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Undergraduate Degree in Gastronomic Sciences and
Cultures
Academic Year 2018/2019
Last update: 6/06/2018
Per aggiornamenti: https://goo.gl/7McjV9
2
YEAR I
First semester
Food Biodiversity and Human Ecology pag. 4
Molecular and Taste Sciences pag. 8
Sociology of Cultures, Communication and Gender Differences pag. 11
Second semester
Food Microbiology pag. 14
Food Anthropology pag. 16
Ecology of Law and History of Sovereignty pag. 19
Gastronomic Lab I pag. 22
Linguistic Skills: Italian/English Language pag. 22
Study Trips, Fieldwork Research and Film Techniques – 1st Year pag. 27
YEAR II
First semester
Agroecosystems and Sustainability pag. 30
Travel Sciences, Society and Environments pag. 33
Food History from Prehistory to the Middle Ages pag. 38
Second semester
Food Product Sciences pag. 40
Gastronomic Design Sciences pag. 45
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Contemporary Food History pag. 48
Gastronomic Lab II pag. 50
Study Trips and Fieldwork Research – 2nd Year pag. 50
YEAR III
First semester
Food and Health pag. 52
Food Systems and Global Law pag. 54
Business Economics for Food Companies pag. 57
Second semester
Philosophy of Food and Gastronomic Communication pag. 59
Ethnobiology and Food Scouting pag. 63
Gastronomic Lab III pag. 66
Study Trips and Fieldwork Research – 3rd Year pag. 66
Final Thesis pag. 68
Meetings and Conferences pag. 68
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YEAR I
Food Biodiversity and Human Ecology
Professors: Gabriele Volpato, Andrea Pieroni | ECTS: 7
Objectives
Graduates in Gastronomic Sciences and Cultures working as experts in the field of the diversity of
food and food cultures and the relationships of these cultures with the environment and the
planet can carry out functions relating to consultancy, education and training on food
sustainability and the importance of biological and cultural diversity, and relating to the promotion
of food diversity in its connection with local, inclusive and sustainable production practices. In
particular, they can carry out the following specific functions:
Developing strategies for promoting and adding value to food diversity and sustainable
ecological relationships.
Carrying out consultancy, education and training activities at institutions and private
entities relating to food diversity and sustainability strategies in food production.
Working in publishing and communications in relation to the importance of diversity in all
its forms for a sustainable future.
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
Articulate gastronomic discourses based on a solid knowledge of zoology, botany,
biodiversity and human ecology.
Understand and analyze the biological and ecological aspects underlying gastronomic
production.
Think in a critical and interdisciplinary way about themes like the impact of humans on
planet Earth and sustainability in food production.
5
Prerequisites
Students taking this course should preferably have at least a basic knowledge of the biological
sciences. Knowledge of English is essential.
Contents
Program
Food biodiversities, and therefore also biological and cultural diversity, are the foundations on
which we can construct a sustainable future. The course aims to introduce students to basic
concepts and principles relating to animal and plant biodiversity and the importance of this
diversity to the human diet and food systems. To this end, the course also deals with the history
and evolution of the relationships between humans and other species and ecosystems (human
ecology), with a focus on gastronomy and food sustainability. The aim is to improve the
understanding of the complexity of these relationships, emphasizing an interdisciplinary and socio-
ecological approach to human-environment relationships.
Topics:
Biodiversity, human ecology and sustainability in food production – Volpato
Plant and animal diversity in the gastronomic heritage of human populations – Volpato,
Pieroni
Main groups of animals used for food – Volpato
Evolution of relationships between humans and (other) animals and sustainability –
Volpato
Botany (basic principles of plant systematics) – Pieroni
Evolution of human-plant relationships (foraging, ethnobotany) – Pieroni
Teaching method
Classroom lessons with slide projection, case studies and discussion. Principles, concepts and
themes relating to the course will be analyzed and discussed through the use of illustrative case
studies. Teaching language: English
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
6
The exam is in written form and involves open questions (four questions, 2 hours, 1 page per
response) on the course themes. The questions will refer to themes, concepts and principles
covered during the course, and students must use critical analysis and examples from case studies
in their answers.
Texts
Special teaching material has been developed for this course which does not correspond to texts
available on the market. The teaching material consists of PowerPoint presentations relating to
the course.
Recommended reading (available in the UNISG library):
Evans, J., Flore, R., Frost, M., and Nordic Food Lab. 2017. On Eating Insects. Phaidon Press Limited.
Flannery, T. 2011. Here on Earth: A Natural History of the Planet. Atlantic Monthly Press.
Francis, R.C. 2015. Domesticated: Evolution in a Man-Made World. Norton & company.
Harmon, D. 2002. In Light of Our Differences: How Diversity in Nature and Culture Makes Us
Human. Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press.
Hickman Jr., C., Keen, S., Larson, A., et al. 2013. Integrated Principles of Zoology. McGraw-Hill
Education.
Kaiser, M.J. 2011. Marine Ecology: Processes, Systems, and Impacts. OUP Oxford.
Krebs, C.J. 2016. Why Ecology Matters. University of Chicago Press.
Levetin, E., MacMahon, K. 2011. Plants & Society. McGraw Hill Education.
Marten, G. 2001. Human Ecology: Basic Concepts for Sustainable Development. Earthscan,
London.
Shipman, P. 2015. The Invaders: How Humans and Their Dogs Drove Neanderthals to Extinction.
Harvard University Press.
Smith, T.M., Smith, R.L. 2013. Elements of Ecology. Pearson.
Wilson, E.O. 1988. Biodiversity. National Academy Press, Washington.
Wrangham, R. 2009. Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human. Profile Books.
7
Lessons: The material relating to the lessons will be made available to the students before the
start of the course on Blackboard, with teaching material for the class.
8
Molecular and Taste Sciences
Professors: Gabriella Morini, Carol Povigna | ECTS: 10
Objectives
The "Molecular and Taste Sciences" course is based on one of the foundational disciplines that
prepares students for the profession of gastronome, developing skills relating to the composition
of foods and the nutritional and sensorial relevance of macro- and micro-nutrients for the purpose
of developing recipes and highly innovative products, quality control, nutritional analysis of
products, etc.
At the end of the course students will be able to understand which are the most important
categories of molecules present in food as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying the
transformations that take place in a food at the different stages of its production and gastronomic
transformation. In addition, students will be able to understand that "flavor" is a combination of
linked sensations that food induces (physical, chemical and chemesthetic sensations), to
understand the mechanism of action of the apparatuses and receptors used to detect flavor-
bearing compounds present in foods and to understand the relevance of gustatory
chemoreceptors present in extraoral locations and the compounds that activate them present in
the diet. This knowledge gives a "high" value to the taste of food, as well as to all those cultural,
social and ritual factors that lead to its definition and combination in the definition of a diet.
Prerequisites
There are no particular requirements for students taking this course, as it also provides the basics
of general chemistry. The course is taught in English.
Contents
Program
Elements, compounds, mixtures.
Bonds and intermolecular interactions. Electronegativity.
Matter aggregation states. Transitions of state.
Water and its properties. Solutions. Osmosis, reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration.
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Chemical reactions. Catalysts, enzymes, ATP. Acids and bases. pH. Redox reactions.
Organic chemistry. Functional groups. Introduction to stereochemistry.
Amino acids: structure, isoelectric point. Peptidic bond.
Proteins and their structure.
Modifications and alterations of proteins and amino acids in foods.
Lipids: fatty acids; mono-, di- and triglycerides; complex lipids.
Food oils and fats. Rancidification. Antioxidants.
Mono-, di- and polysaccharides of food interest: structure and properties.
DNA and RNA. Physical states of food systems. Food browning.
Taste and flavor, function and basic physiology of taste, ionic channels and G-protein-
coupled receptors. Basic tastes and their receptors. - - Introduction to the olfactory system.
Chemesthetic sensations. Astringency. Genetic and environmental factors and food
preferences.
Gustatory receptors in extraoral locations. Taste education.
Teaching method
Lectures with some practical demonstrations.
The course is taught in English.
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
The final exam consists of a written test and an oral test. The written test lasts 1.5 hours and
involves seven to eight open questions on the main categories of compounds in food and the
molecular basis of taste. The oral test assesses the abilities to make connections between the
topics covered.
The exam is in Italian for Italian students and in English for non-Italian students.
Texts
For this course specific teaching material has been developed that does not coincide with texts
available on the market.
