Inspection and Control of Food
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The aim of the course is to provide students with one day competences necessary to carry out the activities of the veterinary inspector, with special reference to meat and seafood. The course will provide the basic competences to perform:
- ante-mortem inspection of animals destined for the food-chain, including paying attention to welfare aspects; correctly identify conditions affecting the quality and safety of products of animal origin, to exclude those animals whose condition means their products are unsuitable for the food-chain.
- Perform a systematic gross post-mortem examination, record observations, sample tissues, store and transport them.
- Perform inspection of seafood including post-mortem inspection of seafood and inspection in the field of seafood technology.
- ante-mortem inspection of animals destined for the food-chain, including paying attention to welfare aspects; correctly identify conditions affecting the quality and safety of products of animal origin, to exclude those animals whose condition means their products are unsuitable for the food-chain.
- Perform a systematic gross post-mortem examination, record observations, sample tissues, store and transport them.
- Perform inspection of seafood including post-mortem inspection of seafood and inspection in the field of seafood technology.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding skills
The student must demonstrate knowledge about the management of the main health and hygienic concerns regarding meat inspection (infectious and parasitic diseases, chemicals such as drugs and anabolics). Particular attention is paid to the operational aspects and the rules that the veterinarian must apply in the inspection activity.
The student must possess the skills concerning the issues related to the production of fresh meat such as traceability, labeling, quality classification, hygiene and related control measures, management of meat (preservation, packaging) and by-products of slaughtering (health risk).
The student must demonstrate knowledge of the systematic classification of the main fish species marketed in Italy and Europe, the knowledge of diseases transmissible from fishery products (viral, bacterial and parasitic), acute and chronic food poisonings (histamine, algae biotoxins, environmental contaminants).
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
The student must demonstrate that he is able to perform the inspection on meat and organs to establish suitability for consumption. Likewise, it will have to be able to assess the suitability for consumption of fishery products.
Making judgments The student must be able to apply the knowledge acquired in the proposed case studies, arguing the appropriate judgement
Communication
The student must demonstrate the ability to communicate the skills acquired with appropriate terminology.
Life long learning skills
The student must also demonstrate an ability of lifelong learning and a commitment to learning and professional development. This includes recording and reflecting on professional experience and taking measures to improve performance and competence.
The student must demonstrate knowledge about the management of the main health and hygienic concerns regarding meat inspection (infectious and parasitic diseases, chemicals such as drugs and anabolics). Particular attention is paid to the operational aspects and the rules that the veterinarian must apply in the inspection activity.
The student must possess the skills concerning the issues related to the production of fresh meat such as traceability, labeling, quality classification, hygiene and related control measures, management of meat (preservation, packaging) and by-products of slaughtering (health risk).
The student must demonstrate knowledge of the systematic classification of the main fish species marketed in Italy and Europe, the knowledge of diseases transmissible from fishery products (viral, bacterial and parasitic), acute and chronic food poisonings (histamine, algae biotoxins, environmental contaminants).
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
The student must demonstrate that he is able to perform the inspection on meat and organs to establish suitability for consumption. Likewise, it will have to be able to assess the suitability for consumption of fishery products.
Making judgments The student must be able to apply the knowledge acquired in the proposed case studies, arguing the appropriate judgement
Communication
The student must demonstrate the ability to communicate the skills acquired with appropriate terminology.
Life long learning skills
The student must also demonstrate an ability of lifelong learning and a commitment to learning and professional development. This includes recording and reflecting on professional experience and taking measures to improve performance and competence.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Prerequisites for admission
Lo studente deve possedere le conoscenze dei corsi di : farmacologia e tossicologia veterinaria, malattie infettive e parassitarie degli animali da reddito e gestione sanitaria degli allevamenti, zoonosi.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The integrated course includes a 1 hour written test (questions with closed and open answers); the results are published on course Ariel site.
The written test is integrated with a practical test which includes the inspection of fish products (species recognition of fishery products) and the inspection of meat (solution of an inspective case).
Students to pass the exam must demonstrate knowledge of the main inspection issues of meat and fish products, know zoonoses and national and community legislation concerning food of animal origin.
The student must have acquired and applied the inspection method to assess the suitability for consumption of meat and fishery products.
It must know how to distinguish the main commercialized fish species, the toxic species and the forbidden species.
Rubric practical examination species identification of fishery products
Grade: The work does not meet the minimum requirements to demonstrate the relevant learning outcomes.
Knowledge and ability to understand: The student does not know the distinguishing characteristics of the most common commercialised species.
Ability to apply knowledge: The student is unable to distinguish the most common commercialised species.
