B8789 - TECNOLOGIE E BIOTECNOLOGIE APPLICATE ALLA SICUREZZA ALIMENTARE

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, the student knows and understands the basic concepts of European legislation in the field of food safety related to the presence of chemical and biological hazards; is familiar with food risk assessment procedures; understands the main traditional and innovative analytical technologies used in this field; and is able to evaluate the effectiveness of analytical methodologies in relation to regulatory requirements.

Course contents

This course unit is part of the Integrated Course “B8787 BIOTECHNOLOGY IN NUTRITION AND FOOD SAFETY”.

Upon completion of the integrated course, students will have acquired knowledge and understanding of the main molecular methods used to investigate the microbiome and its interactions with diet and the environment. They will also have acquired knowledge and understanding of European food safety legislation. Students will be able to apply this knowledge to assess the suitability and effectiveness of analytical methods in relation to the relevant regulatory requirements.

SPECIFIC COURSE CONTENT:

MODULE 1 – Prof. Giampiero Pagliuca (2 ECTS , 16 hours of lectures)

The module is structured as follows:

Theoretical lectures:

• Chemical hazards and risks (1 hour)
• European legislation on chemical hazards in food of animal origin (4 hours)
• Classification of chemical hazards in animal-derived food production chains (3 hours)
• Introduction to the chemical analysis of food (1 hour)
• Validation of chemical analytical methods (2 hours)
• Analytical techniques for the control of chemical hazards (5 hours)
• Performance of analytical methods and interpretation of results (1 hour)

MODULE 2 – Prof. Alessandra De Cesare (1 ECTS  in lectures, 8 hours; 1 ECTS  in practical activities, 16 hours)

The module is structured as follows:

Theoretical lectures:

• Biological hazards in food (1 hour)
• Analytical techniques for the detection of biological hazards in food (2 hours)
• Microbiological risk assessment in food (1 hour)
• Case studies on microbiological risk assessment in food (4 hours)

Practical activities:

• Group practical exercise on the assessment and mitigation of biological and chemical risks in food (9 hours)
• Presentation and discussion of the results of the practical activity (3 hours)

Readings/Bibliography

The teaching materials for this course are available on the Virtuale Learning Environment (https://virtuale.unibo.it/?lang=en).

Further reading:

• European Union regulations on food safety
• EFSA scientific opinions

Teaching methods

The course consists of lectures and practical sessions involving group work.

Assessment methods

The assessment of learning outcomes for the Integrated Course “B8787 BIOTECHNOLOGY IN NUTRITION AND FOOD SAFETY” consists of two parts:

• The first part of the assessment, worth a maximum of 3/30 points, consists of the evaluation of the group work on the case study assigned within the course unit B8789 – Technologies and Biotechnologies Applied to Food Safety. The assessment will take into account each student’s active participation in the different stages of the activity, including the collection and organisation of information, preparation of the written report, preparation of the presentation, oral presentation, and final discussion. Students who are unable to participate in the group work for duly justified reasons will be required to study specific materials relating to the course content. Their preparation on these materials will be assessed through three additional questions included in the multiple-choice test forming the second part of the assessment.

• The second part of the assessment, worth a maximum of 28/30 points, consists of a multiple-choice test covering the topics addressed in all the course units that make up the Integrated Course. The test consists of 28 multiple-choice questions: 13 relating to the course unit D0547 – Animal Nutrition Biotechnology, Microbiome and Feeding, and 15 relating to the course unit B8789 – Technologies and Biotechnologies Applied to Food Safety. Each question has five answer options, only one of which is correct. Scores are awarded as follows: 1 point for each correct answer; 0 points for each incorrect or unanswered question. Students will have 30 minutes to complete the test.

The exam is considered passed if the student achieves a positive result in all the required assessment components. The final grade is calculated as the sum of the scores obtained in the two assessment components. A minimum final grade of 18/30 is required to pass the exam.

Negative results are not graded numerically but recorded as “withdrawn” or “failed” in the electronic transcript on AlmaEsami, and do not affect the student’s academic record.

Grades for individual parts and the final grade will be published on the AlmaEsami platform (https://almaesami.unibo.it/?lang=en) within 5 working days of the date of the exam.

Students may reject the final grade once by notifying the lecturer responsible for recording the grade by email within five working days.

The designated course contact for this course is Prof. Giampiero Pagliuca.

Students can register for exams through the AlmaEsami platform (http://almaesami.unibo.it/). Exams are scheduled during the designated periods in the academic calendar. Additional sessions are available for students beyond the standard program duration.

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.

With regard to the learning assessment, the use of AI is prohibited during the multiple-choice assessment. Any use of AI constitutes a breach of academic integrity.

 

Teaching tools

Teaching will be supported primarily by PowerPoint presentations and videos/animations.

In case of difficulty understanding the course content, the instructor is available for clarification meetings, which must be scheduled via email.

Office hours

See the website of Giampiero Pagliuca

See the website of Alessandra De Cesare