Non-thermal processing of foods

To know the main agents and mechanisms involved in the breakdown and quality loss of fresh and processed foods
To know the advantages and practical applications of the novel non-thermal food preservation techniques
To know how to adapt the novel food preservation methods to the main food industry sectors..

EXPOSITIVE CLASSES : 30 HOURS
Class 1 - Consumers' demands: new processes and new food formats. Reasons for non-thermal processings. Nutritional and organoleptic aspects. 1 HOUR
Class 2 - Mechanisms of spoilage of fresh foods. 4 HOURS
Class 3 - High hydrostatic pressure-based preservation methods. 3 HOURS
Class 4 - Preservation by means of pulsed electric fields and light pulses. 4 HOURS
Class 5 - Preservation by means of radiofrequency. Dielectric heating. Other techniques. 3 HOURS
Class 6 - Novel food refrigeration methods based on slurry ice systems. 3 HOURS
Class 7 - Food biopreservation. 4 HOURS
Class 8 - Food preservation by means of natural components. 3 HOURS
Class 9 - Advanced food packaging methods. 3 HOURS
Class 10 - Combined non-thermal food preservation methods. 2 HOURS

SEMINARS
- Management of scientific publications specialized in the non-thermal preservation of foods. 15 HOURS.
- Preparation of works on selected publications in small groups. 10 HOURS

BASIC AND COMPLEMENTARY REFERENCES
- Original manuscripts and reviews from specialized journals such as: Food Bioproc. Technol., Food Chem., J. Agric. Food Chem., Eur. Food Res. Technol., J. Appl. Microbiol., Appl. Environ. Microbiol., etc.
- Barros Velázquez, J. (2016) Antimicrobial Food Packaging, Elsevier.
- Han, J.H. (2005) Innovations in Food Packaging. Elsevier. Academic Press. , London
- Raventós Santamaría, M. (2005) Industria Alimentaria. Tecnologías emergentes. UPC- Barcelona.
- Russell, N.J. y Gould, G.W. (2003) Food Preservatives. Springer. Alemania
- Sun, D.W. (2005) Emerging Technologies for Food Processing. Academic Press, London

BASIC AND GENERAL
CG3 - To know the toxic substances and pathogenic microorganisms present in food, their origins and risks.
CG4 - To know production and packaging methods and technologies to obtain safer foods.
CG5 - To know the methods for surveillance and self-control of food industries.
CG6 - To be able to participate in the design and development of safer and healthier foods.
CG9 - To manage the information sources in food science and technology.
CG11 - To compile information to develop the research activity, to formulate hypothesis, to gather and interpret data for the resolution of practical problems according to the scientific method, and to know the relevance and limitations of scientific knowledge on nutrition, food safety and food technology.
CB6 - To acquire knowledge aimed at developing novel ideas in a research scenario.
CB7 - That the students know how to apply the acquired knowledge and the capacity of resolution of problems in new areas or in multidisciplinar situations related to the field
CB8 - That the students are able to integrate knowledge and face the complexity of formulating judgements from situations of limited or incomplete information, this including reflexions on social and ethic responsabilities linked to the application of their knowledge.
CB9 - That the students know how to communicate their conclusions and knowledge, and the final reasons that support them to specialized and non-specialized publics in a clear and unambiguous way
CB10 - That the students have the learning ability that allow them to keep on studying in a self-directed and autonomous way.

TRANSVERSAL
CT3 - Ability to be a team worker.
CT5 - Ability to use information and communication technologies.
CT6 - Ability to find, analyse and manage information from different sources.
CT10 - Ability to develop critical reasoning as well as discussion skills and an autocritical mind.
CT11 - Ability for developing autonomous learning skills.
CT12 - Ability to manage information in English language.
CT14 - Ability to apply the knowledge to practical situations.

SPECIFIC
CE5 - To know the main agents and mechanisms responsible of food spoilage and quality loss.
CE6 - To know the advantages and applications of novel non-thermal food preservation methods and to be able to adapt them to the food industry sectors.

Expositive classes
Seminars: preparation, discussion and public exposition of works on specific subjects of the course
Group tutorials

Continuous evaluation: 60%
Works presentations: 40%

Expositive classes: 30 h presential and 45 h non-presential
Seminars: 25 h presential and 40 h non-presential
Tutorials: 5 h presential and 5 h non-presential
TOTAL: 60 H PRESENTIAL AND 90 H NON-PRESENTIAL

Asistance to expositive classes and active participation in the group works

The course will be imparted in the two official languages of the autonomous community.