However, a food chemistry textbook is provided for further information and for use as a reference
in subsequent courses, such as those on food technologies, in order to clarify what are some of
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the possible reactions between the main molecules present in foods in the transformations that
occur in food at different stages of their gastronomic production and transformation.
Scientific articles on the subject are also provided.
Textbook for all students:
JJ. Provost et al. The Science of Cooking: Understanding the Biology and Chemistry Behind
Food and Cooking, Wiley, Hoboken 2016.
Lessons: The material relating to the lessons will be made available to the students through the
Blackboard online learning platform.
(Students are asked to download or print the material that lecturers will used in the classroom in
advance, so as to facilitate note-taking.)
Further reading:
P. Cappelli, V. Vannucchi, Chimica degli alimenti, Zanichelli Bologna, 2005
H. McGee, Il Cibo e la Cucina, Ricca Editore Roma 2016
H. D. Belitz, W. Grosch, P. Schieberle Food Chemistry, Springer Berlin, 2009
H. McGee, On Food and Cooking, Scribner New York 2004
11
Sociology of Cultures, Communication and Gender Differences
Professors: Maria Giovanna Onorati| ECTS: 6
Objectives
The “Sociology of Cultures, Communication and Gender Differences” course prepares students for
the profession of gastronome, enabling them to promote and add value to knowledge about food
both in cultural terms and at the level of communicative competency. It will particularly benefit
those who go on to work in the fields of communication for the promotion of food quality,
publishing and content development for websites and social platforms aimed at spreading
virtuous models of quality production, brand identity and education and training at public and
private entities in the area of gastronomic sciences, cultures and policies, with particular reference
to social sustainability.
At the end of the course, students will be able to understand the concepts of culture and
communication from a sociological perspective and have a clear idea of the role of culture in
building social ties, in processes of cultural identification and social differentiation and in
conveying the values and norms that underpin life in a society. In particular, they will understand
food and food-related practices as fundamental symbolic objects in any society, defining social
bonds but also lines of demarcation. They will also be able to make food practices function as
important communicative factors that combine elements of both tradition and factors of social
change and innovation.
Prerequisites
Students do not require any special preliminary knowledge; all supplementary materials will be
provided at the beginning of the course and in class. They do need to have good spoken and
written English.
Contents
Program
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Course overview:
Culture, society and communication
The components of culture
Culture as a social creation: Cultural objects and the social world
Food as a social fact and a collective creation
Food and social inequalities: Marxist and functionalist perspectives
The rationalization of social action and McDonaldization: The “iron cage” of the modern
food industry
The sociology of the meal: The estheticization of eating and the refinement of taste in
modern society
Taste and social distinction
Food in the construction of collective identity: gender gaps in the gastronomic professions
Food communication in a changing society: From gastronomic guides to travel social media
Teaching method
The course will be taught entirely in English. The course aims to provide students with the basic
sociological and cultural knowledge necessary to tackle more specific and complex subjects in
their subsequent studies. Therefore the teaching method will mainly be based on lectures, though
some space will be given to active learning, such as group discussions, use of multimedia material
and collective viewings.
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
The exam will involve an oral test in English or Italian. This will take the form of an individual
interview on the content covered in the course and the educational materials indicated. The exam
will aim to verify the student’s acquisition of basic sociological knowledge, their ability to express
the main concepts in an appropriate way and their ability to personally reprocess the acquired
content in their reasoning.
Texts
For this course, teaching material has been developed that coincides only partially with texts
available on the market.
13
W. Griswold, Cultures and Societies in a Changing World, Chapters I, II, III
Kate Cairns, Josée Johnston, Food and Femininity, Bloomsbury, Chapter I, “Caring about
food”
A handout on the sociology of food, prepared by the lecturer, will include the following extracts:
Simmel, Georg, “The Sociology of the Meal”
Mennell, Stephen, “Of Gastronomes and Guides”
Bourdieu, Pierre, “Taste of Freedom and Taste of Luxury”
The educational material (the Griswold text and handout) will be available from the UNISG Library;
the handout will be also available in a digital format on Blackboard.
Exercises: Materials for class activities will be provided by the lecturer via Blackboard.
(Students are asked to download or print the material that lecturers will used in the classroom in
advance, so as to facilitate note-taking.)
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Food Microbiology
Professors: Claudia Picozzi, Ilena Vigentini | ECTS: 5
Objectives
The “Food Microbiology” course will prepare students for different professions within the field of
research in food production, processing and conservation.
After finishing the course, students will be able to recognize the main sources of microbial
contamination along the food production and distribution chain and the mechanisms of infection
and poisoning. They will also be able to apply basic principles for the prevention and control of the
presence of microorganisms and the management of fermentation processes.
Prerequisites
It is recommended that students taking this course already know the basics of chemistry and
biochemistry.
Contents
Program
Course topics:
The microbial cell: structure and function
Microbial growth and metabolism
Microbial diversity: prokaryotes, eukaryotes, viruses
Preservation and shelf-life extension (the hurdle concept)
Food-borne diseases (microbial contamination)
Principles of hygiene and sanitation
Microbial transformation: fermentation processes in dairy products, baked goods, meat
products and alcoholic beverages
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Teaching method
The teaching method involves lectures supported by PowerPoint presentations, videos and web
pages relating to the topics being covered. The course will be taught in English.
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
The exam is written and consists of five open questions based on the syllabus. The exam will be in
English but students can respond in Italian or English.
Texts
Special teaching material has been developed for this course which corresponds in part to texts
available on the market.
Textbook for Italian students:
Microbiologia dei prodotti alimentari – Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, 2012 – eds. Farris,
Gobbetti, Neviani, Vincenzini ISBN 978-88-08-18246-3
Textbook for English-speaking students:
Microbiology of Safe Food – Forsythe, S.J. – Wiley Blackwell, 2010 Second Edition ISBN 978-
1-4051-4005-8
Lessons: The material relating to the lessons will be made available to the students via the
Blackboard platform before each class.
(Students are asked to download or print the material that lecturers will used in the classroom in
advance, so as to facilitate note-taking.)
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Food Anthropology
Professors: Michele Fontefrancesco, Cesare Poppi| ECTS: 8
Objectives
Graduates in Gastronomic Sciences and Cultures working in the field of food anthropology will be
able to analyze food production and consumption practices, promote cultural heritage linked to
gastronomy and act as cultural mediators. In particular, they can carry out the following specific
functions: cultural analysis of contexts and practices linked to food; identification, documentation
and promotion of gastronomic heritage; and inter- and transcultural mediation.
By the end of the course, students will be able to understand food within a wider cultural context
of community life and been introduced to the main debates that have impacted the development
of food anthropology. They will also be able to understand food as a cultural object, profoundly
linked to different aspects of community activities, and be able to take a correct approach to social
research with a qualitative framework.
Students will learn the basic theoretical and methodological concepts linked to food anthropology,
having had a chance to test out some of the main qualitative research methodologies in the field,
and also gain experience in the organization of anthropological investigation, both in groups and
on their own.
Prerequisites
Students attending this course should ideally have a knowledge of English that will allow them to
fully benefit from the texts and other teaching materials and participate actively in class activities.
It is recommended that students have some general knowledge linked to the social sciences.
Contents
Program
Sequence of topics (the presented program is approximate; minor changes could be made later)
Culture, nutrition and nature
17
Elements of food ethno-archeology
Diet, gender and division of labor
Diet and modes of production
Food, social inequalities and forms of power
Diet, enculturation and good manners at table
Celebration, ritual and food
Tastes and food taboos
Forms of sacrifice
The problem of anthropophagy
The culinary recipe between orality and writing
Tradition, modernization and globalization of food practices
Methods and modes of anthropological research
The interview in depth: theory and experimentation
Observing food practices: theory and experimentation
Participant observation
Teaching method
Lectures in English, analysis of ethnographic material, group exercises aimed at developing
ethnographic research projects, presentations by students of the content of readings and the
results of research.
Exam criteria, rules and procedures
The exam consists of a written test in English. In two hours, the student will be asked to respond
to three questions out of a total of nine, with the aim of ascertaining the acquisition of theoretical
and methodological knowledge and the capacity to support theories with ethnographic cases.
Texts
Teaching material for all students:
Counihan & Van Esterik (edited by). 2013. Food and Culture: A Reader. New York – London.
Routledge
Supplementary handouts prepared by the lecturers
18
Exercises: The material will be provided by the lecturers through Blackboard on the course page.
