Foods Resources

The course aims to provide an overview of the main food sources of plant and animal origin. In the plant part of the course, will be provided a historical, evolutionary, and multidisciplinary overview of the main technologies used in agriculture for the genetic improvement of agri-food resources starting from the domestication process. For the animal part, the course aims to provide an overview of the main food sources of animal origin, comparing different dietary regimes. Differences from the point of view of health, environmental sustainability and ethical implications of different production systems will be discussed.

By the end of the course, students will have acquired basic knowledge about traditional breeding and genetic engineering techniques used for the nutritional improvement of seeds and fruits of crops of interest, from cereals to some horticultural crops, and an overview of the main food sources of agricultural origin, the methods of cultivation (intensive, biologic, and organic). In addition, they will have acquired basic knowledge about the regulations and legislation related to the registration of new varieties, both GMO and non-GMO. Finally, they will have acquired knowledge about the main food sources of animal origin, different dietary regimes, differences from the point of view of health, environmental sustainability, and the ethical implications of different production systems.