Ability to communicate what has been learnt: The student does not know the anatomical terminology essential for the identification of aquatic species. Presence of serious errors in the use of official names of fishery products and technical terms.
Grade: 18-22 Sufficient
The work meets the minimum requirements to demonstrate the relevant learning outcomes
Knowledge and ability to understand: The student knows the distinguishing characteristics of the most common commercialised species.
Ability to apply knowledge: The student is able to correctly identify the main commercialised species with the help of the lecturer.
Ability to communicate what has been learnt: The student knows the anatomical terminology essential for the identification of aquatic species. Presence of minor inaccuracies in the use of official names of fishery products and technical terms.
Grade: 23-24 Fair
The work clearly meets the requirements to demonstrate the learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: The student knows the distinctive features of the main commercialised species.
Ability to apply knowledge: The student is able to correctly identify the main commercialised species without the intervention of the lecturer.
Ability to communicate what has been learnt: The student knows the anatomical terminology for the identification of aquatic species. The student knows the official names of fishery products and technical terms.
Rating: 25-26 Good
Good or very good in many respects. The work shows complete mastery of the relevant learning outcomes
Knowledge and ability to understand: The student knows the distinctive features of the main commercialised species, of histamine-risk species.
Ability to apply knowledge: The student is able to correctly identify the main marketed species, of histamine-risk species without the intervention of the lecturer. Species diagnoses are motivated by pathognomonic anatomical elements.
Ability to communicate what has been learnt: The student knows and uses appropriately the anatomical terminology for the identification of aquatic species. The student is familiar with all official designations of fishery products and technical terms.
Grade: 27-30 Excellent
Outstanding in some aspects. The work is often beyond what is expected of a student at the corresponding level of study.
Knowledge and ability to understand: The student knows the distinctive features of all the species covered in the course.
Ability to apply knowledge: The student is able to correctly identify all the species addressed in the course without the intervention of the lecturer.
Species diagnoses are motivated by diagnostic reasoning.
Ability to communicate what has been learnt: The student knows and uses appropriately the anatomical terminology for the identification of aquatic species.
The student knows all official names of fishery products and technical terms. The student knows the scientific name of most of the species to be identified. (> 50%).
Grade: 30-33 Honours
Outstanding in every respect. The activity is well above the level expected of a student at the corresponding level of study.
Knowledge and understanding: The student is familiar with the distinctive features of all the species covered in the course and has an excellent command of the systematics with an evident degree of independent study.
Ability to apply knowledge: The student is able to correctly identify all the species addressed during the course with full familiarity with the subject. Species diagnoses are clearly and precisely motivated.
Ability to communicate what has been learnt: The student knows and uses appropriately the anatomical terminology for the identification of aquatic species.
The student knows all official names of fishery products and technical terms. The student knows the scientific name of all proposed species. (> 95%).
The final mark of the exam is given by the arithmetic mean of the written test and the practical test.
The partial mark of the written test is calculated from the weighted average of the part concerning the inspection of the meat (4 theoretical credits) and of the one concerning the fish products (2 theoretical credits). To pass the written test, it is mandatory to obtain a sufficient grade (18/30) in each of the two parts.
The partial mark of the practical test is calculated from the weighted average of the part concerning the inspection of the meat (1 practical CFU) and of that concerning the fish products (1 practical CFU).
To pass the practical test, it is mandatory to obtain a sufficient grade (18/30) in each of the two parts.
The written test is integrated with a practical test which includes the inspection of fish products (species recognition of fishery products) and the inspection of meat (solution of an inspective case).
Students to pass the exam must demonstrate knowledge of the main inspection issues of meat and fish products, know zoonoses and national and community legislation concerning food of animal origin.
The student must have acquired and applied the inspection method to assess the suitability for consumption of meat and fishery products.
It must know how to distinguish the main commercialized fish species, the toxic species and the forbidden species.
Rubric practical examination species identification of fishery products
Grade: The work does not meet the minimum requirements to demonstrate the relevant learning outcomes.
Knowledge and ability to understand: The student does not know the distinguishing characteristics of the most common commercialised species.
Ability to apply knowledge: The student is unable to distinguish the most common commercialised species.
Ability to communicate what has been learnt: The student does not know the anatomical terminology essential for the identification of aquatic species. Presence of serious errors in the use of official names of fishery products and technical terms.
Grade: 18-22 Sufficient
The work meets the minimum requirements to demonstrate the relevant learning outcomes
Knowledge and ability to understand: The student knows the distinguishing characteristics of the most common commercialised species.
Ability to apply knowledge: The student is able to correctly identify the main commercialised species with the help of the lecturer.
