- Docente: Alessandra Di Francesco
- Credits: 4
- SSD: AGR/12
- Language: Italian
- Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
- Campus: Cesena
- Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Food Technology (cod. 8528)
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course the student has the knowledge and the ability to perform evaluations on the phytosanitary status of agricultural commodities. In particular, the student will be able to identify the main toxigenic fungi on nuts, grains, flours, fresh fruits and vegetables, to evaluate the main effects of mycotoxins on humans, animals and on the food chain, establishing the influence of pre- and post-harvest technologies on toxigenic fungal infections.
Course contents
Prerequisites: the student who accesses this free-choice teaching will have to possess some fundamentals of biology and plant physiology.
General information: presentation of the course and the aims of the course; in-depth analysis of the importance of the discipline in the field of Agricultural Sciences and the Profession of Agronomist/Inspector. The course will take place through lectures, exercises and study visits. The course provides for the availability of teaching materials and student reception. Students' suggestions and requests will be welcomed.
General Considerations on the Phytosanitary Inspector: Functions and skills, regional phytosanitary service, technical-inspection activity, phytosanitary certifications, sampling, inspection operations.
General notions: urbanism, change of food regimes, development of services, marketing systems. Food waste. Basic concepts on food safety, self-control and cognitive controls.
Outline of the main biotic and abiotic agents of commodities: principles of plant pathology, biotic and abiotic diseases, classification, diffusion, defense, fight, assessment of damage and severity of diseases. Methods of survey, sampling, isolation and identification of plant pathogenic fungi, inspection in the environments of conservation of foodstuffs.
Parasitic diseases and alterations: environmental contamination, diagnostic methods, classifications, sources. The main air pollutants, diagnosis and symptomatology. Nitrogen oxides, sulphur pollutions, acid rain, tropospheric ozone. Notes on the main soil pollutants and their sources. Notes on diseases from nutritional deficiencies: macro and micro elements.
Contaminants of commodities: mycotoxins, definition, general aspects and toxicity. Aflatoxins, Ochratoxins, Tricotecenes, Patulin, Citrine, Fumonisins, Zearalenones and minor mycotoxins. Biochemical characteristics, synthesis, accumulation and determination.
Main toxigenic fungi: infections on dried fruits, grains, flour, derivatives and fruit and vegetable products. Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium, Alternaria.
Phytopathological diagnosis: symptomatological examination, diagnostic procedure, complex diagnosis.
Sampling: method of taking samples. Sample preparation and analysis.
Influence of pre- and post-harvest technologies on biotic and abiotic infections of foodstuffs and their rehabilitation: strategies aimed at reducing the risks of contamination, prevention of field training, post-harvest techniques, decontamination, detoxification, legislative and health interventions. Health legislation, limits of tolerance of mycotoxins in food. Effects of contaminants on humans, animals and the food chain. Monitoring work environments, risk assessment for operators.
Readings/Bibliography
-Lecture notes
-De Cicco V., Bertolini P., Salerno M.G. 'Patologia post raccolta dei prodotti vegetali. Piccinin 2009
-Dragoni I., Cantoni C., Papa A., Vallone L. 'Muffe alimenti e micotossicosi' Città Studi Edizioni 2000
Teaching methods
- Frontal teaching (3 CFU)
The main issues related to the inspections and phytosanitary controls of agricultural commodities will be discussed through the use of diagrams, tables, images related to the main biotic and abiotic diseases.
A constant interaction between teacher and student is planned to verify the transposition of the teaching presented. Discussion of examples and cases related to the toxigenic effects of contaminants on humans and animals.
- Practical Exercises and study visits in fruit and vegetable cooperatives (1 CFU)
Recognition of the main diseases of commodities, acquisition of the ability to distinguish symptoms of abiotic nature from those biotic. Projection of images, examination of plant samples, isolation and microscopic analysis. Visits will be organized in fruit and vegetable warehouses in Cesena, useful to integrate the knowledge acquired in the first part of the course.
Assessment methods
The verification will be through written examination at the end of the course, with the aim of verifying the acquisition of knowledge of the subject under examination.
Teaching tools
Power point slides, practical exercises and educational visits.
Office hours
See the website of Alessandra Di Francesco