Nutrition for Animal Health and for Human Well-Being

Taking into account the importance of feed and food composition on animal and human health the course objective is to provide scientific knowledge on feed and food sensory analysis, food safety, improvement of products quality by dietary manipulation and perinatal nutrition. The regulation of gene expression by nutrition will be also addressed.

Didactic unit: Nutrigenomic
Lectures
Nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics: definition and methodology
Nutrigenomics in farm animals: interaction nutrients-genes
Dairy cows: the epigentiuc role of choline and methionine
Fatty acids and modulation of inflammatory associated gen expression
Adipogenesis and myogenesis a cascade of gene activation: how diet can modulate it?
Biotechnology in animal production
Practical training
PCR and journal club

Didactic unit: perinatal nutrition
Lectures
Interaction mother/neonate (2 hours)
Nutrients e bioactive components of the milk (3 hours)
Milk feeding: natural and artificial (2 ore)
Development and health of the gastrointestinal tract (3 hours)
Regolatori del trofismo e della microflora intestinale (3 ore)
Functional food (3 ore)
Practical activities
Formulation of milk replacers and pre and post weaning diets for calves (4 ore).
Formulation of weaning diets for piglets (4 ore)
Seminars with professionals (8 ore)

Didactic unit: Animal nutrition and sensory analysis
Take in account the importance of feed/food composition for both animals and human health the aim of the course is to introduce the main principles of sensory analyses. The application of scientific discipline in farm and companion animals and humans will be also deepen.
Lectures
Perception of sensory stimuli (2 hours)
Taste perception in farm and companion animals (2 hours)
Eating behavior (2 hours)
Feed intake (2 hours)
Introduction to sensory analysis (1 hour)
The sensory analysis role in feed/food preference (1 ora)
Methods of sensory evaluation (2 hours)
Sensory evaluation test organization (2 hours)
Experimental design and results interpretation (2 hours)
Practical training
Practical training related to sensory evaluation (8 hours)
Visit of a field exhibition (8 hours)

Didactic unit: Animal nutrition and food safety
The major aims of this course are focalized on animal feed, new nutritional strategies, undesirable substances, feed additives, food of animal origin, identification and risk analysis will be considered having regard to the EU regulations and international authorities on food safety. The topics will be discussed according to innovative global-wide approach of One Health that aims to tighten the collaboration and communication in all aspects of human, animal and environmental healthcare into one synergistic body.
The growing demand for food, the conservation of resources and the global industrial market policies will be addressed in terms of food safety of products of animal origin.
Lectures
SAFETY of FOODS OF ANIMAL ORIGIN: PROBLEMS RELATED TO ANIMAL FEED
Animal nutrition and Human health in relation to new nutrition trends. Discussion of recent criticisms related to animal-origin products (2 hours)
Animal feed: biological and chemical risks and impact on livestock production. The role of antibiotics. (2 hours)
Animal feed: nutritional and functional characteristics. Innovative diagnostic approaches for the evaluation of potentially hazardous; sanitization of feed; nutritional corrective strategies and verification of food of animal origin (2 hours)
EFSA and European Commission: Regulations for feed and food animal products in the EU and risk assessment (2 hours)
Acids compounds and evaluation of drinking water (2 hours)
Heavy metals in the food chain (2 hours)
Effects of nutrients and additives on microbiota and microbio0ma. The role of eubiosis (3 hours)
Genetically modified orgamism in animal nutrition. Glyphosate and food-feed safety (3 hours)
Practical activities
Lab activities: evaluation of the chemical characteristics and functional properties of ingredients (6 hours)
Scientific communication and general public opinion. Analyses of sources. Journal club. (6 hours)
Seminars (6 hours)

Didactic unit: Nutrition and quality of the products of animal origin
The aim of the course is to approach the relationship between animal feeding (to be intended either as requirements either as micronutrients and nutraceuticals integration) and the final quality of products. The main analytical procedures of milk and meat will be performed and the nutritional strategies for improving quality products will be discussed
Lectures
General aspects, food consumption, role of nutrition and consumer expectation (1 hour)
Quality concept (2 hours)
Meat analysis (1 hour)
Milk analysis (1 hour)
Pig Feeding and meat processed products quality (4 hours)
PDO IGP, STG Products (3 hours)
Dairy cattle feeding and milk and dairy products quality (4 hours)
Practical lessons
On line research on the regulation of PDO, IGP and traditional products (2 hours)
Field visit to industry (6 hours)
Computer ration formulation programs (4 hours)
Lab Analyses (4 hours)