17704 - Hygiene and Technologies of Fishery Products

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the Student acquires the criteria regarding the health and hygiene aspects of fish products intended for human consumption in the production phase, processing, marketing and home preservation; he acquires the techniques and methods of controlling hazards and risks along the entire production chain; he acquires the conventional and innovative technologies for preserving fish products; he acquires the European and national legislation regarding the hygiene and safety of fish products. Furthermore, the Student acquires the ability to critically evaluate the health and hygiene criteria, the corresponding legislation and the health and hygiene quality of fish products; he is able to identify the hazards and risks as well as any sources of contamination along the production chain; he is capable of drafting/collaborating in the drafting of a self-control plan; he is capable of applying a system for identifying hazards and controlling critical points in the fish product chain; he is able to evaluate the shelf-life of fish products; finally, he is able to work in a team and communicate with specialized and non-specialized personnel.

Course contents

The course begins with the presentation of the objectives, teaching methods used, calendar of theoretical lessons, practical laboratory activities and educational visits, finding the educational materials for the study and assessment methods (exam), which follows the specific safety training in the teaching laboratory and learning test.. In order to participate in the practical laboratory activities and educational visits, the Student must also have participated in the safety training in the educational laboratory provided by the University of Bologna and the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences (for specific information, please see the section "Teaching methods") .

he course consists of lectures alternating with practical work in the laboratory or educational visits; usually, the practical laboratory activities and educational visits are located after the specific theoretical lessons (example: food poisoning, marine biotoxins, heavy metals, food additives, identification and control of hazards and risks in the production chain). During the practical activities in the laboratory, Students carry out both individual and group activities; each group consists of 2-3 Students; for some practical activities it may be necessary for the Teacher to carry out practical demonstrations on instruments. Fishery products used for practical laboratory activities are purchased from a local company. Educational visits are organized based on the availability of the fish market, companies and external laboratories.

For emergencies (health or environmental), the theoretical lessons and practical activities will be carried out in online and on-site or online (according to the national legislation and the guidelines of the University of Bologna), in particular, the practical activities and educational visits that may be envisaged, when possible, will be replaced by films.

Course contents

Safety training in the educational laboratory and learning test.

Origin of fish products.

European Union and national regulation concerning the control and criteria of process hygiene and food safety with particular reference to fish products.

Hygienic-sanitary quality and total safety of the fish product.

Factors that influence the hygienic-sanitary characteristics and the safety of fish products.

Agents that cause food pathologies following the consumption of fish products.

Aquatic microorganisms and microorganisms associated with fish products: infections, poisoning and food poisoning and regulation.

Parameters affecting growth, survival and microbial death in fish products intended for human consumption.

Microbial Challenge Test.

Marine biotoxins and live bivalve molluscs and fish poisonings and regulation.

Biogenic amines in fish, fish products and shellfish (especially Scombroid poisoning) and regulation.

Heavy metal contamination with reference to food safety of seafood products and regulation.

Food additives in fish products, mechanisms of action and regulation.

Evaluation and control of the freshness of fish products.

Evaluation and control of frozen and processed fish products.

Commercial and health fraud.

Correct denomination of species in the marketing and regulatory phase.

Health notes of the most consumed species in Italy,

Conventional and innovative technologies for the production and conservation of fish products.

Bioconservation.

Packaging materials for aquatic products.

Hygiene in the food and personnel industry.

The seafood products chain and regulation.

The control of the fish products chain and regulation.

Traceability, labeling of fish products and regulation.

Food safety management systems: Good Hygienic Practices and Good Processing Practices; prerequisites and recognition of the establishments; HACCP system: principles, application and examples.

Quality System Management. General and specific ISO standards (ISO 22000).

Readings/Bibliography

The teaching material prepared by the Professor is published on the Virtual platform, https://virtuale.unibo.it, University of Bologna.

Notes of the current year.

Note: the texts and collections of the regulations listed below are only recommended in the event that the Student wishes to deepen the topics covered during the theoretical and practical lessons and during the educational visits.

Alimentalex, Raccolta della normativa alimentare italiana e comunitaria, Edizione 2023.

