29414 - Food Technology And Principles Of Packaging

Learning outcomes

To give competencies on stability factors of foodstuffs, to understand the impact of the adopted technologies on food quality and on sanitation technology to achieve the stability in the production of canned and stabilised foods (by mild technology, drying, freezing, etc.). Ability to evaluate, understand and critically review the food processing, evaluation of the adopted technologies and ability to modify, optimise and improve the process conditions, ability to control the storage conditions from the quality maintenance viewpoint, including basic knowledges on packaging, materials, methods of traditional, active and intelligent packaging.

Course contents

Module 1: General concept on food preservation. Stability factors in vegetable and animal origin preserved foods. Water activity concept food istem mobility. Polymeric approach and glass transition. Influence of temperature on reaction kinetics (Arrhenius and WLF laws). Process operations on fruit, vegetables and animal food sources. Preliminary and production phases of canning and preservation. Thermal sanitation processes. Thermoresistance of micoorganisms. Heat penetration curves. Hurdle Technology. Flow diagrams and mass balance: Computation exercises in classroom. Production lines of tomato derivatives, jams, marmalades, fruit juices and nectars. 

Module 2: Principles of packaging (Prof. santina Romani)

Definitions and trends of food packaging. Importance and functions of food packaging. Main chemical and physical properties of packaging materials (mechanical, thermal, electromagnetic, permeability, migration). Main characteristics, properties and employments of packaging materials: glass, metal, cellulose and plastic materials. Hard and flexible packing: production and main characteristics. Biobased and biodegradable food packaging materials. Sustainable food packaging. Food packaging operations and technologies. Active and intelligent packaging. Shelf-life of packaged food products: definitions, general aspects; main factors influencing shelf-life of foods. Food products stability and packaging requirements: cereals and bakery products; fruits and vegetables; dairy products; meat products; drinks.

Module 3: Innovative food technologies for safety and sustainability.

Presentation of the course. Bases, general concepts and importance of using innovative technologies in food processing as an alternative to thermal ones, especially in terms of sustainability. General principles and examples of application of pulsed electric fields (PEF) and ultrasound (US) in the food processing (extractions, microbial inactivation, mass exchange etc.). Technologies used for enrichment or partial dehydration of vegetable products (vacuum impregnation, osmotic dehydration). General principles of the use of cold plasma on food. High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and high-pressure homogenization (HPH): general aspects and applications. Food irradiation: general aspects and applications. Examples of industrial applications.

Mass balances in osmotic dehydration process: Classroom exercises.

Vacuum impregnation: Laboratory practicals.

Application of pulsed electric fields for mass exchanges: Laboratory practicals.

 

Readings/Bibliography

Module 1: didactic material given by the teacher in digital format available using the e-learning platform based on Moodle (Insegnamenti on line, IoL
Porretta, Porretta: l'industria delle conserve alimentari, chiriotti editore
Cheftel, Cheftel: biochimica e tecnologia degli alimenti, edagricole

Module 2 - Reference book for a detailed study: “- “Food packaging science and technology” D. Sun Lee, K.L. Yam, L. Piergiovanni. CRC Press, 2008.

Modulo 3: - Reference book for a detailed study:

- “Nonthermal Processing Technologies for Food”, H.Q.Zhang, G.V. Barbosa-Canovas, V.M. Balasubramaniam, C.P.Dunne, D.F.Farakas & j.T.C. Yuan- Eds. Wiley-Blackwell, A John Wiley&Sons, Ltd., Publication.

Teaching methods

Frontal teaching, individual and group exercises, use of spreadsheet, visits to food industries, seminars.

Assessment methods

Module 1 (Food Technology 2, Prof. M. Dalla Rosa): Multiple choices (1/3 of the total of the questions) and open question (2/3) test will be give to the students at the end of the teaching period. Drawing and description of a flow diagram of a processed food will be one of the open questions.

The test will be related to the Module 1, whilst the assessment of the Module 2 (Principles of food packaging) and Module 3 (Innovative technologies) will be managed independently by the Module responsible prof. Romani and Dr. Tylewicz respectively.

The test of the Module 2 (Principles of food packaging - Prof. S. Romani) will contain 10 multiple choice and open questions. The test aim at assess and verify the skills and knowledge acquired in the issues addressed throughout all the course program.

The test of the Module 3 (Innovative food technologies - Dr. Urszula Tylewicz) will contain 10 questions, 5 of which will be of multiple choice and 5 of open answer. The test will assess and verify the skills and knowledge acquired in the issues addressed throughout all the course program. The score will be expressed in thirtieths.

Partial Score will be measured on the basis of /30 and it will considered as a part of the final evaluation of the Integrated Course

The final score of the entire integrated course is calculated as a weighted average of grades obtained in the 3 modules. Prof. Marco Dalla Rosa will record the exam in AlmaEsami.

Teaching tools

Beamer, PC, Videos, Internet, WWW.food-info.net, when possible visits to industries.

Power point slides of the lectures will be available through the IOL website (e-learning platform)

Office hours

See the website of Marco Dalla Rosa

See the website of Santina Romani

See the website of Urszula Tylewicz