TECNOLOGIE PER LA STABILIZZAZIONE E CONTROLLO NELL'INDUSTRIA ALIMENTARE
Academic Year 2025/2026 - Teacher: BIAGIO FALLICOExpected Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
This course completes the general knowledge of the Food Unit Operations given during the degree course in Food science and Technology (L26), with the acquisition of knowledge and skills of mathematical modelling, necessary for the control, optimization and to the sizing of the food industries, respectively.
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding.
The knowledge gained during this course will lay the basis for developing the students' skills and for the definition of the most appropriate management and control programs related Thermal and Non-Thermal Technologies used for the stabilization of food products
Making judgements
With the help of lectures, exercises, field visits and seminars, students will acquire full autonomy in the analysis sanitation food processes, developing autonomy of judgment for the choice of the most suitable and modern control measures.
Communication skills
Based on the acquired knowledge, students can develop communication and interpersonal skills for business counseling and to perform technical and scientific valuations.
Learning skills
The course will contribute to the development of skills and autonomy of analysis useful for the development of skills in carrying out research activities, especially aimed at finding scientifically valid sources of information, the analysis of scientific results and the preparation of the experimental Msc thesis
Course Structure
The course includes 21 hours of lectures and 42 hours of practical sessions with case studies and exercises, as well as company visits and seminars.
Information
for students with disabilities and/or specific learning disorders (SLD).
To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with current legislation,
interested students may request a personal meeting to plan possible
compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on the learning objectives and
their specific needs. Students may also contact the CInAP (Center for Active
and Participatory Integration – Services for Disabilities and/or SLD)
Departmental Coordinator, Prof. Anna De Angelis.
Required Prerequisites
Attendance of Lessons
Detailed Course Content
The course aims to provide the student with the basic knowledge for understanding and mastering the following topics:
1. Food thermal processes: Influence of internal and external factors, kinetics of microbial and enzymatic inactivation, thermal death time, probability of deterioration. Pasteurization, Blanching, Sterilization; mathematical methods, plant sizing. Examples, exercises and exercises.
2. Psychrometry: Composition of air, properties of dry air and water vapor, water/steam mixtures, specific heat mixtures of air/water, adiabatic air saturation, temperature of wet bulb. Psychrometric diagram (construction, heating/cooling of the air, air mixtures). Examples, exercises and exercises.
3. Drying: processes, aw, diffusion of water in food, drying curves. Dryers (type, operation and use in the food industries). Design and dimensioning of drying systems for food products. Estimation of drying time. Examples, exercises and exercises.
4. Plant analysis: sizing and economic parameters, profitability, utilization indices, plant reliability and availability, optimization.
Textbook Information
1. Pompei C. – Operazioni unitarie della tecnologia alimentare – Casa Editrice Ambrosiana
2. Singh P. R., Heldman D. R. – Principi di Tecnolgia Alimentare - Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, with the support of the: http://rpaulsingh.com/default.html.
3. Spagna G. -Tecnologie Alimentari: Operazioni Unitarie - esercizi - CULC
Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Processi termici degli alimenti: Influenza fattori interni ed esterni, cinetiche di inattivazione microbica ed enzimatica, tempo morte termica, probabilità di deterioramento. Pastorizzazione, Blanching, Sterilizzazione; metodi matematici, dimensionamento impianti. Esempi, esercizi ed esercitazioni. | 2, 1, 3 |
| 2 | Psicrometria: Composizione dell’aria, proprietà dell’aria secca e del vapore d’acqua, miscele acqua/vapore, calore specifico miscele aria/acqua, saturazione adiabatica dell’aria, temperatura del bulbo umido. Diagramma psicrometrico (costruzione, riscaldamento/raffreddamento dell’aria, miscele d’aria). Esempi, esercizi ed esercitazioni. | 2, 1, 3 |
| 3 | Essiccamento: processi fondamentali, aw, diffusione dell’acqua negli alimenti, curve di essiccamento. Essiccatori (tipologia, funzionamento e utilizzo nelle industrie alimentari). Progettazione e dimensionamento impianti di essiccamento per prodotti alimentari. Stima del tempo di essiccamento. Esempi, esercizi ed esercitazioni. | 2, 1, 3 |
| 4 | Controllo e ottimizzazione di processo: definizioni e obiettivi, variabili di processo. Carte di controllo per variabili (costruzione carta, interpretazione e supporto alle decisioni). Criteri di accettazione e rifiuto, range e indicatori di performances. | 2, 1, 3 |
| 5 | Analisi degli impianti: dimensionamento e parametri economici, redditività, indici di utilizzo, affidabilità e disponibilità degli impianti, ottimizzazione. | 2, 1, 3 |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
Written and oral examination. Mid-term tests are planned (not mandatory).
Two written
tests are scheduled, each consisting of one or two exercises.
The first test concerns thermal sanitization treatments, while the second deals
with drying or process control and optimization.
Each test lasts a maximum of two hours (a single comprehensive exam lasts three hours). If the student chooses the option with mid-term tests, all examinations must be completed by the beginning of the following academic year (by convention, no later than October 31).
The oral exam (maximum 10 minutes) aims to clarify critical points and topics not covered in the written tests.
The final grade is the average of the two written tests and the oral exam.