Igiene degli alimenti e HACCP , EPC Editore, ISBN: 978-88-9288-139-6 , 2022

Handbook of Seafood : Quality and Safety Maintenance and Applications (2016)

https://almastart.unibo.it/permalink/f/pt4j7f/TN_cdi_scopus_primary_617196548

Handbook of Hygiene Control in the Food Industry (2016)

https://almastart.unibo.it/permalink/f/pt4j7f/TN_cdi_askewsholts_vlebooks_9780081001974

Health and Safety Aspects of Food Processing Technologies (2019)

https://almastart.unibo.it/permalink/f/10694hg/39UBO_ALMAE_DS5175364750007041

Handbook of Food Processing: Food Safety, Quality, and Manufacturing Processes (2015)

https://almastart.unibo.it/permalink/f/pt4j7f/TN_cdi_informaworld_taylorfrancisbooks_10_1201_b19398_version2

Shellfish - Human consumption, health implications and conservation concerns. Hay R.M., Nova Publishers, New York, USA, 2014.

Food microbiology: fundamentals and frontiers, Doyle M.P., Beuchat L.R., Montville T.J., American Society for Microbiology, Washington, edizioni 2013 e 2019 (eBooks).

Managing Food Safety Risks in the Agri-Food Industries. Jan Mei Soon and Richard Baines. Taylor & Francis Group, 2013.

Advances in Meat, Poultry and Seafood Packaging. Joseph P. Kerry, Elsevier Science & Technology, Cambridge, 2012 (e-Book).

Progress in Food Preservation. Rajeev Bhat, Abd Karim Alias, and Gopinadhan Paliyath, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2012 (e-Book).

Foodborne Pathogens - Microbiology and molecular biology. Fratamico p. et al., Horizon Scientific Press, Norfolk, UK, 2008.

Seafood research from fish to dish. Luten J.B. et al., Wageningen Academic Publischers, 2006.

Igiene e tecnologie degli alimenti di origine animale. Giampaolo Colavita, Le Point Veterinaire, Italie, 2012.

Microbiologia degli alimenti, Jay J.M. et al., Springer-Verlag, Milano, Italia, 2009.

Microbiology and technology of fermented foods, Hutkins R.W., Blackwell Publishing, 2006.

Teaching methods

Theoretical lessons, activities laboratory practice individual and group, practical demonstrations (when necessary), educational visits to facilities for the production, processing and marketing of fish products (examples: shipping / purification centers for bivalve molluscs, processing plants fish product, wholesale fish market) and accredited external laboratories and films (when possible). The calendar of theoretical and practical lessons and educational visits and the respective topics are presented during the first lesson of the course.

For the frequency of training activities such as laboratory activities and educational visits to different types of structures, in consideration of the types of activities and teaching methods adopted, all Students of Modules 1 and 2 must be carried out in e-learning and participation in Module 3 of specific training on safety and health in study areas organized by the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences. Information on dates and methods of attendance for Module 3 can be consulted in the specific section of the degree program website. In addition, the Teacher requires participation in laboratory safety training for the specific practical activities of the course; the Teacher carries out training for the specific practical activities of the course always during the first lesson (also see the "Contents" paragraph).

Finally, it is stated that the planned practical activities have a deliberate low biological risk and an irrelevant chemical risk to health.

Assessment methods

Oral exam on the topics and practical activities (laboratory and educational visits) carried out during the course.

Usually, the questions are two and they have the same weight; the Teacher assigns a score to each answer (score range: 0-30 / 30); the final grade is represented by the arithmetic average of the scores. The Teacher asks the third question if he has to round off the final grade (in excess or defect) or confirm the honours.

Calculation tools (calculator) are allowed.

The final exam mark of the Integrated Course (I.C.) "Hygiene and laboratory analysis of fish products" will represent the weighted average of the marks obtained in the individual courses ("Hygiene and technologies of fishery products" and "Laboratory analysis of products of origin animal").

The verbalizing teacher is Sabrina Albonetti.

Teaching tools

Computer equipped with Teams platform (the platform will be used in case of health or environmental emergencies to carry out the teaching activity in online or on-site and online) and projector; fresh and preserved fish products; risk class 1 or 2 bacteria; laboratory equipment and instruments; glassware; media; reagents; educational visits; films (when possible).

Office hours

See the website of Sabrina Albonetti