(Students are asked to download or print the material that lecturers will used in the classroom in
advance, so as to facilitate note-taking.)
19
Ecology of Law and History of Sovereignty
Professor: Michele Antonio Fino| ECTS: 6
Objectives
Students will receive a general description of the evolution of the Western legal system, in order
to stimulate a critical approach to the contemporary legal framework. As graduates in
Gastronomic Sciences and Cultures might have to carry out functions relating to consultancy,
education and training in the field of food policies, with a particular focus on food sovereignty and
related topics, the course will cover the following functions:
Consultancy, education and training activities.
Collecting, processing and organizing information and data in order to identify strategic
lines and make decisions.
Skills associated with the functions:
Analytical skills relating to the appropriateness of food systems with respect to socio-
ecological contexts.
Cultural competences relating to sustainability and food sovereignty.
Employment opportunities: National and international public and private organizations;
continuation of studies (graduate degree or Masters).
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of ancient and modern history and the history of science.
Contents
Program
The aim of the course is to analyze the basic modern concepts of private law (property, contracts,
citizenship). Students will be expected to acquire an awareness of how the evolution of the legal
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system has responded to power relationships between individuals and has evolved for centuries
independently of any consideration for the surrounding environment.
The theme of sovereignty will be deepened by evaluating the link between power and the creation
of law in history.
Course topics:
1. The laws of nature and the nature of the law
2. The development of legal institutions in Europe from the Middle Ages onwards
3. The idea of natural law: current influence and historical relevance
4. Science and law
5. The start and evolution of Western scientific thinking
6. The evolution of Western legal thinking
7. The Western paradigm of property/ownership
8. Individual rights and common goods
9. The tasks of a legal system in the 21st century
10. Meanings of “sovereignty” in the 21st century
11. How to recover a democratic exercise of sovereignty over the process of law production
Teaching method
Lectures and analysis (individual and in class) of scientific articles.
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
The exam consists of a written test in English with:
25 multiple-choice questions
1 open question on a general theme, to be answered in an assigned number of lines. The
exam will take place after the end of the course. Students who for reasons beyond their
control cannot participate in the exam in the form described can take it orally during a
successive exam session.
Texts
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The Ecology of Law: Toward a Legal System in Tune with Nature and Community by Fritjof Capra
and Ugo Mattei (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2016).
Further papers and readings will be shared with the class using the Blackboard platform.
22
Gastronomic Lab I
Elective courses | ECTS: 4
***
Linguistic Skills
Linguistic Skills – English
Professor: Mia Farone, Gary Waite | ECTS: 5
Objectives
The “Linguistic Skills - English” course will prepare students for any professional field by improving
and reinforcing their abilities to communicate in English.
After finishing the course, students will have:
improved their abilities to understand and communicate in English their ideas regarding
various topics, in particular in the field of gastronomy.
developed the necessary skills to analyze, review and discuss a wide range of arguments
using materials appropriate for their level.
developed and improved the necessary skills for effective written and verbal
communication in English.
Prerequisites
Students attending this course should already have at least an upper B2 level of English, according
to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
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Contents
Program
Listening, speaking, reading and writing skills will be developed using journal articles, academic
texts, videos and online materials with the aim of mastering stylistic differences in order to
communicate effectively in various contexts including the following: professional tasting and
writing restaurant/food reviews (sensory vocabulary), critical text analysis in sociology, report
writing and presentations (academic language).
Teaching methods
A variety of methods and materials are used in class:
exercises on sentence structure, composition and grammar in context
discussions, debates and brainstorming in class
research projects using the internet, journals and books
reading academic journal articles for critical analysis
educational videos
group work
individual and group presentations
self study and homework
Criteria, rules and exam procedure
Final marks will be calculated as follows:
30% PowerPoint presentation of research topic during final exam period
70% research report
Texts
Special teaching material regarding English for gastronomy has been developed for this course
which does not correspond to texts available on the market. Special materials include handouts,
written texts, videos and exercises chosen according to linguistic objectives or gastronomic topics.
24
Lessons: The material relating to the lessons will be made available to the students in the form of
photocopies or computer files on Blackboard at the beginning of the course or during each lesson.
Exercises: The material will be provided by the lecturer before or during lessons.
Linguistic Skills – Italian
Professors: Monica Mosca, Paola Capellino | ECTS: 5
Objectives
The “Linguistic Skills – Italian” area consists of two different levels that take the student from an
A1 to a B2 competence (European Framework, CEFR), offering education in grammar and
communication (for the four abilities of speaking, writing, listening and reading) and skills aimed at
professions relating to the degree program.
The course is open to students who need to acquire basic literacy in Italian or who have a limited
knowledge of the language. The course teaches students to understand and use ordinary
expressions and formulas that satisfy practical needs. Students will learn how to ask and answer
simple personal questions. Special attention is given to grammar and vocabulary. During the
course students will learn to understand and formulate clear content in standard Italian with a
regular flow and write short texts about subjects related to their personal interests and their other
courses. As their skills evolve, students will be able to deal with different communicative
situations, including within the degree program.
The final objective is to reach the threshold and/or B1 level and progress to a fully intermediate
level (B2), with students able to describe experiences, events and personal ambitions and express
reasoning and opinions on a wide range of subjects. They will also be able to tackle higher CEFR
levels, enabling them to understand fundamental ideas expressed in complex texts, including in
their specific specialization area.
The course syllabus is based on the communication needs arising during university studies; it will
gradually develop linguistic and communicative skills and the ability to study both in general and in
specific subject areas, strengthening a specialized vocabulary, textual skills and communicative
abilities.
25
Prerequisites
There are two different entry levels for the course: One has no prerequisite, although a minimum
A1 level is recommended, while the other is more advanced and requires at least a threshold or B1
level. The lecturer will assign students to the correct level.
Contents
Program
The course topics touch on the different linguistic and communicative levels set by the CEFR. All
levels increase the phonetic, orthographic and morphosyntactic skills in the target language, i.e.
the inflexion of nouns and their modifiers and verbs and their arguments. At the textual level, the
course will move from simple to complex sentences. The communicative contexts will be oriented
towards common situations, as well as towards the degree subjects. As skill levels develop, the
linguistic structures will be strengthened by reinforcing basic and specialized lexical knowledge,
without overlooking the formal description of the language and the interiorization of grammatical
structures following the CEFR. Students will also be taught the use of the appropriate linguistic
register based on the communicative situation. The development of communicative skills will be
encouraged through educational activities that reproduce real-life situations and interaction in the
classroom. Spoken and written extracts relating to the degree subjects will also be used.
Teaching method
Teaching on the course integrates lectures and work in groups. As well as looking at grammar, a
communicative approach will be taken, with different formats: lectures on grammar and
communicative abilities, use of audiovisual material, guided conversations and oral presentations
in class. A task-based teaching model with cooperation between peers will be used, with space for
meta-linguistic reflection.
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
The examination consists of a written test and an oral conversation, during which the four abilities
and grammatical and communicative competences will be assessed.
26
Texts
Textbook:
Iacovoni G., Persiani N., Fiorentino B., Gramm.it, Grammatica italiana per stranieri con esercizi e
testi autentici, Bonacci editore, 2009.
G. Pieraccioni Italiano Plus, Imparare l’italiano per studiare in italiano A2-B1/B2, Bonacci editore
Further material relating to lectures, exercises and teamwork will be distributed in class.
27
Study Trips, Fieldwork Research and Film Techniques – 1st Year
Professors: Pietro Pagella, Dario Leone | ECTS: 6
Objectives
The “Study Trips Fieldwork and Research – 1st Year and Film Techniques ” course provides
students with practical, in-depth knowledge of production processes, different regional
gastronomic cultures of Italy, historical and social contexts linked to food production and a wide
range of foods and how they are processed and consumed, as a complement to classroom studies.
Through the Film Techniques course, students will learn how to narrate with images, learning the
rules and tools for telling an effective story through images, and will be given responsibility for
both shooting and editing.
By the end of the course, students will have an overall vision, as complete as possible, of the
Italian food system and will have acquired the theory necessary for textualizing reality with video
following a storytelling method, producing perspectives that recount events, changes and
transformation, with the aim of acquiring innovative planning skills and capacities that can be
applied within different gastronomic systems.
Prerequisites
Students taking this course should ideally already be familiar with some basic aspects of food
production. A good knowledge of Italian (for international students) and English are essential
requirements to successfully participating in the teaching activities.
