The Degree Course in Agrifood Science and Technology aims at training undergraduates with good basic and applicative knowledge and professional capacities ensuring them a comprehensive view of the issues related to food and drinks from the production to consumption. The Course aims, in a vision of protecting quality and food authenticity, at training qualified personnel capable of carrying out technical tasks in the management and control of the processing, storage, distribution and marketing of food and drinks, able to reconcile economics and ethics, as well as to intervene with measures to ensure safety, hygiene, quality and safety of food, to reduce waste and environmental impact. All this may be observed through the analysis of the training provided, in basic, characterizing and related activities, as well as in other activities, in particular those defined in accordance with article 10 paragraph 5, letter d, of Ministerial Decree 270/2004. As part of the training and qualifying objectives of Class L-26, graduates in Agrifood Science and Technology must have a thorough knowledge of the chemical and physical composition, the organoleptic, microbiological and nutritional characteristics of food (SSD CHI/01/06/10, AGR/16, AGR/13) as well as mastery of analytical methods for the monitoring and evaluation of food and raw materials of animal and plant origin (AGR/13, MED/42, VET/04). They must be able to use for professional purposes the results of research and experimentation, as well as direct their knowledge to the solution of many applied problems along the entire food production chain. The course specially focuses on the Mediterranean context, from the point of view of production, alimentation, nutrition (BIO/02, AGR/01, AGR/02, AGR/03, AGR/04, AGR/19). Graduates must have knowledge on human nutrition principles (BIO/09) for the purpose of disease prevention and health protection, on the motivations underlying food choices, poor eating habits and, with respect to foods, notions on the national and European Community food and health legislation (AGR/01, IUS/03)
They must also be able to enhance the link between food and territory, and to participate in various activities related to gastronomy. They must know the history of gastronomy, possess the basic cognitive tools required to keep updating their knowledge, possess adequate skills and tools for communication and information management (M-FIL/05, M-DEA/01), be able to work in teams, to operate with the autonomy granted by their qualification and fit in the workplace. The degree course includes, in its development in three academic years, training activities distributed in 19 teachings, as well as other elective credits, a language test, ensuring the knowledge of a language European Union in addition to Italian, the practical applicative internship, a final test, with the presentation of a dissertation, and the activities in accordance to article 5, paragraph 10, letter d, of the Ministerial Decree 270/2004 which will be dedicated to highly applicative workshops.
In particular, the course is divided into:
- Basic activities, intended to provide the cognitive bases in physics, mathematics, general, organic and biological chemistry, applied botany and nutrition, specifically oriented to their application aspects consistent with the food science and technology covered by the course.
- Class-specific activities: in relation to all the class-typical areas, are aimed at the acquisition of knowledge and skills related to the pursuit of high quality standards of the major food products of vegetable and animal origin and in the industrial manufacturing and processing processes; in particular, these activities are related to the principles of nutrition, food education, culture and hygiene as well as to basic skills in economics, in particular of quality production and analysis of food consumption, as well as to the technological and sensory analysis of food.
- Related or integrative activities: aimed at providing adequate groundings in food history and anthropology, as well as in semiotics applied to food, in fish production, nutraceuticals, water use in the food industry;
- Elective activities: activities within the limits of the provisions of Art. 10 of Decree 270/04, namely the ones oriented towards the enrichment of systemic and integrated vision of the food industry issues.
- Activities provided by art.5, paragraph 10, letter “d” of Decree 270/2004, will be dedicated to workshops: biotic food alterations, gastronomy and sensory analysis, commodity entomology and communication of food.
- Internship: to be carried out at companies or institutions, this activity aims at providing professional qualifications in the field of post-harvest product management, food industry and certification, catering and agri-food trade.