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 stbility in the production of canned and stabiliised 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. Visits to food industries (optional)

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

The main purpose of the course is to supply basic knowledges on peculiar problems of food packaging to provide the capability on making choice on food packaging, food stability optimization and shelf-life prevision.The course contents will include the following topics:Importance and functions of food packaging, food products stability and packaging requirements. Introduction to chemical and physical properties of packaging materials (mechanical, thermal, electromagnetic, permeability, migration). Main characteristics and properties and employments of packaging materials: glass, metal, cellulose and plastic materials; hard and flexible packing. Summary of food packaging operations and technologies; active and intelligent packaging. Introduction to shelf-life of packed food products

Module 3: Innovative food technologies for safety and sustainability.(dr. Urszula Tylewicz)

Bases and general concepts of non-thermal technologies used in food processing. Possibility of application of pulsed electric fields (PEF) and ultrasound (US) in the food products (extractions, microbial inactivation, mass exchange etc.). Advantages and disadvantages cold plasma application on food stuffs. Technologies used for enrichment or partial dehydration of vegetable products (vacuum impregnation, osmotic dehydration). Flow charts and mass balances. High pressures for the fluids. Other innovative technologies (eg. irradiation, ozone application, etc.). Industrial applications.

Readings/Bibliography

didactic material given by the teacher in digital format available on intranet or file exchange online system

porretta, porretta: l'industria delle conserve alimentari, chiriotti editore 

cheftel, cheftel: biochimica e tecnologia degli alimenti, edagricole

Teaching methods

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

Assessment methods

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 fish / seafood processing will be one of the open questions. 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

Teaching tools

Beamer, PC, Videos, Internet, WWW.food-info.net, www.foodgalaxy.org, animations available on ISEKI porta

Office hours

See the website of Marco Dalla Rosa

See the website of Santina Romani