FUNDAMENTALS OF UNIT OPERATIONS

The course provides knowledge on the principles and application of the main unit operations used in the food industry. In particular, the student should have knowledge of the basic principles of the unit operations, of their control and management, through assessment of the mass and energy balances, capacity and efficency, as well the effects on food quality and shelf-life.

Knowledge and comprehension capacity of the role of the main unit operations used by food industry and their effect on the quality of foods. The student will gain specific knowledge on Unit Operations definition, mass and heat transfer in food processing, rheological properties of foods, in relation to their effect on the quality, stability and shelf life of foods, including kinetics of nutrient degradation and finally, food refrigeration and food freezing. Moreover, the importance in food processing and the theoretical aspect drying methodologies and water actvity will be treated. Teaching activities will consist of frontal lectures, where theoretical aspects are presented and discussed, and exercise either in the lab or in computer rooms, where technical and practical problems will be solved.

1. Spagna G. -Tecnologie Alimentari: Operazioni Unitarie vol 1 teoria, vol 2 esercizi - CULC

2. Peri C. – Manuale di Tecnologie Alimentari vol 1,2,3,4 – CUSL

3. Pompei C. – Operazioni unitarie della tecnologia alimentare – Casa Editrice Ambrosiana

4. Singh P. R., Heldman D. R. – Principi di Tecnolgia Alimentare - Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, with the support of the: http://rpaulsingh.com/default.html.

5. Fellows P. J. “Food Processing Technology: Principles and Practice” Third edition (2009) - Woodhead Publishing Ltd, Cambridge England.

6. Earle R. L. “Unit Operations in Food Processing” – Free Web edition by Dick and Mary Earle, with the support of the NZIFST: http://www.nzifst.org.nz/unitoperations/index.htm.