European and international regulatory frameworks.

   • Self-control systems and HACCP.

5. Innovation and Sustainability

   • Innovative technologies for processing and preservation.

   • Circular economy and by-product valorization.

   • Sustainable food production in line with the 2030 Agenda.

6. Applied Activities

   • Practical exercises based on case studies.

   • Educational visits to agri-food companies.

Bastasin P. , Ceresa L.- 1991- Industrie agroalimentari. Ed. Lucisano, Milano

Sicheri G. - 1999 - Tecnologie agrarie, vol. 1 e 2. Ed. Hoepli, Milano

Capelli, Vannucchi - Conservazione e trasformazione degli alimenti -Zanichelli Nicolai - Conservazione e trasformazione degli alimenti - Hoepli

Quaglia - Scienza e tecnologia degli alimenti - Chiriotti

Salvadori Del Prado - Trattato di tecnologia casearia - Ed. Agricole

Exam results: 

Excellent 30/30 cum laude: excellence in the topics covered; 

Very good 26-29: good command of the subject matter; 

Good 24-25: good knowledge of the topics; 

Satisfactory 21-23: satisfactory knowledge of the topics; 

Sufficient: 18-20 minimal knowledge of the topics; 

Unsatisfactory: lacking an acceptable level of knowledge of the subject matter.

Enological technology: grapes, production factors, white and red winemaking, wine treatments, special vinifications, sweet wines (passiti), and the recovery of by-products.

Dairy technology: distribution and economic importance; milk (nature, origin, composition); drinking milk (types, distribution); milk pasteurization and sterilization; cheese production (coagulation and curd treatments, ripening); cheese classification and examples of cheesemaking technologies; yogurt, cream, butter, concentrated milk, and powdered milk.

Edible fats: the olive oil extraction process (olive paste preparation, oil extraction, storage, refining) and regulations concerning olive oil.