Ability to communicate what has been learnt: The student knows the anatomical terminology essential for the identification of aquatic species. Presence of minor inaccuracies in the use of official names of fishery products and technical terms.
Grade: 23-24 Fair
The work clearly meets the requirements to demonstrate the learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: The student knows the distinctive features of the main commercialised species.
Ability to apply knowledge: The student is able to correctly identify the main commercialised species without the intervention of the lecturer.
Ability to communicate what has been learnt: The student knows the anatomical terminology for the identification of aquatic species. The student knows the official names of fishery products and technical terms.
Rating: 25-26 Good
Good or very good in many respects. The work shows complete mastery of the relevant learning outcomes
Knowledge and ability to understand: The student knows the distinctive features of the main commercialised species, of histamine-risk species.
Ability to apply knowledge: The student is able to correctly identify the main marketed species, of histamine-risk species without the intervention of the lecturer. Species diagnoses are motivated by pathognomonic anatomical elements.
Ability to communicate what has been learnt: The student knows and uses appropriately the anatomical terminology for the identification of aquatic species. The student is familiar with all official designations of fishery products and technical terms.
Grade: 27-30 Excellent
Outstanding in some aspects. The work is often beyond what is expected of a student at the corresponding level of study.
Knowledge and ability to understand: The student knows the distinctive features of all the species covered in the course.
Ability to apply knowledge: The student is able to correctly identify all the species addressed in the course without the intervention of the lecturer.
Species diagnoses are motivated by diagnostic reasoning.
Ability to communicate what has been learnt: The student knows and uses appropriately the anatomical terminology for the identification of aquatic species.
The student knows all official names of fishery products and technical terms. The student knows the scientific name of most of the species to be identified. (> 50%).
Grade: 30-33 Honours
Outstanding in every respect. The activity is well above the level expected of a student at the corresponding level of study.
Knowledge and understanding: The student is familiar with the distinctive features of all the species covered in the course and has an excellent command of the systematics with an evident degree of independent study.
Ability to apply knowledge: The student is able to correctly identify all the species addressed during the course with full familiarity with the subject. Species diagnoses are clearly and precisely motivated.
Ability to communicate what has been learnt: The student knows and uses appropriately the anatomical terminology for the identification of aquatic species.
The student knows all official names of fishery products and technical terms. The student knows the scientific name of all proposed species. (> 95%).
The final mark of the exam is given by the arithmetic mean of the written test and the practical test.
The partial mark of the written test is calculated from the weighted average of the part concerning the inspection of the meat (4 theoretical credits) and of the one concerning the fish products (2 theoretical credits). To pass the written test, it is mandatory to obtain a sufficient grade (18/30) in each of the two parts.
The partial mark of the practical test is calculated from the weighted average of the part concerning the inspection of the meat (1 practical CFU) and of that concerning the fish products (1 practical CFU).
To pass the practical test, it is mandatory to obtain a sufficient grade (18/30) in each of the two parts.
Meat Inspection and control
Course syllabus
Topic - Specific items - Hours
- Bacterial diseases of intersest for meat inspection - septicaemia, anthrax, tuberculosis, brucellosis, glanders, pseudotuberculosis, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, other "hidden zoonoses" - 4 hours
- Parasitic diseases of interest for meat inspection - cysticercosis, echinococcosis, trichinosis, toxoplasmosis, sarcosporidiosis - 3 hours
- Prionic diseases of intersest for meat inspection - Transimissible Spongiphorm Encephalopaties (BSE - TSE) - 1 hour
- Chemicals of intersest for meat inspection - growth promoters and veterinary drugs - 2 hours
- Protection of animals at slaughter - Law requirements for the protection of the animals during slaughtering procedures - 1 hour
- Market perspectives of meat production - Slaughter yield and primal cuts, market classification of meats - 1 hour
- Traceability and labeling of meat - information supplied to the consumers, meat traceability through the production chain - 1 hour
- Minced meat, meat preparations and mechanically separated meat - production and safety concerns - 1 hour
- Meat storage - meat refrigeration and packaging - 2 hours
- Meat contamination - contamination sources, evaluation and decontamination - 2 hours
- Animal by-products - risk-based classification, management of by-products - 1 hour
