Obiettivi formativi
Knowledge and understanding:
Deep understanding of the technological, microbiological, biochemical, chemical, and physical principles underlying food transformation processes and responsible for food product degradation, ensuring their stability and prolonging their shelf life.
These knowledge areas will be developed through an educational program that integrates theoretical teaching activities with classroom tutorials, including examples, practical applications, individual and group work, and assessments aimed at encouraging active participation and independent solution development.
These knowledge areas will be developed through an educational program that integrates theoretical teaching activities with practical activities, such as laboratory exercises, computer simulations, simulations of food processes using pilot plants, and company visits.
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:
Ability to manage the technological, microbiological, biochemical, chemical, and physical processes that drive food transformation and the main issues related to the stability and shelf life of food products.
Making judgements:
Independent judgement is developed through a training programme designed to stimulate critical analysis in students. This includes the use of case studies, simulations using spreadsheets and videos, the reading and critical discussion of scientific articles, as well as specialist seminars held by experts in the food sector.
The assessment of the independent judgement acquired by students is entrusted to the individual teachers responsible for the training activities, who will assess it through oral and/or written reports on specific topics and/or through exams.
Communication skills:
Use of the English language, both written and spoken, at a B2 level, with a command of technical and scientific vocabulary related to food science.
Structure and draft scientific and technical documentation describing project activities.
Interact and collaborate in the design and development of products and processes with peers and industry experts.
The degree course provides graduates with the cognitive skills, logical tools and familiarity with new information technologies necessary to ensure continuous updating of knowledge, both in their specific professional field and in the field of scientific research.
Obiettivi formativi e risultati di apprendimento (ulteriori info.)
A) Knowledge and understanding
Upon successful completion, students may be able to:
• Explain thermodynamic drivers of food change.
• Describe core kinetic element for food reactions (rate laws, reaction order, rate constants, Arrhenius/Eyring temperature dependence).
• Interpret key degradation processes relevant to food processing and stability, including enzymatic browning, Maillard chemistry, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant reactivity, and microbial inactivation.
• Recognise how processing and physical factors (time–temperature history, mass transfer, microstructure, packaging permeability, catalytic metals, light) may modulate reaction rates and failure modes.
B) Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
Upon successful completion, students may be able to:
• Formulate and solve kinetic models, including lethality metrics (D-, z-values) and quality retention under time–temperature profiles.
• Estimate kinetic parameters from data using spreadsheets or simulations.
• Design and interpret shelf-life studies, including accelerated testing.
C) Making judgements
Upon successful completion, students may be able to:
• Critically evaluate kinetic models and literature, identifying assumptions, confounding factors (oxygen ingress, metal catalysis, phase partitioning).
• Compare stabilisation strategies (radical scavenging, chelation, oxygen management) using case studies and simulation outputs.
• Interpret kinetic results, including scenario definition, uncertainty bounds, and risk of shelf-life failure.
D) Communication skills
Upon successful completion, students may be able to:
• Communicate kinetic and food-chemistry concepts in English at approximately B2 level, using appropriate technical vocabulary.
E) Learning skills
Upon successful completion, students may be able to:
• Use digital tools (spreadsheets, simulation environments, literature resources).
• Sourcing data, selecting endpoints, implementing simulations, and documenting limitations