Hygiene and nutrition fundamentals

Academic Year 2024/2025 - Teacher: ANTONIO CRISTALDI

Expected Learning Outcomes

The course aims to provide students, with the methodology of operational teaching, specific concepts and tools of nutritional surveillance according to the standards of European and/or national projects; to prepare students to critically evaluate the results of surveillance surveys, to survey and evaluate the data sources, on the basis of which recommendations and interventions of Public Health are produced for the primary and secondary prevention of diseases associated with nutrition.

Furthermore, the course aims to start from the basic knowledge of food safety, deepening the strategies and methods for achieving the best results of protection from chemical, physical and biological contamination risks. The main methods used for the protection of consumer health from field to table at European and national level will be presented.

Knowledge and understanding - (Dublin 1) [Knowledge and understanding]

At the end of the course the student will be able to identify the risks associated with contamination of the food chain and to interpret the results of the studies reported in the literature for a risk assessment for the population. Furthermore, the student will be able to critically interpret scientific articles on prevention and nutritional surveillance issues, analyzing the methodology for study design and the main diet assessment tools.

Applied knowledge and understanding – (Dublin 2) [Applying knowledge and understanding]

At the end of the course, the student must demonstrate mastery of the topics covered, apply the main methods used to protect consumer health, be able to evaluate and interpret experimental and literature data, with particular reference to scientific evidence that analyzes the complex diet-health theme.

Making judgments - (Dublin 3) [Making judgments]

At the end of the course, the student must demonstrate that he or she is able to apply appropriate solutions for the prevention of the risk of chemical-physical and biological contamination of food, as well as for the primary prevention of the main chronic-degenerative diseases.

Communication skills – (Dublin 4) [Communication]

At the end of the course the student must demonstrate adequate communication skills, both in written and oral form, mastery of technical-scientific language, knowledge of food safety regulations, ability to analyze and summarize a scientific publication.

Learning skills – (Dublin 5) [Learning skills]

At the end of the course the student must have developed autonomous learning skills aimed at updating their professional knowledge and skills.

Course Structure

The course includes lectures (4 CFU, 28 hours) in which continuous interaction with students is encouraged and other activities (2 CFU, 28 hours) with classroom and laboratory exercises and participation in seminars to develop the ability to apply the knowledge acquired during the course.

Information for students with disabilities and/or DSA: to ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students can request a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on the educational objectives and specific needs. It is also possible to contact the CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Inclusion - Services for Disabilities and/or DSA) contact teacher of Di3A, Prof. Anna De Angeli

Required Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of biology

Attendance of Lessons

Attendance highly recommended.

Detailed Course Content

Introduction to food hygiene and food safety. Hygiene package and key regulations. Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). Chemical safety. Additives, flavourings, enzymes. Chemical contaminants of food. Biological contamination of food. Management of the toxic infection episode. Surface hygiene. Disinfection, sterilization, disinfestation processes. Food safety indicators. Physical contamination of food. Emerging issues: endocrine disruptors, GMOs, micro and nano-plastics, algal biotoxins. Notes on environmental epigenetics.

Textbook Information

Testo 1. Barbuti S., Fara G.M., Giammanco G. – IGIENE, MEDICINA DI COMUNITÀ E SANITÀ PUBBLICA. II Edizione EDISES.

Testo 2. Lash T., VanderWeele T., Haneuse S., Rothman K - MODERN EPIDEMIOLOGY, Fourth Edition. Wolters Kluwer.

Testo 3. Maria Triassi, Igiene Medicina Preventiva e del Territorio, III edizione, Sorbona, Idelson Gnocchi, Napoli 2015.

Further material will be provided by the teacher.

Course Planning

 SubjectsText References
1General concepts of EpidemiologyText 1: Chapters 1, 7. Ad hoc material will be distributed during the lessons and will be made available on the Studium website
2Epidemiology and nutritional surveillanceText 2: Chapter 42. Ad hoc material will be distributed during the lessons and will be made available on the Studium website
3Epidemiological studiesText 1: Chapter 7. Text 2: Chapter 42. Ad hoc material will be distributed during the lessons and will be made available on the Studium website.
4Diet and Health. Diet and Cancer. Diet and Reproductive Health.Text 1: Chapter 16. Ad hoc material will be distributed during the lessons and will be made available on the Studium website.
5Introduction to food hygiene and food safety. Italy and the European food safety strategy. Hygiene package and key regulations. Tracking and tracing. Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF).Book 3; slides
6Food labeling. Chemical safety. Additives, flavorings, enzymes. Food contact materials. Veterinary drug residues and prohibited substances in foods of animal origin. Book 3; slides
7Chemical contaminants in food: benzene, heavy metals, PAHs, dioxins and PCBs. Biological contamination. Management of the food-borne episode. Foodborne infections and food poisoning: notes on salmonellosis, shigellosis, campylobacteriosis, cholera, listeriosis, brucellosis.Book 3; slides
8Indicator bacteria. Surface hygiene. Disinfection, sterilization, disinfestation processes. Chemical and physical agents for the control of microbial growth. Food safety indicators. Book 3; slides
9Physical contamination of food: sources of origin and foods involved. Control measures. Food irradiation: effects on food, applications. Community discipline. Labeling. Controls. Consumer fears.Book 3; slides
10Emerging issues: endocrine disruptors, GMOs, algal biotoxins, micro and nano-plastics. Notes on environmental epigenetics.Book 3; slides

Learning Assessment

Learning Assessment Procedures

Oral interview.

The maximum grade will be awarded to the student who has demonstrated mastery of the topics, ability to relate the knowledge acquired, expository skills and mastery of the disciplinary vocabulary.

The grade is expressed in thirtieths according to the following scheme:

Not suitable Knowledge and understanding of the topic: significant deficiencies and inaccuracies Analysis and synthesis skills: irrelevant, frequent generalizations Use of references: completely inappropriate

18-20 Knowledge and understanding of the topic: very modest, evident imperfections Analysis and synthesis skills: just sufficient Use of references: just appropriate

21-23 Knowledge and understanding of the topic: slightly more than sufficient knowledge Analysis and synthesis skills: fair analysis and synthesis skills, argues logically and coherently Use of references: uses standard references

24-26 Knowledge and understanding of the topic: good knowledge Analysis and synthesis skills: has good analysis and synthesis skills, the topics are presented coherently Use of references: uses standard references

27-29 Knowledge and understanding of the topic: more than good knowledge Analysis and synthesis skills: has notable analysis and synthesis skills Use of references: has studied the topics in depth

30-30 cum laude Knowledge and understanding of the topic: excellent knowledge. Analysis and synthesis skills: has notable analysis and synthesis skills. Use of references: significant insights.

Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises

Food hygiene and food safety. Chemical, physical and biological contamination of food. Management of food poisoning. Emerging contaminants.