- Personnel involved in the slaughtering process and facilities - functions of the personnel and Official Ausiliaries, zoonoses of concern for the slaughtering personnel, law requirements for slaughtering facilities - 2 hours
- Inspection of poultry - slaughtering process and inspection rules - 2 hours
- Rabbit and game meat inspection rules - slaughtering/carcass management process, inspection rules concerning rabbit, farmed and wild game meat - 2 hours
- Bacterial diseases of intersest for meat inspection - septicaemia, anthrax, tuberculosis, brucellosis, glanders, pseudotuberculosis, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, other "hidden zoonoses" - 4 hours
- Parasitic diseases of interest for meat inspection - cysticercosis, echinococcosis, trichinosis, toxoplasmosis, sarcosporidiosis - 3 hours
- Prionic diseases of intersest for meat inspection - Transimissible Spongiphorm Encephalopaties (BSE - TSE) - 1 hour
- Chemicals of intersest for meat inspection - growth promoters and veterinary drugs - 2 hours
- Protection of animals at slaughter - Law requirements for the protection of the animals during slaughtering procedures - 1 hour
- Market perspectives of meat production - Slaughter yield and primal cuts, market classification of meats - 1 hour
- Traceability and labeling of meat - information supplied to the consumers, meat traceability through the production chain - 1 hour
- Minced meat, meat preparations and mechanically separated meat - production and safety concerns - 1 hour
- Meat storage - meat refrigeration and packaging - 2 hours
- Meat contamination - contamination sources, evaluation and decontamination - 2 hours
- Animal by-products - risk-based classification, management of by-products - 1 hour
- Personnel involved in the slaughtering process and facilities - functions of the personnel and Official Ausiliaries, zoonoses of concern for the slaughtering personnel, law requirements for slaughtering facilities - 2 hours
- Inspection of poultry - slaughtering process and inspection rules - 2 hours
- Rabbit and game meat inspection rules - slaughtering/carcass management process, inspection rules concerning rabbit, farmed and wild game meat - 2 hours
Teaching methods
Theoretical teaching
Teaching Resources
Book: Manuale di Ispezione e Controllo delle Carni - S. Stella, E. Scanziani, G. Ghisleni, III ed. 2023, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano.
Slides uploaded on myAriel website
Slides uploaded on myAriel website
Fish Inspection and Control
Course syllabus
Topic Specific subject hours
Labelling seafood labelling legislation and its application 2
Zoonoses Zoonose parasites in fresh water and marine fish. 2
Histamine Sgombroid syndrome: epidemilogy,
deasese in human, prevention and products at risk. 2
Contaminats Environmental contaminants and drug residues
in farming fish 2
Bivalve mollusks Farm, harvest, depuration and packacing.
Main inspection issues 4
Freshness Sensorial methods, chemical methods 2
Parasites non zoonotic, toxic fish, welfare in live seafoods 2
Training fish species identification
Shraks and Rays, Fish without ventral fins 1
Asymmetrical fish with ventral fins in jugular position 1
Symmetrical fish with ventral fins in jugular position 1
Fish with ventral fins in thoracic position 2
Fish with ventral fins in abdominal position 1
Crustaceans and mollusks 2
Freshness assessement training 1
Seafood parasites research 1
Case studies Case studies in seafood inspection 6
Labelling seafood labelling legislation and its application 2
Zoonoses Zoonose parasites in fresh water and marine fish. 2
Histamine Sgombroid syndrome: epidemilogy,
deasese in human, prevention and products at risk. 2
Contaminats Environmental contaminants and drug residues
in farming fish 2
Bivalve mollusks Farm, harvest, depuration and packacing.
Main inspection issues 4
Freshness Sensorial methods, chemical methods 2
Parasites non zoonotic, toxic fish, welfare in live seafoods 2
Training fish species identification
Shraks and Rays, Fish without ventral fins 1
Asymmetrical fish with ventral fins in jugular position 1
Symmetrical fish with ventral fins in jugular position 1
Fish with ventral fins in thoracic position 2
Fish with ventral fins in abdominal position 1
Crustaceans and mollusks 2
Freshness assessement training 1
Seafood parasites research 1
Case studies Case studies in seafood inspection 6
Teaching methods
Theoretical lessons (16 hours)
Pratica lessons (16 hours).
The course includes practical exercises in small groups with fishery products to acquire the ability to identify the different species and zoonotic and non-zoonotic parasites, the ability to evaluate the freshness of fishery products using the sensory method. (Quality Index Method)
Pratica lessons (16 hours).
The course includes practical exercises in small groups with fishery products to acquire the ability to identify the different species and zoonotic and non-zoonotic parasites, the ability to evaluate the freshness of fishery products using the sensory method. (Quality Index Method)
Teaching Resources
Teaching Resources
Teaching material: the texts of the lessons, exercises and insights provided by the teacher are available on the myAriel website.
Teaching material: the texts of the lessons, exercises and insights provided by the teacher are available on the myAriel website.
