82463 - Parasitology of Plant Products and Foodstuff

Learning outcomes

This course trains students to:
At the end of the course, the student is able to recognize the main arthropods and harmful animals that contaminate foodstuffs and to use ecologically and economically sustainable protection techniques for reducing their populations.

Course contents

1. General information relating to teaching (Total teaching unit 1 hour)

Presentation and discussion of the program in frontal and online lessons, exercises, teaching material, student reception, exams. Aims of the teaching, importance of the discipline.

Biological and ethological characteristics of food parasites, types of damage, risks for human health. Ecology of pests in food industry. Pest prevention: design of buildings and machinery in order to prevent infestations, inspection of environments and monitoring of pests (trace analysis, use of traps). Methods of analysis of foodstuffs to detect the presence or traces of pests; filth-test. Means and methods of pest control: mechanical, physical (modified and controlled atmospheres, high and low temperatures, light radiations); biotechnics (pheromones); chemicals: mode of action of insecticides and rodenticides. Methods of application of insecticides; fumigation.

3 Special part:

3.1 Arachnida: general information; subclass Acari: outline of morphology and biology of species harmful to foodstuffs: Acarus siro, Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Glyciphagus domesticus, Lepidoglyphus destructor and Carpoglyphus lactis.

3.2 Insects:

Description, biology and control of the following pest species:

DICTYOPTERA Blattidae: Blatta orientalis, Periplaneta americana; Blattellidae: Blattella germanica, Supella longipalpa;Polyphagidae: Polyphaga aegyptiaca;

LEPIDOPTERA: Tineidae: Nemapogon granella; Gelechidae: Sitotroga cerealella; Piralidae: Ephestia kuehniella, Plodia interpunctella);

DIPTERA: Psychodidae: Clogmia albipunctata; Piophilidae: Piophila casei; Drosophilidae: Drosophila melanogaster; Muscidae: Musca domestica; Calliforidae: Calliphora spp.; Sarcophagidae: Sarcophaga spp.

COLEOPTERA: Anobiidae: Stegobium paniceum, Lasioderma serricorne; Dermestidae: Dermestes lardarius., Trogoderma granarium; Bruchidae: Acanthoscelides obtectus; Cleridae: Necrobia rufipes; Bostrichidae: Rhyzopertha dominica; Tenebrionidae: Tenebrio molitor, Tribolium castaneum, Tribolium confusum; Cucujidae: Cryptolestes sp.; Silvanidae: Oryzaephilus surinamensis; Chrysomelidae: Acanthoscelides obtectus; Dryophtoridae (Rincoforidi): Sitophilus granarius, S. oryzae, S. zeamais).

3.3 RODENTS:

Muridae: Generalities, species harmful to foodstuffs: Mus domesticus, Rattus rattus and R. norvegicus. Prevention, monitoring and rodent control.

4. Laboratory exercises

4.1 - Exercise: observation on microscope of preimaginal and live adult stages of: Tenebrio molitor, Tribolium castaneum, Tribolium confusum Rhyzopertha dominica, Sitophilus oryzae, Sitophilus granarius, Stegobium paniceum, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, Piophila casei, Tribolium castaneum, Trogoderma granarium; Sarcophaga sp .; observation of damage to cereals and other commodities caused by pests.

Readings/Bibliography

Readings/Bibliography

Süss L., Locatelli D.P.. I parassiti delle derrate. Riconoscimento e gestione delle infestazioni nelle industrie alimentari. “Edagricole, Bologna 2001, XIV+363 pp.

Trematerra P., Suss L., Prontuario di entomologia merceologica e urbana, Aracne Editrice, Roma 2007.

Pagani M., Savoldelli S., Schiaparelli A. Manuale pratico per il monitoraggio e il riconoscimento degli insetti infestanti le industrie alimentari.[Forlì] : Edizioni Sinergitec, Forlì 2009. 2 volumi

Teaching methods

Teaching methods

Front and online lectures on the IOL platform: https://iol.unibo.it/. Laboratory exercises with execution of analysis methods. Observation of specimens of live arthropods or their fragments.

Assessment methods

Assessment methods

The exams dates and modalities are reported in ALMAESAMI.

Teaching tools

Computer, Videoprojector, microscope

Office hours

See the website of Antonio Martini