Hygiene and nutrition fundamentals
Academic Year 2023/2024 - Teacher: ANTONIO CRISTALDIExpected Learning Outcomes
The course aims to provide students, through the methodology of operational teaching, with specific concepts and tools related to nutritional surveillance in accordance with European and/or national project standards. It also aims to prepare students for the critical evaluation of surveillance study results, to identify and assess data sources used to generate public health recommendations and interventions for the primary and secondary prevention of nutrition-related diseases.
In addition, the course aims to start from the basic knowledge of food safety, delving into strategies and methods to achieve the best protection results against risks from chemical, physical, and biological contamination. The main methods used to protect consumer health from field to table at the European and national levels will be presented.
Knowledge and Understanding - (Dublin 1):
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to identify risks associated with food chain contamination and interpret the results of studies reported in the literature for risk assessment for the population. Additionally, the student will be able to critically interpret scientific articles on nutritional prevention and surveillance topics, analyzing the study design methodology and the main tools for diet assessment.
Applied Knowledge and Understanding - (Dublin 2):
By the end of the course, the student should demonstrate mastery of the topics covered, apply the main methods used to protect consumer health, and be able to evaluate and interpret experimental and literature data, with particular reference to scientific evidence that examines the complex topic of diet and health.
Judgment Autonomy - (Dublin 3):
At the end of the course, the student must show the ability to apply appropriate solutions for the prevention of chemical-physical and biological food contamination risks, as well as for the primary prevention of major chronic-degenerative diseases.
Communication Skills - (Dublin 4):
Upon completion of the course, the student must demonstrate adequate communication skills, both in written and oral form, mastery of technical-scientific language, knowledge of food safety regulations, and the ability to analyze and synthesize a scientific publication.
Learning Skills - (Dublin 5):
At the end of the course, the student should have developed autonomous learning skills aimed at updating their own knowledge and professional competencies.
Course Structure
"Information for students with disabilities and/or DSA: to guarantee equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students can 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 CInAP reference teacher (Centre for Active and Participated Inclusion - Services for Disabilities and/or DSA) of Di3A, prof. Anna De Angeli
Required Prerequisites
Attendance of Lessons
Detailed Course Content
General concepts of Epidemiology. Definition and objectives of epidemiology. The epidemiological approach. Causal inference in epidemiology. Confounding factors, effect mediators and effect modifiers.
Epidemiology and nutritional surveillance. Main definitions and objectives. Indicators. Diet assessment tools.
Epidemiological studies. Observational and experimental epidemiological study models. Measurements of association between exposure and effect. Study design in nutritional epidemiological research. Definition of biomarkers and use in nutritional epidemiology. Nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics.
Diet and health. From epidemiology to the prevention of diseases associated with nutrition: methods and results. The Role of the Mediterranean Diet.
Diet and cancer. The main evidence and recommendations.
Diet and reproductive health. The main evidence and recommendations.
Definition of food and food hygiene. Food safety. Hygiene package. Key regulations. Risk analysis. Precautionary principle. Self-control and HACCP. Chemical safety. Additives, flavourings, enzymes. Contaminants and contaminant flow monitoring. Chemical contaminants of foods. Biological contamination of foods. Surface hygiene. Disinfection, sterilization and disinfestation processes. Quality indicator microorganisms in foods. Food safety indicators. Risky foods - corrective actions. Physical contamination of food. Emerging problems: endocrine disruptors, GMOs, microplastics, parasites, mycotoxins, algal biotoxins. Notes on environmental epigenetics.Textbook Information
Testo 1. Barbuti S., Fara G.M., Giammanco G. – IGIENE, MEDICINA DI COMUNITÀ E SANITÀ PUBBLICA. II Edizione EDISES.
Testo 2. Lash T., VanderWeele T., Haneuse S., Rothman K - MODERN EPIDEMIOLOGY, Fourth Edition. Wolters Kluwer.
