The course aims to provide students with basic knowledge of food hygiene. In particular it will be developed issues concerning the importance of food in the transmission of pathogens to humans and strategies for optimal keep starting from identification and management of hygienic risks. Students, therefore, will be able to identify the critical issues for the prevention and management of the risk of microbial contamination of food. This knowledge will be useful for the acquisition of the important role that food hygiene is taking in an advanced and increasingly rich in complexity society. As the course aims, then, it is in agreement with European Union directives, which put the health of consumers among the primary objectives of its regulatory action.

1. Foodborne diseases
-origin and transmission mode of the food-borne diseases
-definition of infections, intoxications and poisoning

2. Etiology, routes of transmission, at risk food, pathogenesis, prevention and epidemiological data of the following foodborne diseases:
a-Epidemiological data and Prevention of foodborne diseases of bacterial etiology
-intoxications (ingestion of preformed toxin): botulism, staphylococcal intoxication;
-poisoning by Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus cereus;
-infections: salmonellosis; shigellosis; gastroenteritis by Campylobacter, E. coli, C. sakazakii, Y. enterocolitica, V. parahaemolyticus and Enterococci; listeriosis; brucellosis; Helicobacter pylori infections.

b- Epidemiological data and Prevention of foodborne diseases of viral and unconventional infectious agents etiology
-infections by Hepatitis A and E viruses, norovirus and rotavirus;
-prion diseases.

c- Epidemiological data and Prevention of foodborne diseases of helmintic and protozoan etiology
-toxoplasmosis;
-other food-borne parasitosis (teniasis, echinococcosis, anisakiasis, trichinosis).

d- Epidemiological data and Prevention of foodborne diseases with toxins produced by fungi (aflatoxins, ochratoxin, patulin, trichothecenes, zearalenone, fumonisin).

3. Hints of the principles for food preservation

4. Hints of the principles of hygiene at the production and distribution of food, to prevent foodborne diseases diffusion

5. Foodborne diseases and oncogenic risk
The impact of some foodborne infections on cancer risk (particular attention to colorectal cancer, CRC): hypotheses of the possible involvement of foodborne pathogen infections in the initiation, progression and response to anti-cancer treatment.

6. Epidemiological data of infections caused by drug-resistant microrganisms

7. Hints of legal guidelines on food safety
- evolution of food regulation;
- guides to good to good hygiene practices (GMP);
- ISO;
- regulations for microbiological control of food.

8. Climate change and its impact on the risk of foodborne diseases spreading, with particular attention to foods of vegetable, fish or animal origin.

Recommended:

General Hygiene

Microbiology and microbiological food control

D1- Knowledge and understanding
The student must show to be able to:
-classify the hazard carried by foods with particular reference to those of biological origin;
-classify infectious agents possibly present in different types of food and define their pathogenicity;
-the capacity to recognize the factors influencing the proliferation, survival and death of pathogenic microorganisms;
-illustrate the strategies for optimal preservation;
-explain the main criteria of the  systems based on risk assessment;
-analyze applications of regulations to establish microbiological criteria for food.

D2 - Applying knowledge and understanding
The student must show to be able to:
-interpret the meaning of the main analytical parameters used for health and hygiene evaluation of food;
-to develop analytical flowcharts and synthetic production lines.

D3 - Judgement
The student will be able to:
-identify the health and safety standards of food;
-evaluate the hygienic conditions of food preservation and distribution;
-suggest appropriate good manufacturing practices to improve the hygienic conditions of food preservation and distribution;
-indicate adequate strategies for the implementation of hygiene in processing environments and food handling.

D4 - Communication skills
The student must show to be able to:
-support a debate with people with the same experience and preparation on different topics of regulatory, scientific, procedural;
-illustrate in groups and discuss strategies for the evaluation of the hygienic conditions of food and environments of food processing.

 
D5 - Learning skills
The student will be able to:
-consult and understand scientific texts, also innovative, bibliographical updates, regulatory dictates.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Lectures and seminars on topics agreed with the students. The lectures provide an illustration of the sources of contamination of food, the different diseases linked to the consumption of contaminated food and methods of food preservation regarding the needs for microorganism growth. In this way the students can appreciate what are the most critical issues, and as implementation of good hygiene practices at all stages of food preparation can ensure food security.

Attendance

Students must possess basic knowledge of Microbiology of Food and General Hygiene. In fact, it will be necessary for students to know the growth needs of microorganisms to deal with aspects related to the principles of food conservation and to acquire the methods of disinfection and sterilization to apply to food work environments.

With regard to the attendance rate, reference is made to the rules of the course.

Course books

A. Paparella, M. Schirone, P. Visciano. IGIENE NEI PROCESSI ALIMENTARI. Hoepli Editore

The student should only refer to the section on the food hygiene text contained in the book.

The necessary updates and additions will be indicated during the course and reported on the Blended Learning platform.

Assessment

The final exam will be oral and integrated with the food Toxicology module and will take place through oral interviews consisting of questions on at least 3 topics discussed in the course.  The exam will aim to verify the acquired knowledge and will also evaluate the ability to relate the different topics discussed in  the course (descriptors 1 and 2), communication skills (descriptor 4) and the ability to solve practical problems (descriptors 3 and 5).

Responses will also be judged on the basis of the exhibition capacity and the language used as the correct and appropriate scientific terminology.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Attendance

Students must possess basic knowledge of Microbiology of Food and General Hygiene. In fact, it will be necessary for students to know the growth needs of microorganisms to deal with aspects related to the principles of food conservation and to acquire the methods of disinfection and sterilization to apply to food work environments.

With regard to the attendance rate, reference is made to the rules of the course.

Course books

A. Paparella, M. Schirone, P. Visciano. IGIENE NEI PROCESSI ALIMENTARI. Hoepli Editore

The student should only refer to the section on the food hygiene text contained in the book.

The necessary updates and additions will be indicated during the course and reported on the Blended Learning platform.

Assessment

The final exam will be oral and integrated with the food Toxicology module and will take place through oral interviews consisting of questions on at least 3 topics discussed in the course.  The exam will aim to verify the acquired knowledge and will also evaluate the ability to relate the different topics discussed in  the course (descriptors 1 and 2), communication skills (descriptor 4) and the ability to solve practical problems (descriptors 3 and 5).

Responses will also be judged on the basis of the exhibition capacity and the language used as the correct and appropriate scientific terminology.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.