Contents
Program
The course is divided as follows: classes on film techniques, three thematic study trips, two
regional study trips in Italy.
28
Clips from films will be used to analyze narrative style, with attention paid to documentaries and
real-life cinema. The acquired knowledge will be confirmed with the lecturer and the shared
literacy will allow students to learn about the specific and interdisciplinary language.
Teaching method
The Film Techniques classes involve theoretical and practical lessons on shooting, editing and
creative screenwriting, with individual and group practical exercises. These classes aim to provide
the skills to be able to use video to narrate food traditions, the complexity of the contemporary
world, agricultural landscapes and transformations and to produce videos for the Granaries of
Memory research project.
The thematic study trips are aimed at an understanding of a specific product.
The regional study trips are aimed at a cultural and gastronomic understanding of a region in Italy
and include a range of different activities, including:
visits to businesses and meetings with local experts
research of products for inclusion in the Ark of Taste
filming of interviews for the Granaries of Memory project
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
Film Techniques classes are graded based on a practical test and an oral test. For each thematic
study trip students will receive a grade based on a multiple-choice test. For each regional study
trip students will put together a presentation with their travel group, which will be presented to a
committee of university lecturers.
Texts
Different teaching material will be provided based on the type, theme and destination of study
trip.
For the classes in Film Techniques, students will be provided with digital study materials that
synthesize the theoretical topics covered in class. The following text will also be provided:
29
Film Directing Shot by Shot: Visualizing from Concept to Screen by Steven Katz. Focal Press,
ISBN-10: 0941188108, ISBN-13: 978-0941188104
For each thematic study trip, study materials provided by the visited businesses will be uploaded
to the Blackboard platform. These materials will be needed to prepare for the test (the process is
explained in the “Thematic Study Trip Evaluation” regulations available on the university portal in
the Internal Regulations section).
For each regional study trip, study materials relating to the destination and planned activities will
be suggested, and will include printed texts, online texts and websites.
30
II YEAR
Agroecosystems and Sustainability
Professors: Paola Migliorini, Silvestro Greco | ECTS: 10
Objectives
The "Agroecosystems and Sustainability" course prepares students to connect the quantity and
quality of food commodities to soil and climate factors (environment and year), cultivation needs
(genetic aspects) and management systems (anthropic aspects) through the adoption of
agricultural practices that are sustainable from a cultural, environmental, economic and social
point of view.
The course provides an overview of the principles of plant and animal food production and looks
at the disciplines of agricultural ecology, agronomy, crop cultivation and animal husbandry.
At the end of the course students will be able to:
promote and add value to food in terms of its links to different production and
consumption contexts, having acquired skills related to the identification of virtuous
models of quality production and analysis of food systems.
carry out consultancy, education and training activities in institutions and private entities in
the areas of gastronomic sciences, cultures and policies, having acquired the skills to
analyze the appropriateness of food systems with respect to socio-ecological contexts and
skills in agrifood sustainability.
become an expert in the buying and selling of food products, assessing their quality and
appropriateness with respect to specific ecological, cultural and social characteristics.
Prerequisites
31
Students taking this course should ideally have taken the “Food Biodiversity and Human Ecology”
course.
They must meet the linguistic requirements in Italian for international students and in English for
Italians.
Contents
Program
Role of agriculture and plant and animal production in society; agricultural systems in the world
and their evolution; concepts of agricultural sustainability, agroecology and quality of plant and
animal products; agricultural production methods; climate and agriculture; natural resources: soil,
water, air, biogeochemical cycles; metabolism and plant growth; biological resources; classical
genetic improvement and GMOs; animal domestication; overview of genetics and animal
selection; sustainable management and practices: soil fertility and fertilization (organic and
chemical); irrigation systems; plant seeds; introduction to mechanization, management of abiotic
adversities, biotic and plant defense; welfare and health of farm animals.
The main groups of cultivated plants are introduced with attention to their botanical
characteristics, soil and climate requirements, cultivation techniques, yields and qualitative
aspects. The main groups of farmed animals are introduced (cattle breeds, pig breeds, poultry
breeds, sheep and goat breeds, rabbit breeds, fish, crustaceans and mollusks) with attention to
production characteristics, ethological requirements, breeding techniques and quality aspects.
Teaching method
Lectures in Italian using video and PowerPoint in English; exercises in the classroom (there will be
three tests during the course, held with the use of Blackboard); soil laboratory (an exercise in the
field and 12 demonstrations in class with field lab equipment); group work (role play on thematic
hot-button topics like GMOs); discussion in the classroom (guided workshops wit group
questions).
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
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Final grade: weighted average between Agricultural Crop Systems (6 credits) with written
examination (both in Italian and English) and Animal Husbandry (4 credits) with oral examination
(in Italian).
Texts
Textbook for students:
Bocchi S., Spigaroli, R., Ronzoni S., 2012. Produzioni vegetali. A) Agronomia generale e
meccanizzazione (all except Chapter 11)
Lessons: The material related to the lessons will be made available to the students on Blackboard.
Exercises: The material will be provided by the lecturer via email. (Students are asked to read the
relevant chapter(s) of the textbook BEFORE class.)
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Travel Sciences, Society and Environments
Module 1 - Travel Cultures and Social Dynamics
Professor: Paolo Corvo | ECTS: 6
Objectives
The “Travel Cultures and Social Dynamics” course will prepare students to work as gastronomes
(in the fields of communication, education and local land management), as food and wine travel
experts and in sustainable tourism.
After finishing the course, students will be able to:
understand the main issues related to different travel cultures.
identify the fundamental social dynamics of contemporary reality.
use qualitative and quantitative social research methods, applying them to food and wine
tourism, local areas and food.
understand the social dimensions of food consumption and sustainable food.
promote and add value to food and gastronomic heritage.
analyze food systems and develop communication strategies.
provide education and training relating to food sovereignty and connected themes.
provide consultancy to institutions or private entities around gastronomic cultural issues.
process and organize information and data to identify strategic directions for public and
private entities with an international scope.
evaluate the quality of food products from a social and cultural perspective.
Prerequisites
Students taking this course will already be familiar with the discipline of sociology, having taken
the “Sociology of Cultures, Communication and Gender Differences” course in the first year of the
program.
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Contents
Program
Course topics: The meaning of travel, travel cultures, travel in contemporary society, sustainable
and slow tourism, food and wine tourism, social research methods, main sociological themes, the
thinking of contemporary sociologists, globalization and multiculturalism, sociology of food, food
consumption.
Teaching method
Interactive lectures, group exercises on specific themes and case studies and the use of Blackboard
forums, with the possibility of uploading videos, photographs and texts relating to the topics
covered in class.
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
The exam can be taken in Italian or English, based on the student’s preferred language. The final
exam involves a compulsory written test and an optional oral test for those students who want to
improve the grade received for the written test.
The written test consists of four closed questions and four open questions. Each closed question
can receive a maximum score of 2.5/30. Each open question has a maximum score of 5/30.
The optional oral test consists of the presentation of a case study or in the in-depth examination
of a topic covered in class. If the oral test is taken, a final grade will be calculated by taking the
average of the written and oral test scores.
Texts
Special teaching material has been developed for this course which corresponds to texts available
on the market.
Teaching material for all students:
P. Corvo, G. Fassino (eds.), Viaggi gastronomici e sostenibilità, FrancoAngeli, 2018
P. Corvo, Food Culture, Consumption and Society, Palgrave MacMillan, 2015.
35
Lessons: The material relating to the lessons will be made available to the student on Blackboard
during the course.
Exercises: The material will be provided on Blackboard.
Further reading: Provided on Blackboard during class.
Module 2 - Historical Ecology and Local Food Production
Professor: Roberta Cevasco | ECTS: 6
Objectives
The "Historical Ecology and Local Food Production" course prepares students to work as experts in
the promotion of gastronomic heritage through the identification and diachronic analysis of
virtuous production models.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
understand the interest of historical ecology, poised between environmental and human
sciences, to Gastronomic Sciences.
understand the complexity and temporal depth behind products and landscapes of local
food production.
understand the environmental processes and practices that build landscapes of local food
production ("biocultural landscapes") and products through time.
evaluate the historical paths of environmental and gastronomic sustainability.
identify local production systems that activate virtuous relationships with places
("environmental activation") and add value to their historical and environmental resources
(e.g. ancient trees, ancient grasslands, etc.).
Prerequisites
Students taking this course should ideally be familiar with the basics of biology and ecology, and
have a level of Italian that allows them to follow an academic course.
