Technologies for Produce Processing

Module "Milk processing" (6 CFU): Overview of the Italian, European, and global dairy sector, focusing on: production, consumption, trade, and production structures. Chemistry and physics of milk. The composition of milk, its chemical-physical and qualitative characteristics, stability, and suitability for processing, and the relevant evaluation criteria. Milk lipids, the structure and behavior of globules, lipolysis, and oxidative phenomena. Milk proteins. Casein and acid and rennet coagulation. Whey proteins and their technological importance. Lactose and the main fermentations. Introduction to dairy microbiology. Minerals and biologically active constituents: their technological and nutritional significance. Milk technologies and the effects of major technological operations. Sanitization processes and types of drinking milk. Membrane tangential filtration processes. Main technologies for cheese production. Traditional and innovative cheese-making. Discontinuous and continuous butter technologies and the use of different types of cream. Production of powdered milk and other dried products. Management and enhancement of by-products from the dairy industry. Quality control and analytical aspects.