Food Preservation and Processing
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course aims at introducing the principles of food technology operations and the main food preservation and transformation processes; make the European food labeling standards known; provide expertise on the main quality indicators of raw materials and preserved and processed food products. Furthermore, the course aims at making the role of technology understandable about the availability of safe and quality foods with particular reference to nutritional aspects.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course the student will be able to identify the operations carried out to preserve and transform the main food products; will have the skills to acquire information on the products by reading the labels; he/she will be able to evaluate the qualitative characteristics of food and to evaluate the technology on the quality and nutritional value of food products.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
· Introduction to Food Technology and Quality: the role of ingredients and unit operations in food processing; food additives; main food preservation technologies.
· Food Labeling Legislation: purpose, mandatory and optional information.
· Milk and Dairy Products: properties of milk proteins, fats, and sugars and their technological roles in dairy processing; regulatory aspects; types of liquid milk on the market; thermal treatments and their effects (pasteurized and sterilized milk); classification and composition of cheeses; cheese-making technology: preliminary treatments, coagulation, whey drainage, salting, ripening; relationship between processing steps and cheese characteristics.
· Processed Meats: technological classification criteria for cured meat products and their characteristics.
· Fats and Oils: general overview, sources and properties; olive oil: characteristics and processing; oils from other vegetable sources: characteristics and production technologies; oil extraction from seeds: preliminary treatments, mechanical pressing, solvent extraction; oil refining: degumming, neutralization, bleaching, deodorization; comparison of chemical and physical refining; fat modification processes (hydrogenation, interesterification, fractionation); margarines and emulsions.
· Cereals and Cereal-Based Products: Cereals: morphological, physical and chemical properties of the main cereal grains; Milled products: legal standards, voluntary classification systems, milling process, and quality indices; Pasta (dry and fresh): legislation, production process, and quality indicators, wholegrain and gluten-free pasta; Bread and baked goods: legislation, types and characteristics, production processes and quality parameters, wholegrain bread and gluten-free baked products.
· Legumes and Plant-Based Foods and Beverages: Legumes: morphological, physical and chemical features; traditional and innovative applications; raw material pre-treatments; protein and starch extraction processes; use of plant proteins in the development of plant-based foods and beverages.
· Case Studies: production technologies and quality indicators of selected products (e.g., breakfast cereals, snacks, bars, fruit juices, jams and marmalades, chocolate); label design and regulations; innovative processes; use of alternative proteins.
· Food Labeling Legislation: purpose, mandatory and optional information.
· Milk and Dairy Products: properties of milk proteins, fats, and sugars and their technological roles in dairy processing; regulatory aspects; types of liquid milk on the market; thermal treatments and their effects (pasteurized and sterilized milk); classification and composition of cheeses; cheese-making technology: preliminary treatments, coagulation, whey drainage, salting, ripening; relationship between processing steps and cheese characteristics.
· Processed Meats: technological classification criteria for cured meat products and their characteristics.
· Fats and Oils: general overview, sources and properties; olive oil: characteristics and processing; oils from other vegetable sources: characteristics and production technologies; oil extraction from seeds: preliminary treatments, mechanical pressing, solvent extraction; oil refining: degumming, neutralization, bleaching, deodorization; comparison of chemical and physical refining; fat modification processes (hydrogenation, interesterification, fractionation); margarines and emulsions.
· Cereals and Cereal-Based Products: Cereals: morphological, physical and chemical properties of the main cereal grains; Milled products: legal standards, voluntary classification systems, milling process, and quality indices; Pasta (dry and fresh): legislation, production process, and quality indicators, wholegrain and gluten-free pasta; Bread and baked goods: legislation, types and characteristics, production processes and quality parameters, wholegrain bread and gluten-free baked products.
· Legumes and Plant-Based Foods and Beverages: Legumes: morphological, physical and chemical features; traditional and innovative applications; raw material pre-treatments; protein and starch extraction processes; use of plant proteins in the development of plant-based foods and beverages.
· Case Studies: production technologies and quality indicators of selected products (e.g., breakfast cereals, snacks, bars, fruit juices, jams and marmalades, chocolate); label design and regulations; innovative processes; use of alternative proteins.
Prerequisites for admission
Principles of Nutritional and Food Sciences
Teaching methods
· Lectures
· Case studies assigned by the lecturer and presented and discussed by the students
· Seminars
· Case studies assigned by the lecturer and presented and discussed by the students
· Seminars
Teaching Resources
The material presented during each lecture is available electronically on MyARIEL.
For each topic, relevant articles from scientific journals or book chapters are recommended.
For each topic, relevant articles from scientific journals or book chapters are recommended.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The final assessment consists of:
· A mid-term exam, held during the teaching break, covering the first part of the syllabus (worth up to 12.5 points out of 30);
· An oral exam on the second part of the syllabus (worth up to 12.5 points out of 30)
· An individual contribution to a group project, assigned by the instructor and discussed in class (worth up to 5 points out of 30)
Non-attending students may earn the points related to the project by answering an individual question, formulated by the instructor, regarding one of the group projects.
Students who do not take or do not pass the mid-term exam must take an oral exam covering all topics discussed during the course (worth up to 5 points out of 30).
The final grade will be based on the following criteria:
· Knowledge and understanding of the course topics;
· Critical thinking and analytical skills applied to the subject matter;
· Clarity and effectiveness of oral and/or written communication.
To take the exam, students must register through the UNIMIA platform (http://www.unimi.it/) by the specified deadline.
Grades will be expressed on a 30-point scale and communicated via automated email generated by the university grading system.
Students with learning disabilities (DSA) or disabilities are kindly requested to contact the instructor by email at least 15 days before the exam date to arrange any necessary accommodations. The relevant university support services must be copied in the email:
· For students with DSA: [email protected]
· For students with disabilities: [email protected]
· A mid-term exam, held during the teaching break, covering the first part of the syllabus (worth up to 12.5 points out of 30);
· An oral exam on the second part of the syllabus (worth up to 12.5 points out of 30)
· An individual contribution to a group project, assigned by the instructor and discussed in class (worth up to 5 points out of 30)
Non-attending students may earn the points related to the project by answering an individual question, formulated by the instructor, regarding one of the group projects.
Students who do not take or do not pass the mid-term exam must take an oral exam covering all topics discussed during the course (worth up to 5 points out of 30).
The final grade will be based on the following criteria:
· Knowledge and understanding of the course topics;
· Critical thinking and analytical skills applied to the subject matter;
· Clarity and effectiveness of oral and/or written communication.
To take the exam, students must register through the UNIMIA platform (http://www.unimi.it/) by the specified deadline.
Grades will be expressed on a 30-point scale and communicated via automated email generated by the university grading system.
Students with learning disabilities (DSA) or disabilities are kindly requested to contact the instructor by email at least 15 days before the exam date to arrange any necessary accommodations. The relevant university support services must be copied in the email:
· For students with DSA: [email protected]
· For students with disabilities: [email protected]
AGR/15 - FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - University credits: 8
Lessons: 64 hours
Professors:
Bresciani Andrea, Marti Alessandra
Professor(s)