36
Contents
Program
Course topics:
1. Introduction to the course: objectives, structure, methodology.
2. The historical ecology approach to the study of environmental systems of local production.
3. Research and analysis of documentary sources, iconographic sources (maps, photographs,
topographic views, etc.), toponymastic sources and field sources (palynology, anthracology, etc.)
to reconstruct the dynamics of biocultural landscapes and the historical routes of environmental
and gastronomic sustainability.
4. Fieldwork to explore food production landscapes.
5. Case studies: methodological examples focused on the relationships between food products,
biocultural landscapes and production practices. Discussion of the concepts of "activation
practices" of environmental resources and "positive environmental externalities."
6. Group research, synergies with the UNISG study trips, Slow Food Italy’s local projects, the
"Travel Cultures and Social Dynamics" course.
Teaching method
Lectures in Italian with slides in English, discussions, possibility of seminars (50%). Practical group
exercises on topographic cartography/iconography (e.g. IGM tavolette) and case studies:
elaboration, discussion, presentation (Italian and English) (50%).
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
The final exam consists of a written test, in Italian or English, with three to four open questions on
knowledge and application of skills (1 hour 30 minutes). The questions correspond to syllabus
topics covered in class and in exercises. One of the questions will be related to the compulsory
project chosen by the students discussed during the course. Students who want to improve their
final grade can present the appropriately developed case study in the form of a report.
37
Texts
For this course, teaching material has been developed that does not coincide with available texts.
The material consists of PowerPoint presentations, whose structure partially follows the following
textbooks:
GROVE A.T. and RACKHAM O., 2001, The Nature of Mediterranean Europe: An Ecological
History, Yale University Press, New Haven (UNISG Library)
Philips R. and Johns J., Fieldwork for Human Geography, Sage Publishing, 2012 (UNISG
Library)
Koohafkan P., Altieri M.A., Forgotten Agricultural Heritage: Reconnecting food systems and
sustainable development, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2017 (UNISG Library)
Lessons: The material relating to lessons will be made available to the students on Blackboard.
Exercises in class will be based on the teaching material provided to students.
Cartographic/iconographic material will be provided in digital form (shared on Blackboard) and/or
printed (handed out in class).
Further reading:
RUSSELL E.W.B., People and the Land through Time: Linking Ecology and History, Yale University
Press, New Haven and London, 1997
Kirby K., Watkins C. (eds.) Europe’s Changing Woods and Forests: From Wildwood to Managed
Landscapes, CAB International, 2015
Rackham O. and Moody J., The Making of the Cretan Landscape, Manchester University Press,
1996
Watkins C., Trees, Woods and Forests: A Social and Cultural History, Reaktion Books, 2014
Plieninger T. et al., Wood-pastures of Europe: Geographic coverage, social–ecological values,
conservation management, and policy implications, Biological Conservation 190, 2015, pp. 70–79
(PDF)
Håkansson N.Thomas and Widgren Mats, Landesque Capital: The Historical Ecology of Enduring
Landscape Modifications, New Frontiers in Historical Ecology series, Routledge; 1st edition (June
25, 2016)
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Food History from Prehistory to the Middle Ages
Professor: Antonella Campanini | ECTS: 6
Objectives
The “Food History from Prehistory to the Middle Ages” course prepares students to work in the
cultural promotion of food and gastronomy heritage and in professions linked to publishing and
food journalism. Thanks to an overview of their long-term historical evolution, knowledge about
essential sources like cookbooks and an ability to interpret them will allow students to take a
conscious approach to the contemporary issues of the sector. Out of this will develop the
possibility of developing communication strategies for the promotion of a product based on
historical factors, moving towards promotion based on solid foundations.
By the end of the course, students will first and foremost be able to analyze a cookbook, putting it
into a historical context and identifying its distinctive features; however, the aim is also to provide
a critical analysis tool that can be applied more broadly. As well as cookbooks, therefore, students
will also learn how to use and correctly contextualize other types of historical sources, such as
medical treatises and product inventories.
Prerequisites
Students taking this course should have at least a passive understanding of Italian.
Contents
Program
Food history from prehistory to the Middle Ages
Gastronomic writing
Teaching method
39
Traditional and interactive lectures (in Italian), analysis of written documents.
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
Oral exam. Each student is asked to develop at least two topics, one more historical and one more
modern. The knowledge acquired from the reference texts and course attendance will be assessed
(max. 15 points), as well as the ability to contextualize information at a historical level (max. 10
points) and a critical analysis of the information (max. 5 points).
Texts
The list of texts will be available later. Each topic will be supported by a PowerPoint presentation,
which will be made available to the students on the portal after the topic has been covered. Each
PowerPoint contains reading recommendations relating to the individual topics covered, which
should be considered as texts for further study and not obligatory for the examination.
40
Food Product Sciences
Module 1 - Sensory Analysis and Consumer Science
Professor: Luisa Torri | ECTS: 6
Objectives
The “Sensory Analysis and Consumer Science” course will prepare students to be able to manage
the evaluation of quality and sensorial appropriateness of food ingredients and semi-processed
and finished products.
After finishing the course, students will be able to plan and carry out sensory tests; collect,
organize and process sensory data and interpret results and draft analysis reports, producing
information useful for the selection of ingredients and processed products and the evaluation of
food product quality and the appropriateness of production methods and contexts.
Prerequisites
Students taking this course will already be familiar with the theoretical principles of molecular and
taste science. They should ideally be able to use spreadsheet software (e.g. Excel). They should
know enough English to be able to consult and study the educational materials provided in
English.
Contents
Program
Sequence of topics (the presented program can be approximate; minor changes can be made
later):
Introduction to sensory sciences and perception
Recruitment, selection and training of sensory judges
41
Sensory lab requirements
Discrimination, descriptive, similarity and affective tests
Management of sensory tests
Statistical analysis of data
Teaching method
The course, taught in Italian, involves theoretical lectures, practical exercises in the lab and a
group project. Teams of between four and six students will define the objective of the sensory
evaluation, choose a food on which to work, carry out appropriate sensory tests, collect and
analyze the data, interpret the results and draw up an analysis report.
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
The exam consists of an experimental project and an individual written test. For the experimental
project, groups of four to six students will select a food product type, define the aim of the
evaluation, plan and carry out the appropriate sensory tests, analyze the data, interpret the results
and write a technical report (in Italian/English).
An individual written test (Italian/English) of 2 hours, without the use of educational materials, will
verify the acquisition of knowledge and abilities. The written test consists of five questions (two on
knowledge and three on the application of skills) corresponding to the integration of different
topics covered in class or examples of the interpretation of results or problem solving similar to
those developed during the exercises.
The final grade (out of 30) will be calculated from the mark given to the group project (25%) and
the mark given to the written test (75%).
Texts
Special teaching material has been developed for this course which corresponds to a handout of
the slides used by the lecturer in class and a textbook available on the market.
Textbook for all students:
M. Meilgaard, G. Civille, and B.T. Carr. Sensory Evaluation Techniques. 5 ed. Boca Raton,
Florida: CRC Press, 2015.
42
Lessons: The material relating to the lessons will be made available to the students in advance on
Blackboard.
Exercises: The lecturer will provide the material used during the laboratory exercises. The material
necessary for data analysis will be provided by the lecturer on Blackboard via a link from which it
will be possible to download the free software for data analysis, spreadsheets with the dataset for
data analysis and written instructions for analyzing the data.
(Students are asked to download or print the material that lecturers will used in the classroom in
advance, so as to facilitate note-taking.)
Further reading:
SISS-Società Italiana Scienze Sensoriali. Atlante sensoriale dei prodotti alimentari. Tecniche
Nuove, Milan, 2012.
H.T. Lawless, and H. Heymann. Sensory Evaluation of Foods: Principles and Practices. 1 ed.
New York: Chapman & Hall, 2010.
E. Pagliarini. Valutazione Sensoriale. Aspetti teorici, pratici e metodologici. Milan: Hoepli,
2002.
Scientific papers focusing on the topics presented in class.
Module 2 - Food Technology
Professor: Maria Piochi | ECTS: 6
Objectives
The “Food Technology” course teaches students about different food production technologies,
providing the knowledge needed to operate and manage production processes that guarantee
quality products within businesses that produce, process or conserve food products and consortia
and cooperatives in the food and agriculture sector.
At the end of the course, students will be able to analyze and evaluate the quality and
appropriateness of production methods and contexts and to intervene and resolve potential
43
problems in the food production process and/or with raw materials, semi-processed products and
finished products.