Practical activities in slaughterhouses
Course syllabus
Topic - Specific items - Hours
Frontal lectures
- Introduction - Meat inspection activity (aims and general rules), EC Regulation 627/2019 - 1 hour
- Pre-salughtering phases - Transport of the animals and related problems, identification of the animals, documents, ante mortem inspection - 2 hours
- Post mortem inspection and decision - Post mortem procedures, sampling and analyses, decision concerning meat and health marking, communication of the results of inspection activity - 2 hours
- Slaughtering procedures - standard and special types of slaughtering - 3 hours
Practices
- Method for the evaluation of an inspective case - 1 hour
- Inspective cases (description/diagnosis/decision) on viscera (lesions usually seen at during routine inspection activity) - 7 hours
- Post mortem procedures - 1 hour
- Sampling and laboratory analyses - 1 hour
- Classroom exercises on inspective cases (animal welfare problems, unfrequent lesions of concern) - 6 hours
Frontal lectures
- Introduction - Meat inspection activity (aims and general rules), EC Regulation 627/2019 - 1 hour
- Pre-salughtering phases - Transport of the animals and related problems, identification of the animals, documents, ante mortem inspection - 2 hours
- Post mortem inspection and decision - Post mortem procedures, sampling and analyses, decision concerning meat and health marking, communication of the results of inspection activity - 2 hours
- Slaughtering procedures - standard and special types of slaughtering - 3 hours
Practices
- Method for the evaluation of an inspective case - 1 hour
- Inspective cases (description/diagnosis/decision) on viscera (lesions usually seen at during routine inspection activity) - 7 hours
- Post mortem procedures - 1 hour
- Sampling and laboratory analyses - 1 hour
- Classroom exercises on inspective cases (animal welfare problems, unfrequent lesions of concern) - 6 hours
Teaching methods
- Frontal lessons, with the use of videos regarding the sluaghtering procedures
- Practices on viscera - inspection procedures
- Practices on viscera - inspection cases
- Classroom exercises on inspection cases
- Practices on viscera - inspection procedures
- Practices on viscera - inspection cases
- Classroom exercises on inspection cases
Teaching Resources
Book: Manuale di Ispezione e Controllo delle Carni - S. Stella, E. Scanziani, G. Ghisleni, III ed. 2023, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano.
Slides uploaded on myAriel website
Slides uploaded on myAriel website
Fish Inspection and Control
VET/04 - INSPECTION OF FOODS OF ANIMAL ORIGIN - University credits: 3
Practicals: 16 hours
Lessons: 16 hours
Lessons: 16 hours
Professor:
Bernardi Cristian Edoardo Maria
Shifts:
1 TURNO PER TUTTI GLI STUDENTI DA 11 ORE
Professor:
Bernardi Cristian Edoardo Maria2 TURNO PER GRUPPI DI STUDENTI DA 5 ORE
Professor:
Bernardi Cristian Edoardo Maria3 TURNO PER GRUPPI DI STUDENTI DA 5 ORE
Professor:
Bernardi Cristian Edoardo Maria4 TURNO PER GRUPPI DI STUDENTI DA 5 ORE
Professor:
Bernardi Cristian Edoardo Maria5 TURNO PER GRUPPI DI STUDENTI DA 5 ORE
Professor:
Bernardi Cristian Edoardo Maria6 TURNO PER GRUPPI DI STUDENTI DA 5 ORE
Professor:
Bernardi Cristian Edoardo Maria7 TURNO PER GRUPPI DI STUDENTI DA 5 ORE
Professor:
Bernardi Cristian Edoardo MariaTurno
Professor:
Bernardi Cristian Edoardo Maria
Meat Inspection and control
VET/04 - INSPECTION OF FOODS OF ANIMAL ORIGIN - University credits: 3
Lessons: 24 hours
Professor:
Stella Simone
Shifts:
Turno
Professor:
Stella Simone
Practical activities in slaughterhouses
VET/04 - INSPECTION OF FOODS OF ANIMAL ORIGIN - University credits: 2
Practicals: 16 hours
Lessons: 8 hours
Lessons: 8 hours
Professors:
Bernardi Cristian Edoardo Maria, Stella Simone
Shifts:
1 TURNO PER TUTTI GLI STUDENTI DA 6 ORE
Professor:
Stella Simone2-5 TURNI PER GRUPPI DI STUDENTI DA 5 ORE
Professor:
Bernardi Cristian Edoardo Maria3-3 TURNI PER GRUPI DI STUDENTI DA 5 ORE
Professor:
Stella Simone4-4 TURNI PER GRUPPI DI STUDENTI DA 5 ORE
Professor:
Stella SimoneTurno
Professor:
Stella SimoneEducational website(s)
Professor(s)