The objective of the course is to provide students with basic and general information that can be used to understand and study the main issues of food technology principles related to food processing, sanitation and stabilisation.
1) Knowledge and understanding:
- Understand the role of water activity and the main altering events that affect food safety and stability.
- Understand the main unit operations of food technologies for food processing, sanitation and stabilisation.
- Understand the main unit operations of food technology for food processing, sanitation and stabilisation.
- Understand the role of food packaging.
- Understand the function of food labels.
- Understand the main concepts related to food shelf life.
- Know food additives and current regulations.
- Know the risks and dangers, with reference to the HACCP system.
2) Applied knowledge and understanding: ability to apply the knowledge acquired to different case studies relating to real foods.
3) Independent judgement: know how to critically rework information in order to formulate appropriate conclusions.
4) Communication skills: ability to report the results of group or individual work orally in a concise manner.
5) Learning skills: ability to critically use the concepts learned during the lessons.

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Introduction to the principles of food technology and definitions.
-The concept of water activity and the main factors affecting food spoilage.
- Stabilisation/sanitation of food.
- Overview of the role of packaging in food.
- Food labelling.
- Shelf life of food.
- Food additives.
- Definition of risk and hazard.
- Overview of HACCP.

- Lecture slides and suggested readings.
- Material distributed by the lecturer.
- Principles of Food Technology (Singh and Heldman Publishers, Ambrosiana Publishing House).

- Introduction to the principles of food technology: definition and scope of expertise.
- Concept of water activity and its relationship with food stability and food alterations (microbiological, enzymatic, oxidative, non-enzymatic browning, phase separation)
- The main technological interventions for food stabilisation: heat addition or removal (pasteurisation, sterilisation, blanching, freezing, refrigeration), water removal (concentration, drying, freeze-drying).
- Overview of the interaction between storage packaging and food.
- Food labels: what they are, their function and the difference between mandatory and optional information.
- Food shelf life: definitions.
- Food additives and current regulations.
- Definition of risk and hazard.
- Overview of HACCP

Theoretical lectures, short group exercises.

The student assessment includes an oral exam. The student must demonstrate mastery of the topics covered and be able to communicate them clearly.
The exam score is assigned on a scale of 30.
To pass the exam (18/30), students must demonstrate that they have acquired sufficient knowledge of the topics covered in class. To achieve the maximum score (30/30 with honours), students must demonstrate that they have acquired excellent knowledge of all the topics covered during the course and answer the questions correctly and comprehensively.