Prerequisites
Students taking this course will already be familiar with the theoretical principles of molecular
sciences and food microbiology. They must know enough English to be able to consult and study
the teaching materials provided in English.
Contents
Program
Course topics:
Heat treatment of milk for commercial use; transformation of milk into dairy products such
as butter, cream, yogurt and cheese
Extraction of oil and chemical-physical qualities for oil classification
Product classification of flours and pasta production
The production of bread and baked goods such as cakes and cookies
Cured meats, cooked and uncooked: production technologies and classification
White and red wine production
Teaching method
The course will be taught in Italian, with theoretical lectures alternating with group work.
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
The exam comprises a written test (taken in English or Italian) with four open questions on the
topics covered in class and a teamwork project (4-6 students per group). The final grade (out of
30) will be the sum of the mark given to the group project (25%) and the mark given to the written
test (75%).
44
Texts
Special teaching material has been developed for this course which corresponds to a handout
composed of the slides shown in class and a textbook available on the market.
Teaching material for all students (TO BE CONFIRMED):
Stephanie Clark (Editor), Stephanie Jung (Co-Editor), Buddhi Lamsal (Co-Editor), Food
Processing: Principles and Applications, 2nd Edition. 2014. ISBN: 978-0-470-67114-6.
Lessons: The material relating to the lessons will be made available to the students on Blackboard.
(Students are asked to download or print the material that lecturers will used in the classroom in
advance, so as to facilitate note-taking.)
Further reading:
Patrizia Cappelli, Vanna Vannucchi, Principi di chimica degli alimenti. Conservazione
trasformazioni normativa, Zanichelli 12/2015, ISBN: 9788808621238.
Scientific papers relating to the topics covered in class.
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Gastronomic Design Sciences
Professors: Franco Fassio, Antonio Montanari | ECTS: 8
Objectives
The “Gastronomic Design Sciences” course prepares students to take on professional roles in
which they analyze markets on a range of different scales, including identifying targets; plan new
strategies for sales within B2B, B2C, C2B and C2C contexts and the management and promotion of
products along their entire life cycle; develop environmentally effective and efficient catering
services; and design the use and communication of food products with specific ecological, cultural
and social characteristics.
The aim of the course is to contribute, through a systematic explanation of the principles of eco-
design and food-service technologies, to forming a capacity for critical analysis of the production
and distribution context from a problem-solving perspective, with a consequent development of a
proposal for innovation of the system.
By the end of the course, students will be able to express opinions and develop scientific
evaluations in relation to the food system and specific situations as well as develop initial
innovation hypotheses applied to scenarios on a micro or macro scale, acquiring the capacity to
take on responsibility in managerial and operational roles and in research and development.
Prerequisites
Students taking this course must be very familiar with food production as a whole and show clear
critical and analytical skills as well as having a basic knowledge of meal production technologies
and food hygiene and safety. National and international scientific articles in Italian and English will
be used to illustrate innovative solutions in the sector, so students should have a good mastery of
these languages.
Contents
Program
46
Topics covered:
SECTION 1
Analysis of the food system
Principles of eco-design of gastronomy
Food packaging: quality of content and container
Design thinking
SECTION 2
Food places
Food service categories and actors
Production techniques and the primary elements of the food-service system
Specific production units, equipment and constituent components in food service
SECTION 3
Critical analysis of case histories
How to present a project proposal
Thematic workshop
Teaching method
Lectures in Italian, supported by slides with scientific data, project presentations and further
documents in various languages, plus the participation of UNISG partner companies and group
exercises based on sources distributed by the lecturers.
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
The final examination will ascertain the acquisition of knowledge and skills through an oral test
lasting around 30 minutes, in which the student will respond to around five questions relating to
specific topics covered in the course.
The student must also submit a written report (an extended essay) relating to the objectives
discussed in the thematic workshop. This document will be evaluated for the complexity of the
themes dealt with and the completeness of the information provided. The final grade will be an
average of the marks for the oral test and the written report.
47
In the case of absence from class of over 30%, an additional written paper will be required,
arranged with the lecturers.
Texts
Special teaching material has been developed for this course which does not entirely correspond
to texts available on the market. The material relating to lessons will be made available to
students on the Blackboard platform.
Textbook for all students:
Franco Fassio and Nadia Tecco – Circular Economy for Food – Ed. Ambiente –2018
Textbooks for Italian speakers:
Antonio Montanari – Mangiare Fuori – Edifis – 2008
Salvatore Ciappellano – Manuale della Ristorazione – Casa Editrice Ambrosiana – 2009
Textbook for English speakers:
Manfred Rohatsch, Fritz Lemme, Peter Neuman, Frank Wagner – Professional Kitchens –
F.C.S.I. (Foodservice Consultants Society International) – 2007
48
Contemporary Food History
Professor: Simone Cinotto | ECTS: 6
Objectives
The “Food History” course prepares students to bring specialized knowledge to professions in
food, teaching, communication, production, marketing and business in general. Gastronomic
Sciences and Cultures graduates working as experts in modern and contemporary food history
carry out functions relating to promoting and adding value to food in regards to its link with
different production and consumption contexts, developing communication strategies for the
promotion of food quality and working in publishing and communication on the promotion of
gastronomic heritage.
The course is designed to be an essential part of the education of Gastronomic Sciences and
Cultures graduates who will go on to work or teach in the field of food systems governance,
carrying out functions relating to consultancy, education and training in food policies, with
particular attention towards food sovereignty and connected themes.
By the end of the course, students will be able to understand the history of food and agriculture as
a dynamic process, based on transformation, mobility and exchange, and to appreciate the history
of individual food products as part of these transformational processes. The expected learning
results include the ability to contextualize forms of food production and consumption within their
historical contexts and to understand contemporary food policies and cultures as the development
of events and processes in the past.
Prerequisites
Students taking this course should be able to read texts in English and ideally have a basic
knowledge of world history from 1492 on.
Contents
Program
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1. The Columbian Exchange, the plantation system, and the early globalization of food
2. The modernization of agriculture and industrialization of food production in the “long 19th
century”
3. Guns and butter: Food, agriculture and crisis in the age of the two world wars, 1900-1945
4. Food, migrations and diaspora
5. The Green Revolution and the globalization of food in the late 20th century
6. Slow Food Land: Social history of food in Italy since unification
Teaching method
The course will cover the most important themes in modern and contemporary food history
through lectures, readings to be completed before class and commentary in class on texts and
screened documentary films.
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
The exam consists of a written test with open questions on the main topics covered during the
course, taken in the presence of the lecturer or other invigilator. In the 3 hours available, students
must respond to three questions, chosen out of six, covering around 4 pages. The only materials
allowed in the exam room are the readings assigned during the course.
Texts
- Simone Cinotto, The Italian American Table: Food, Family, and Community in New York City
(Urbana, Ill.: University of Illinois Press, 2013).
- Jeffrey Pilcher, Food in World History. 2nd ed. (New York: Routledge, 2017).
Readings in PDF (in English) prepared by the lecturer will be uploaded to Blackboard.
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Gastronomic Lab II
Elective courses | ECTS: 4
***
Study Trips and Fieldwork Research – 2nd Year
Professor: Pietro Pagella | ECTS: 4
Objectives
The “Study Trips Fieldwork and Research” course provides students with the skills necessary to
understand the gastronomic cultures of Italian regions. The trips offer them a chance to complete
and integrate their classroom learning with direct observation of the practices linked to
production processes and historical and social contexts linked to food production, from basic
foodstuffs to their processing and styles of consumption.
By the end of the course, students will have an overall vision, as complete as possible, of the
Italian food system.
Prerequisites
Students taking this course should ideally already be familiar with some basic aspects of food
production. A good knowledge of Italian (for international students) and English are essential
requirements to successfully participating in the teaching activities.
Contents
Program
51
The course is divided between three thematic study trips and two regional study trips in Italy. Clips
from films will be used to analyze narrative style, with attention paid to documentaries and real-
life cinema. The acquired knowledge will be confirmed with the lecturer and the shared literacy
will allow students to learn about the specific and interdisciplinary language.
Teaching method
There will be theoretical and practical lessons with individual and group practical exercises.
The thematic study trips are aimed at an understanding of a specific product.
