76546 - Seafood Quality

Learning outcomes

At the end of this course, students will be aware of how seafood quality is affected by production and harvesting systems as well as of empirical and analitycal methods to assess product quality.

Course contents

Classification, production and consumption of fishery and aquaculture products. Classification of the main types of aquatic food products according to their biological characteristics: fish, molluscs and crustaceans. Anatomy and biology of bony fish. Main commercial species: pelagic, demersal, cartilaginous, diadromous and freshwater fish, crustaceans and molluscs. Statistics on production, consumption and trade of fishery and aquaculture products at global, European and national level, distinguishing between capture fisheries and aquaculture.

Structure and composition of fishery and aquaculture products. Chemical composition of fishery and aquaculture products. Structure of fish muscles. White and red muscle: functions, energy metabolism and distribution according to species. Characteristics of proteins, collagen, non-protein nitrogen compounds and lipids. Variability in lipid content and fatty acid composition in farmed and wild fish. Micronutrients and flesh pigmentation in salmonids. Structure, composition and edible portion of cephalopods, bivalve molluscs and crustaceans.

Freshness and quality of fishery and aquaculture products. Concept of freshness and causes of the high perishability of fishery and aquaculture products. Changes in freshness during storage. Autolytic and bacterial processes and main degradative phenomena affecting carbohydrates, proteins, non-protein nitrogen compounds and lipids. Bacterial growth and specific spoilage organisms. Ageing of fish flesh. Assessment of freshness and quality using empirical sensory indicators, standardised criteria, and chemical, biochemical, physical, microbiological and spectroscopic methods. Quality Index Method and regulatory references for freshness classification.

Fishing systems and sustainability. Main fishing systems and fishing gears according to the target species. Active and passive fishing systems: bottom trawling, pelagic trawling, purse seining, gillnets, hooks and traps. Sustainability of capture fisheries and regulations aimed at limiting the overexploitation of aquatic resources.

Aquaculture. General aspects of aquaculture. Farming systems for bivalve molluscs and fish: mussel farming, clam farming, trout farming, and sea bass and sea bream farming. Principles of sustainability applied to aquaculture. Extensive and organic farming systems. Strategies for diversifying farmed species.

Peri-mortem phases, preservation and quality. Legal definitions. Peri-mortem phases and their implications for the quality of fishery and aquaculture products. Onset of rigor mortis and the quality defect known as gaping. Harvesting, killing/stunning methods, bleeding, evisceration and filleting. Chilling techniques using ice and water. Principles of freezing and quality of frozen fishery and aquaculture products. Effects of freezing on product quality and strategies to limit degradation processes: cryoprotectants and glazing. Product presentation forms and freezing technologies.

Processing, packaging and labelling of fishery and aquaculture products. Principles and technologies used for processing fishery and aquaculture products: drying, salting, smoking, marinating, canning/retorting and surimi production. Breaded products, fish sausages and portioned fish products. Packaging systems. Labelling of fresh, frozen and processed fishery and aquaculture products.

Readings/Bibliography

Lecture slides and notes

Recommended textbooks for study and consultation:

Cataudella S., Carrada G.C. (2000). Un mare di risorse. Consorzio Uniprom

Gokoglu N., Yerlikaya P. (2015). Seafood chilling, refrigeration and freezing: science and technology. Wiley-Blackwell

Grazyna Daczkowska-Kozon E., Sun Pan B. (2010). Environmental effects on seafood availability, safety, and quality. CRC Press.

Rehbein H., Oehlenschlager J. (2009). Fishery products: Quality, safety and authenticity. Wiley-Blackwell.

Venugopal V. (2005). Seafood processing: Adding value through quick freezing, retortable packaging and cook-chilling. CRC Press.

At the end of each topic, the final slide of the PowerPoint presentations made available through the Virtuale platform will indicate the chapters useful for integrating the teaching material presented during lectures.

Teaching methods

Lectures, guided visits, demonstrations, and classroom and laboratory practical sessions. During the course, interactive quizzes may also be administered through the Kahoot platform, aimed at students’ self-assessment and at the progressive consolidation of the knowledge acquired.

As concerns laboratory practises of this course unit, all students must attend Module 1, 2 online, while Module 3 on health and safety is to be attended in class. Information about Module 3 attendance schedule is available on the website of your degree programme. 

Assessment methods

The oral examination will consist of an interview lasting about 25-30 minutes. During the exam, the use of AI is prohibited. Any use of AI constitutes a breach of academic integrity. During the interview, theoretical and applicative knowledge of the student will be verified. In particular, it will be evaluated clarity in the presentation of the contents, in-depth knowledge and connection between the main topics, appropriate use of the specific terminology and language of the sector. 

The assessment grid and the corresponding criteria for assigning the final grade are outlined below:

A. A very thorough knowledge of the topics covered in the course, together with strong critical analysis skills, the ability to make connections among topics, and a sound command of the specific terminology, will be awarded the highest marks: 30-30L.

B. A thorough knowledge of the topics covered in the course, together with good analytical and critical skills and a sound command of the specific terminology, will be awarded good marks: 27-29.

C. Technically adequate preparation and sufficient analytical ability, although not particularly well developed, expressed using appropriate language, will be awarded fair marks: 23-26.

D. Sufficient preparation and analytical ability, expressed using language that is only formally acceptable, will be awarded a pass mark: 18-22.

Students with specific learning disorders and/or temporary or permanent disabilities are invited to contact the relevant University office in good time. The office will propose any appropriate adjustments to the students concerned. Requests for adjustments must be submitted to the lecturer at least 15 days before the examination date. The lecturer will assess the appropriateness of the proposed adjustments, also taking into account the learning outcomes of the course.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

The teaching material presented during lectures will be made available electronically through the Virtuale platform, with access restricted to students enrolled at the University of Bologna.

Lab practises will be performed in the laboratory of the Master in Food Science and Technology.

Office hours

See the website of Massimiliano Petracci