INSECTS AND FOOD
Academic Year 2022/2023 - Teacher: POMPEO SUMAExpected Learning Outcomes
1. Knowledge and understanding
The course aims to provide the student with the necessary insights, in terms of basic biological and ethological knowledge on insects having a direct or indirect relationship with human nutrition, both as pests of agri-food products and as a direct source of protein for animals and humans feeding.
2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding.
The entomological knowledge acquired during the course will provide the student with the technical-managerial skills and expertise for the adoption of the appropriate prevention and integrated control strategies of pest infestations and for the breeding techniques for the large-scale production of insects for food purposes and subsequent marketing.
3. Communication skills.
The student will be able to develop communication and relational skills regarding the interaction between insects and food preparation, catering, and food distribution as well as those related to the possibilities of using insects for food purposes.
Course Structure
Lectures (35 hours)
Classroom and/or laboratory exercises (14 hours)
Information for students with disabilities and/or DSA.
As a guarantee of equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students can ask for a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on their specific needs and on teaching objectives of the discipline. It is also possible to ask the departmental contacts of CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Inclusion - Services for Disabilities and/or DSAs), (https://www.cinap.unict.it/content/referenti).
Required Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of general and animal biology and of the main food chains is important in order to understand the contents of the course.
Attendance of Lessons
Detailed Course Content
Insects: threat or resource? - Human-Insect Relationships - Insect morphology, anatomy and biological traits - Notes on other food animal pests - Insects pests of the main agro-food chains - Pest management strategies - Entomophagy - Insects as feed and food - Nutritional value of insects - Mass rearing of insect species for feed and food production - Legislation on the use of insects as feed and food.
Textbook Information
1. Belcari A., Macchione P., Gianchecchi U., Bacciotti D., Nencetti A., Rossi F., Gestione integrata degli animali infestanti nelle industrie alimentari. Firenze University Press, 2012 - 174 pp.
2. Trematerra P. & Süss L., Prontuario di entomologia merceologica e urbana. Aracne edit. 2007, 154 pp.
3. Insects as food and feed: from production to consumption. Ed. Arnold van Huis, Jeffery K. Tomberlin. 447 p. ISBN 9789086862962
3. Other teaching material will be provided by the teacher.
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Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1- Introduzione al corso | Dispense docente |
| 2 | 2- Insetti: risorsa o minaccia? | Dispense docente - Testo 2 - cap 2 |
| 3 | 3- Relazione insetti-uomo | Dispense docente - Testo 2 - cap 1 cap 2 |
| 4 | 4- Classificazione e caratteristiche morfo-anatomiche degli Insetti | Dispense docente - Testo 2 - cap 1 cap 2 |
| 5 | 5- Brevi cenni su altri parassiti animali degli alimenti | Testo 1 - cap 4 - dispense docente |
| 6 | 6- Insetti infestanti le principali filiere agro-alimentari | testo 1 - cap 3; cap 4 - dispense docente |
| 7 | 7- Mezzi e strategie di prevenzione e controllo integrato degli animali infestanti | Testo 1- cap. 4 dispense docente |
| 8 | 8- Insetti come mangime e come alimento | Testo 3 - cap. 1; cap 3 - dispense docente |
| 9 | 9- Caratteristiche nutrizionali degli Insetti | Testo 3 - cap. 16 - dispense docente |
| 10 | 10- Allevamento di Insetti per la produzione di mangimi e alimenti | testo 3 - cap. 8 - dispense docente |
| 11 | 11- Aspetti normativi sull’uso di Insetti come fonte di nutrimento | Testo 3 - cap. 18 - dispense docente |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
The assessment of the individual students will be carried out by means of a final oral interview, aimed at verifying their degree of learning on the basis of the following criteria: learning ability and level of depth of the topics covered, properties of synthesis and presentation, reasoning skills.
The marks attributed will follow the following scheme:
Unsuitable
Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Important shortcomings. Significant inaccuracies.
Ability to analyze and synthesize: Irrelevant. Frequent generalizations. Inability to synthesize.
Use of references: Completely inappropriate.
18-20
Knowledge and understanding of the topic: At the threshold level. Obvious imperfections.
Analysis and synthesis skills: Just enough skills.
Use of references: As appropriate.
21-23
Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Routine knowledge.
Analysis and synthesis skills: Correct analysis and synthesis, with logical and coherent argumentation skills.
Use of references: Use of standard references.
24-26
Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Good.
Ability to analyze and synthesize: Good, with arguments expressed consistently.
Use of references: Use of standard references.
27-29
Knowledge and understanding of the topic: More than good.
Ability to analyze and synthesize: Remarkable.
Use of references: In-depth.
30-30L
Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Excellent.
Ability to analyze and synthesize: Remarkable.
Use of references: Important insights.
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
1 Interference of insects with human activity
2 The insect body morphology
3 Pests of food administration rooms
4 Control methods for crawling insects
5 Why eat insects?
6 Insect farms for use as feed