The regional study trips are aimed at a cultural and gastronomic understanding of a region in Italy
and include a range of different activities, including:
visits to businesses and meetings with local experts
research of products for inclusion in the Ark of Taste
filming of interviews for the Granaries of Memory project
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
For each thematic study trip students will receive a grade based on a multiple-choice test. For
each regional study trip students will put together a presentation with their travel group, which
will be presented to a committee of university lecturers.
Texts
Different teaching material will be provided based on the type, theme and destination of study
trip.
For each thematic study trip, study materials provided by the visited businesses will be uploaded
to the Blackboard platform. These materials will be needed to prepare for the test (the process is
explained in the “Thematic Study Trip Evaluation” regulations available on the university portal in
the Internal Regulations section).
For each regional study trip, study materials relating to the destination and planned activities will
be suggested, and will include printed texts, online texts and websites.
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III YEAR
Food and Health
Professor: Lorenzo Bairati | ECTS: 7
Objectives
The “Food and Health” course will prepare students to combine the knowledge acquired in the
first two years of study with the scientific evidence available on the course topics, in particular in
relation to the following activities:
selection and purchase of raw materials, semi-finished products and processed products for use
in food service.
development of recipes and innovative products or recovery of traditional gastronomic
processes, considered from a food science perspective.
While a gastronomic perspective will be taken, the course will also offer ways of interpreting and
understanding the available data on the metabolism of nutrients, nutrients and foods and public
health indicators linked to nutrition and lifestyle.
By the end of the course students will be able to read and understand guidelines and policy
documents on the subject of food and health, using their content within programs for health
promotion and education for the future. They will also be able to introduce criteria of evaluation
of individual and collective food habits in relation to health and well-being.
They will also be able to compile and read nutritional labels.
Prerequisites
Students taking this course should already be familiar with the basic principles of food chemistry.
Contents
Program
53
Course topics:
Chemical, biological and physiological aspects of nutrition
Macronutrientis: carbohydrates, proteins and lipids
Water
Energy metabolism
Body weight regulation
Diet and physical activity
Micronutrients: water- and fat-soluble vitamins, minerals and trace elements
Diet and prevention: diabetes, chronic-degenerative diseases, tumors
Life-cycle nutrition
Food security
Eco-environmental implications of food choices
Teaching method
Lectures alternated with exercises in small groups on the nutritional labels of widely consumed
products. Course taught in Italian.
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
Written exam in two parts: 32 multiple-choice questions and four open questions.
Oral test for students with marks of less than 20/30 for the written test or students who wish to
improve their grade.
Texts
Teaching material for all students:
McGuire Beerman, Nutritional Sciences: From Fundamentals to Food, 3rd edition (2017)
Lessons: The material relating to the lessons will be made available to the students before class on
Blackboard.
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Food Systems and Global Law
Professor: Lorenzo Bairati | ECTS: 7
Objectives
The “Food Systems and Global Law” course prepares students to work as consultants and
educators in the field of food policies, with particular attention to food sovereignty and related
issues, in NGOs, international organizations, businesses (particularly in the Corporate Social
Responsibility sector), public entities and the social private sector.
By the end of the course, students will be able to analyze the most relevant aspects of global and
comparative food law. There will be a particular focus on issues around intervention by public and
private regulators on food systems, and on the relationships between these and the contexts of
reference from the perspective of food sovereignty, understood as the right of every community
to design and put in place appropriate food production and consumption systems for their specific
ecological, cultural and social characteristics.
Prerequisites
Students taking this course should ideally have a basic knowledge of the foundations of European
law and the ecology of law. Additionally, an advanced knowledge of English and Italian will be
required for the study of documents in these languages (legal texts, academic articles, national
and European judgments).
Contents
Program
FIRST PART
1) Food security and sovereignty: an introduction
2) Public policies in the food sector
3) The role of private regulators in food policies
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SECOND PART
1) Global food law
2) The international community
3) The birth of European food law
THIRD PART
1) Definitions and classifications in food law
2) Food security and food sovereignty
3) Food safety and risk analysis
4) Product and quality
5) Food consumers and their right to be informed
Teaching method
Teaching language: Italian. The teaching method consists of lectures, in which the active
participation of students will be requested during the discussion of texts and documents provided
in advance. Practical case studies will be looked at in class, including with the participation of
experts from the sectors being explored.
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
The exam procedures are slightly different depending on whether the student has had an absence
rate of more than 30%, in line with the university’s regulations.
For students with a higher than 70% attendance, there is an exam based on the topics covered.
For students with a lower than 70% attendance there will be an additional task, consisting in the
study of a section not covered during the course and arranged with the lecturer.
The exam consists of an oral test (which can be taken in Italian or English) lasting 20 minutes,
without the use of books or notes, aimed at verifying the acquisition of knowledge on food law
and policies from both a theoretical perspective and in terms of the analysis and resolution of
practical case studies.
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Texts
For this course, special teaching material has been developed which does not coincide entirely
with the texts available on the market.
The textbook recommended for all students is:
Costato L., Albissini F. (eds.), European and Global Food Law, Cedam, Padua, 2016.
The textbook will be supplemented by readings which will be made available to students before
class through Blackboard.
Exercises: Before each class, the lecturer will inform the students of the material to be studied so
that the exercise can take place during class.
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Business Economics for Food Companies
Professors: Carmine Garzia, Damiano Cortese | ECTS: 8
Objectives
The “Business Economics for Food Companies” course prepares students to work as experts in the
area of purchasing and sales in the food sector and as experts in food production activities, in
hospitality and food-service activities and in retail sales, and in carrying out the following specific
functions: analyses of food markets and strategic management of sales in B2B and B2C contexts.
By the end of the course, students will be in possession of the analytical and operational tools of
business economics useful for the definition of business strategies and marketing policies within
companies in the food sector.
Prerequisites
There are no specific requirements.
Contents
Program
The course is dedicated to teaching the tools that constitute the typical “baggage” of a business
economist and which can be used for the evaluation of business performance, the analysis of the
macro-environment and the sector, the definition of business strategies and in support of
marketing decisions.
The empirical part of the course is dedicated to the study of businesses operating in the food
sector.
Teaching method
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The course is taught with an active approach, based on the discussion of business case studies
from the food sector. A typical class will involve the illustration of an analytical model, followed by
its application to a business case study. In order to benefit from this teaching method, students
must read the business case study before coming to class.
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
During the course, group exercises will allow students to earn bonus points which will be added to
the mark given for the written test. The written test is based on the application of concepts,
models and theories to a specific case. Detailed information about the exam will be communicated
during the course via the e-learning platform.
Texts
Favotto F., Bozzolan S., Parbonetti A., Economia Aziendale. Modelli, misure, casi, 2012,
McGraw-Hill, Milan, ISBN: 9788838666919.
Case studies, readings and slides will be made available in electronic format on the online
platform for the course.
For international students who are not native Italian speakers, a collection of readings in
English will be provided.
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Philosophy of Food and Gastronomic Communication
Module 1 - Gastronomic Communication
Professors: Francesco Mangiapane| ECTS: 5
Objectives
The “Gastronomic Communication” course prepares students to understand and critically
elaborate on the main perspectives regarding language and communication theories with
particular reference to the possibility of applying such knowledge to the promotion of gastronomic
products and their brands.
The course will teach the following:
Capacity to structure an organic reflection on the commercial and cultural identity of
gastronomic products, taking their communication as a starting point.
Capacity to analyze the functioning of various communicative artifacts with promotional
purposes with the aim of evaluating their effectiveness and developing new ones.
How to recognize, understand and control the mechanisms of production of meaning linked to
a wide number of forms of textuality in the food and wine sphere with the aim of developing
strategies for acting in specific contexts.
Possible professional applications include consultancies for advertising agencies and in the
communication offices of food-service businesses.
Prerequisites
Students taking this course will already be familiar with the historical background of food and
gastronomy. Basic semiotic knowledge is not required, as this will be taught during the first part of
the course. Knowledge of English and Italian is required. The teaching materials can be provided in
both languages.
Contents
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Program
The course offers an overview of the main models and categories of analysis useful for explaining
the different communication phenomenons relating to gastronomy. The objective is to provide an
original perspective on the construction of the commercial and social identity of food and wine
products. Communicative artifacts commonly used for this purpose will be analyzed, from
advertising to logos, packaging to the web. Lectures will be complemented by the collective
analysis of case studies.