Testo 3. Maria Triassi, Igiene Medicina Preventiva e del Territorio, III edizione, Sorbona, Idelson Gnocchi, Napoli 2015.Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | General concepts of Epidemiology | Text 1: Chapters 1, 7. Ad hoc material will be distributed during the lessons and will be made available on the Studium website |
| 2 | Epidemiology and nutritional surveillance | Text 2: Chapter 42. Ad hoc material will be distributed during the lessons and will be made available on the Studium website |
| 3 | Epidemiological studies | Text 1: Chapter 7. Text 2: Chapter 42. Ad hoc material will be distributed during the lessons and will be made available on the Studium website |
| 4 | Diet and health. Diet and cancer. Diet and reproductive health. | Text 1: Chapter 16. Ad hoc material will be distributed during the lessons and will be made available on the Studium website. |
| 5 | Definition of food and food hygiene. Food safety. Italy and the European strategy for food security. Hygiene package. Key regulations. Risk analysis. Precautionary principle. Tracking and traceability. Operator's responsibility. Self-control and HACCP. | Text 3; slide |
| 6 | European Union Early Warning Systems (RASFF). Food labelling. Chemical safety. Additives, flavourings, enzymes. Materials in contact with food. Residues of veterinary drugs and prohibited substances in foods of animal origin. Contaminants and contaminant flow monitoring. | Text 3; slide |
| 7 | Chemical contaminants. Benzene, heavy metals (lead, cadmium, methylmercury, arsenic). IPA. Dioxins and PCBs. Biological contamination. Infections carried by food and food poisoning. Salmonellosis. Shigellosis. Campylobacteriosis. Cholera. Listeriosis. Brucellosis. Mycotoxins. | Text 3; slide |
| 8 | Bacterial cultures, indicator bacteria. Surface hygiene. Disinfection, sterilization and disinfestation processes. Chemical and physical agents for the control of microbial growth. Quality indicator microorganisms in foods. | Text 3; slide |
| 9 | Food safety indicators and predictive microbiology. Risky foods. Corrective actions. Physical contamination of food. Sources of origin. Foods involved. Control measures. Food irradiation. Effects on food. Applications. Community discipline. Labeling. Controls. Consumer fears. | Text 3; slide |
| 10 | Emerging issues: endocrine disruptors. GMO. Fish parasitoses of zoonotic interest and new eating habits. Mycotoxins. Algal biotoxins. Food safety. Microplastics. Notes on environmental epigenetics | Text 3; slide |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
Written exam with multiple-choice questions
- Oral Exam
The written and oral tests will both contribute to determining the final grade. The maximum mark will be assigned to the student who has demonstrated mastery of the topics and ability to relate the knowledge acquired, presentation skills and mastery of disciplinary vocabulary.
The vote is expressed in thirtieths according to the following scheme:
Not suitable Knowledge and understanding of the topic: significant shortcomings and inaccuracies Analysis and synthesis skills: irrelevant, frequent generalizations Use of references: completely inappropriate
18-20 Knowledge and understanding of the topic: very modest, evident imperfections Analysis and synthesis skills: just sufficient Use of references: just appropriate
21-23 Knowledge and understanding of the topic: little more than sufficient knowledge Analysis and synthesis skills: moderate analysis and synthesis skills, argues in a logical and coherent way Use of references: uses standard references
24-26 Knowledge and understanding of the topic: good knowledge Analysis and synthesis skills: has good analysis and synthesis skills, the topics are presented coherently Use of references: uses standard references
27-29 Knowledge and understanding of the topic: more than good knowledge Analysis and synthesis skills: has considerable analysis and synthesis skills Use of references: has studied the topics in depth
30-30 cum laude Knowledge and understanding of the topic: excellent knowledge Analysis and synthesis skills: has notable analysis and synthesis skills. Using references: significant insights.
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
The objectives of nutritional surveillance. Cohort studies: study design and main characteristics. Dietary risk indicators. Cancer prevention. Diet evaluation tools. Biomarkers in nutritional epidemiology.
The overall quality of a food is the inseparable combination of:
a) Food safety, nutritional safety, organoleptic quality
b) Nutritional safety and organoleptic quality
c) Absence of chemical-physical contaminants
d) Absence of microbiological contamination
e) Only answers c and d are correct