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Emilio STEFANI
Professore Associato
Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita sede ex-Agraria
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Insegnamento: Mycotoxigenic fungi in agri-food and pesticide contamination: analysis and risk management
Controllo e sicurezza degli alimenti (RE) (Offerta formativa 2024)
Obiettivi formativi
Knowledge and understanding of:
1) Main legislation on pesticide use and limitations
2) Correct use of pesticides in agricultural production
3) The impact of pesticide and mycotoxins on food security and food safety
4) The significance and properties of mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi
5) Major issues associated with mycotoxin analysis and contamination along the food chains.
6) Main legislation on mycotoxins limitations
Prerequisiti
Plant Pathology
Programma del corso
esticides: definition, use in agriculture, target species, classification, toxicity, hazard and risk. International conventions: Rotterdam, Stockholm, Basel. Adverse effects of chemical pesticides on the environment and the general public: notes on environmental toxicology and safety issues for consumers. Environmental pathways and fate of chemical pesticides: evaluation and impact assessment. Harmonised risks indicators. Use of microbial biocontrol agents in agriculture and associated risks. Pesticides in food and feed commodities: MRLs, Admissible Daily Intake (ADI), IqR related to food safety. Development and implementation of strategies for detecting pesticides in food matrices. How to raise awareness of risks in the general public. How to correctly communicate data on food safety related to the use of pesticides in agriculture.
Mycotoxins: definition, classification, toxicity, hazard and risk. Fungi mycotoxin producers and plant disease associated, factors affecting growth of fungi in foods, prevent and control fungal growth in foods and food processing environments. Mycotoxins presence in economically important food and feed chains (maize, wheat, barley, apple, dried fruits and grape) in pre and post-harvest, mitigation strategies and detoxification treatments on mycotoxin contamination. EU legislation concerning mycotoxins in food and feed; methods to analyze for mycotoxins in foods; economic impact of mycotoxins. CFU as follows: 4 CFU (32 hrs) on mycotoxins; 2 CFU (16 hrs) on pesticide residues.
Metodi didattici
The lessons will be held with the support of power point presentations.
Working groups may be organised on specific topics of interest for the students, mainly on mycotoxin contaminating food and feed.
The course will be integrated with seminars on specific topics relevant for the course (EFSA expert from Panel on Plant Protection Products and their Residues, PPR).
Teaching language is English. Attendance is not mandatory, bu strongly encouraged.
Testi di riferimento
George N. Agrios, PLANT PATHOLOGY, 5TH EDITION, Elsevier, 2004
EU Pesticide database. In: https://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/pesticides/eu-pesticides-database/public/?event=homepage&language=EN
PESTICIDES EU-MRLs - Regulation (EC) No 396/2005
Randall C, et al. (2014). "Pest Management". National Pesticide Applicator Certification Core Manual (2nd ed.). Washington: National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Research Foundation.
"Pesticide Applicator Core Tutorial: Module 4 - Toxicity of Pesticides". Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP). Cornell University. In: http://psep.cce.cornell.edu/Tutorials/core-tutorial/Default.aspx
World Health Organisation (WHO), Pesticides. In: https://www.who.int/topics/pesticides/en/
Verifica dell'apprendimento
An intermediate assessment will be organised after the part related to pesticide contamination. It will be written and organized with open questions.
The final exam will be oral, with questions on the main course topics.
Risultati attesi
Knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, the student will be able to know and understand:
1) Main legislation on pesticide use and limitations
2) Correct use of pesticides in agricultural production
3) The impact of pesticide and mycotoxins on food security and food safety
4) The significance and properties of mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi
5) Major issues associated with mycotoxin analysis and contamination along the food chains.
6) Main legislation on mycotoxins limitations
Applying knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1) Apply acquired knowledge to develop and implement strategies for monitoring and surveillance of pesticide and mycotoxins contamination in vegetable food.
2) Develop risk analysis procedures (assessment and management) related to pesticide contamination.
Making judgements
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1) Assess products in term of quality and safety related to pesticide and mycotoxin contamination
2) Assess environmental impact of pesticide use in agricultural systems
Communication skills
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1) Use of scientific language appropriately, and the specific lexicon to describe and transfer in oral and written form the acquired concepts.
2) Efficiently communicate risks posed by pesticide residues and mycotoxins to consumers.
Learning skills
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1) Increase his/her knowledge on safety problems raised by the use of pesticides and mycotoxins and their possible presence in food as residues or contaminants, by self-consultation of specialized texts, scientific and educational journals, also beyond the topics discussed during the lessons.
2) Increase his/her ability to suggest sustainable alternatives to pesticides.
3) Understand the impact of cropping systems and post-harvest management on the development of mycotoxins.
Indicators for the evaluation: Ability to use knowledge (25%); Ability to link knowledge (25%); Use of technical language (15%); Ability to discuss specific topics (20%); Ability to go into specific details (15%).