NOVEL FOODS

Module ORTICULTURA

Learning objectives

The module aims to provide understanding tools useful for the evaluation and enhancement of spontaneous and / or cultivated species of interest as vegetable and/or aromatic, widespread in Italy, with specific reference to Sicily, for their suitability to diversify and to support the production of new foods with high nutritional and/or nutraceutical value.

In detail, with reference to the so-called “Dublin Descriptors”, the course aims to provide the following knowledge and skills.

Knowledge and understanding: At the end of the course the student will acquire the skills necessary to distinguish the main types of new foods (sprouts, microgreens and baby-leaves), the vegetable species/cultivars, and the corresponding qualitative characteristics of the products.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding abilities: The skills acquired will allow the exploitation of new vegetable novel foods proposed for nutraceutical purposes and for their functional integration for food diets and for human nutrition, in order to safeguard their quality, food safety and the use of high quality horticultural/aromatic products.

Making judgements: The student will be able to learn about the health characteristics of new vegetable novel foods, both in terms of types of products and of their nutraceutical quality. This ability is honed both during the lessons.

Communication skills: The student will improve the technical language to be able to communicate what are the types of the vegetable novel foods and of the most suitable species/cultivars and which are the nutraceutical characteristics expressed (antioxidant capacity and content and profile of antioxidant compounds). The creation and presentation of a case study will refine the technical language and communication skills.

Learning skills: The student will improve the technical language to be able to communicate what are the types of vegetable novel foods and the most suitable species/cultivars for their nutraceutical characteristics expressed (antioxidant capacity and content and profile of antioxidant compounds). The creation and presentation of a case study will allow you to refine your technical language and communication skills.

The course is articulated by 21 hours of classroom teaching and it will take place with the aid of a video projector; other activities include the analysis of some case studies.

If the teaching is taught in mixed or remote mode, the necessary variations may be introduced with respect to what was previously declared, in order to respect the planned program and reported in the syllabus.

To guarantee 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 (Centre for Active and Participated Inclusion - Services for Disabilities and/or DSA) professor of the Di3A Department.

It is highly recommended and, in any case, to contact the teacher during the course to functionally connect with the project activities agreed with colleagues.

-Introduction to the course;

-Specific and subspecific classification of vegetable species;

- Characteristics of vegetable plants;

-Main types of vegetable novel foods of high nutraceutical value;

- Botanical classification and subspecific articulations of types and cultivars, collection, handling and product quality of the main species used for the production of new horticultural foods with high nutraceutical value;

-Qualitative profile of the vegetable novel foods;

-Main nutraceutical compounds of traditional vegetable productions;

- Potential of vegetable novel foods for the prevention and treatment of chronic-degenerative diseases.

Pardossi A.,  Prosdocimi Gianquinto G., Santamaria P.,  Incrocci L., 2018. Orticoltura. Principi e pratica. Edagicole.

Bianco V.V., Pimpini, F., 1990. Orticoltura. Patron Editore, Bologna

Articles and presentations provided by the teacher.

The exam includes an oral test for which a presentation on a topic agreed with the teacher is required. This will allow to evaluate the candidate's autonomy, the ability to synthesize, analyze and organize information.

Votes will be attributed according to the following scheme:

Unsuitable

Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Significant shortcoming and inaccuracies

Analysis and synthesis skills: Irrelevant. Frequent generalizations. Inability to synthesize

Use of references: Completely inappropriate

18-20

Knowledge and understanding of the topic: At threshold level. Obvious imperfections

Analysis and synthesis skills: Barely sufficient ability

Use of references: Barely appropriate

21-23

Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Routine knowledge 

Analysis and synthesis skills: Is able to analyze and synthesize correctly. 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. Topics are expressed consistently

Use of references: Uses standard references

27-29

Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Knowledge more than good

Analytical and synthesis skills: Has considerable analytical and synthesis skills

Use of references: Has deepened the topics

30-30L

Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Excellent knowledge

Analytical and synthesis skills: Has considerable ability to analyze and synthesize.

Use of references: Important insights.

- Specific and intraspecific classification of the main crops belonging to the main botanical families of interest in horticulture

- Food technological gamma and quality determinants of horticultural products;

- Antioxidant compounds contained in the main vegetable products

- Qualitative profiles of glucosinolates, polyphenols, carotenoids, etc. contained in the main horticultural products

- Biometric and structural description of the organ used (root, fruit, leaf, etc.)