The aim of this course is to introduce students to the processes of the food industry through the illustration of the process unit operations  that are involved in all phases of the food supply chain, which are based on the main principles of the process engineering, such as heat and mass transfer.

Lectures and exercises will allow students to:

- know the specific properties of food that are fundamental for its processing

- know and discuss the main processes and technologies of the food industry

- know and discuss the typical unit operations of food processing

- know and discuss some specific food production processes, with particular focus on the unit operations involved

- analyse food processing units from a quantitative point of view

- design and calculate the main features of food processing units

• Food properties: physical properties and basic concepts of organic chemistry for the food industry
• Processes and plants of the food industry: study of the unit operations that are characteristics of the food industry, with specific references to some food productions:
  • Size reduction, nixing
  • Filtration, centrifugation, membrane separation
  • Evaporation, dehydration, freeze drying
  • Thermal processes
• Deepening of some specific processes: chocolate production, wine dealcoholization
• Other related issues: Environmental impacts and LCA, innovative control techniques (electronic nose)

none

The evaluation mode will include a written exam for the verification of the calculation capablities related to the design of food processing units acquired during the course. The exam will also include theoretical questions in order to verify the understanding of the main contents exposed.