Course topics:
The concept of brand
The sign in publicity: brands and trademarks
Advertising strategies
Advertising as narration
Analysis tools: promotions of consumption
Analysis tools: advertising genres
Advertising and subjectivity
Subjectivizing and objectivizing strategies
Styles of life and forms of life
Teaching method
Lectures and workshop activities. The topics will be supported by specific materials (schemas,
images, photocopies of articles and book chapters) which will be distributed during the course.
The course is taught in Italian.
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
The exam consists of a test with open questions, to verify the expected learning results and
specifically: a) the knowledge acquired; b) the capacity to develop and apply the knowledge to
specific examples; and c) the possession of adequate expository skills. The exam will be held in
Italian.
Texts
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Textbooks:
1) G. Marrone, Il discorso di marca, Laterza
2) G. Marrone (ed.), Buono da pensare. Cultura e comunicazione del gusto, Carocci
3) A selection of essays will be included in the program. This handout will be supplied at the
end of the course in digital format.
Module 2 - Philosophy of Food
Professors: Nicola Perullo| ECTS: 7
Objectives
The “Philosophy of Food” course prepares students to work in gastronomy and taste criticism and
fields relating to the communication, publishing, promotion and culture of taste. In particular, they
will be able to contribute to the development of communication strategies for the promotion of
food quality and to work in publishing and communication in the field of gastronomic heritage
promotion.
By the end of the course, students will be able to take a critical approach to the identification of
virtuous models of quality production; to work in the contexts of food communication and
promotion, with the aim of conceiving and conceptually developing events and conferences; and
work to promote the cutting edge of food and wine culture and quality. The will also be able to
take on managerial responsibilities in the field of fine dining and professional food and wine
communication.
Prerequisites
Students taking this course will already have a basic knowledge of the history of food and
gastronomy. A basic knowledge of philosophy and semiotics is not required, because this will be
provided during the first part of the course. Knowledge of both English and Italian is required,
because teaching materials can be provided in both languages.
Contents
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Program
The course provides philosophical knowledge in relation to food, with particular reference to the
contemporary situation. The main interpretative models and categories will be presented and
discussed, with the aim of analyzing different aspects inherent in gastronomy understood as a
cultural process. In particular, questions of taste as a value and the relationship between food,
creativity and art in everyday life will be looked at.
Teaching method
Lectures, class discussions and possible group work.
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
There will be one final exam in which the acquisition of knowledge and skills will be verified with a
written test lasting 2 hours, aimed at ascertaining the students’ knowledge and understanding of
the course topics. It will consist of five open questions and ten closed multiple-choice questions.
Each open question will be marked from 0 to 4, and each closed question will be marked 0 (wrong
answer) or 1 (right answer). The final grade can receive a “distinction” based on the responses to
the open questions. There may also be exercises during the course on specific topics and projects,
involving the discussion of a relevant text chosen by the student and approved by the lecturer.
Texts
1) N. Perullo, Il gusto come esperienza, Slow Food Editore, Bra, 2016; for non-Italian students,
the English translation: N. Perullo, Taste as Experience, Columbia University Press, NY,
2016.
2) D. Kaplan, The Philosophy of Food, University of California Press.
3) The Taste of Art: Cooking, Food, and Counterculture in Contemporary Cuisine, edited by
Bottinelli-D’Ayala Valva, University of Arkansas Press, 2017.
4) N. Perullo, Il gusto non è un senso ma un compito, Mimesis 2018 (English translation
provided in PDF).
5) Handouts prepared by the lecturer.
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Ethnobiology and Food Scouting
Professors: Andrea Pieroni| ECTS: 6
Objectives
The “Ethnobiology and Food Scouting” course will prepare students to carry out professional roles
relating to the documentation and promotion of traditional local food products at risk of
extinction and to work in consultancy, education and training in gastronomic sciences, cultures
and policies at institutions and private entities.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• understand and add value to the ethnobiological (i.e. ethnobotanical, ethnozoological and
ethnoecological) practices of human cultures and populations.
• understand the complex relationships that exist between human cultures and the
surrounding environments.
• carry out ethnobiological and food scouting research.
• understand the history, principles and conceptualizations underlying the complex
relationships between the environment and human societies, with a focus on food systems.
• be familiar with the methods for studying these interactions in the field.
• develop and carry out a group research project with fieldwork on topics relating to
ethnobiology and food scouting.
Prerequisites
Students taking this course will already have a basic knowledge of biology and anthropology from
their first-year studies.
Contents
Program
Across history, different human populations and cultures have developed practices, knowledge
and social systems that have adapted to the surrounding natural world and co-evolved with it. The
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discipline of ethnobiology studies these interconnections, while food scouting is concerned with
documenting food biodiversity in the field. This course is therefore based on the study of the
inextricable link between humans and the natural world and on the study of traditional systems of
knowledge related to food, which include the recognition, naming, categorization, use and
management of different “natural entities” and “environmental systems.” In doing this, the course
addresses the potential relevance of ethnobiology for local communities and their sustainable
rural development, as well as for small-scale food and herbal markets and biodiversity
preservation and promotion strategies. The students will have to plan an ethnobiological and food
scouting study in an area or community of their choice, with the specific aim of studying
trajectories of change in the perceptions, traditional knowledge and practices associated with one
or more ingredients at risk of extinction and to reflect on the results obtained in light of the
scientific literature and theoretical ethnoecological and ethnobiological conceptualizations.
Teaching method
Lectures, workshops, presentation of research projects in class, tutorials during the project.
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
The exam will ascertain the acquired knowledge and skills (learning results) with an individual
paper of about 5,000 to 10,000 words that explains the objectives, methods and results of the
fieldwork project and includes a discussion (with recommendations) of the results, with detailed
academic references (at least 20).
Texts
For this course, teaching material has been developed that does not coincide with available texts.
The material consists of the PowerPoint presentations of the course. Students will use PDFs that
they will receive from the lecturers, based on the few texts on ethnobiology/ethnoecology
available on the international market and on scientific articles published in recent years.
Recommended reading (available from the UNISG Library):
Anderson et al. (eds.), Ethnobiology, Wiley-Blackwell, 2011
Albuquerque & Alves, Introduction to Ethnobiology, Springer, 2016
Newing, Conducting Research in Conservation: A social science approach, Routledge, 2011
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Lessons: The material relating to lessons will be made available to the students in advance on
Blackboard.
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Gastronomic Lab III
Elective Courses| ECTS: 6
***
Study Trips and Fieldwork Research - 3rd Year
Professor: Pietro Pagella| ECTS: 6
Objectives
The “Study Trips Fieldwork and Research” course provides students with the skills necessary to
understand the gastronomic cultures of Italian regions. The trips offer them a chance to complete
and integrate their classroom learning with direct observation of the practices linked to
production processes and historical and social contexts linked to food production, from basic
foodstuffs to their processing and styles of consumption.
By the end of the course, students will have an overall vision, as complete as possible, of the
Italian food system.
Prerequisites
Students taking this course should ideally already be familiar with some basic aspects of food
production. A good knowledge of Italian (for international students) and English are essential
requirements to successfully participating in the teaching activities.
Contents
Program
The course is divided between three thematic study trips and two regional study trips in Italy. Clips
from films will be used to analyze narrative style, with attention paid to documentaries and real-
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life cinema. The acquired knowledge will be confirmed with the lecturer and the shared literacy
will allow students to learn about the specific and interdisciplinary language.
Teaching method
There will be theoretical and practical lessons with individual and group practical exercises.
The thematic study trips are aimed at an understanding of a specific product.
The regional study trips are aimed at a cultural and gastronomic understanding of a region in Italy
and include a range of different activities, including:
visits to businesses and meetings with local experts
research of products for inclusion in the Ark of Taste
filming of interviews for the Granaries of Memory project
Criteria, rules and procedures for the exam
For each thematic study trip students will receive a grade based on a multiple-choice test. For
each regional study trip students will put together a presentation with their travel group, which
will be presented to a committee of university lecturers.
Texts
Different teaching material will be provided based on the type, theme and destination of study
trip.
For each thematic study trip, study materials provided by the visited businesses will be uploaded
to the Blackboard platform. These materials will be needed to prepare for the test (the process is
explained in the “Thematic Study Trip Evaluation” regulations available on the university portal in
the Internal Regulations section).
For each regional study trip, study materials relating to the destination and planned activities will
be suggested, and will include printed texts, online texts and websites.
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Final Thesis
ECTS: 5
***
Meetings and Conferences
ECTS: 4
As specified in the Academic program, students earn course credits for “Meeting and conferences”
by attending at least the number of activities established each academic year by the Faculty
Council.