Food, nutrition, sustainability, and well-being. The “MED-IN-ITALY” Experience

MODULE I – INTRODUCTORY CONCEPTS

• • The Domains of Human Nutrition (basic, applied, clinical): definition and aims

  • Guidelines on terminology in Human Nutrition

MODULE II – NUTRITIONAL BIOCHEMISTRY

• • Macronutrients (carbohydrates) and dietary fibers

  • Macronutrients (Proteins)

  • Macronutrients (Lipids)

  • Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and water

  • Metabolism and its regulation

  • Integration of Metabolism

  • Metabolic fate of carbohydrates

  • Metabolic fate of lipids

  • Metabolic fate of aminoacids

MODULE III – PHYSIOLOGY AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY IN HUMAN NUTRITION

• • Nutrition and pregnancy

  • Nutrition and breastfeeding

  • Nutrition and aging

  • Nutrition in childhood and adolescence

MODULE IV – FOOD CATEGORIES

• • Cereals and legumes

  • Fats and oils

  • Milk and dairy products

  • Meat and derivatives

  • Fish and derivatives

  • Eggs and derivatives

  • Alcoholic Beverages

  • Honey and Artificial Honey

  • Coffee, Tea, Cocoa

  • Vegetables, fruits and tubers

  • Sweeteners, condiments and spices

  • Food additives and Food contaminants

  • Functional foods (Probiotic, prebiotic and symbiotic foods) and fortified foods

  • Novel foods

  • Antioxidants

  • Dietary/nutraceutical supplements

  • Foods for special medical purposes

  • Foods intended for infants and young children in early childhood

MODULE V – FOOD SAFETY, SECURITY AND QUALITY

• • The concepts of food safety, security and quality

  • Protecting the Italian market from the entry of counterfeit or "Italianised" food products

  • Quality and food safety control: the Italian model

  • Adoption of good reference practices, Accredia system, documented quality management system

  • Food labelling: nutritional aspects

  • Food labelling and the origin of country on products

  • Genetically modified foods and food safety

MODULE VI – ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OF A SUSTAINABLE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN

• • Global and Local Food Systems: Impacts on Human Health and Sustainability

  • Design Thinking for Healthy and Sustainable Nutrition

  • Agriculture and food systems

  • The three dimensions of sustainability: socio-cultural, environmental impact and economic development

  • Sustainability for GI products in relation to the new (EU) Reg. n. 2024/1143

  • Plant and animal production systems

  • Food supply chain: “The Italian job”

  • Fruits and vegetables

  • Cereals and legumes

  • Olive oil

  • Dairy products

  • Meat

  • Fish

  • Grapes and wines

  • The Sustainable Development Goals: Guidelines for healthy eating and nutrition policies

  • Strategies to combat obesity and chronic diseases: an overview of national and international nutrition policies and their impact on public health

MODULE VII – THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET AS A MODEL OF A HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE PATTERN

• • Mediterranean diet components and their characteristics:

    • Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

    • Legumes, cereals, and nuts

    • Fruits and vegetables

    • Dairy products

    • Fish

    • Wine

    • Herbs, spices, garlic and onions

  • Mediterranean Diet Pyramid and food combination

  • Mediterranean diet and transcriptomics, metabolomics, epigenomics and genomics

  • Impact of Mediterranean Diet on healthy aging and longevity

  • Mediterranean lifestyle: combined effects of diet and physical activity on public health

  • The environmental impact of Mediterranean diet

  • Mediterranean vs non-Mediterranean diets: analogies and diversities considering risks, benefits and environmental impact

MODULE VIII – THE FIVE “S” OF THE ITALIAN WAY-OF-EATING

• • Sustainability: low environmental impacts

  • Seasonality: seasonal consumption of fresh, local and traditional products and respect of the plant life cycle

  • Safety/Security: the impact of Italian way-of-eating on the epidemiology of NCDs

  • Superiority: richness in biodiversity, taste and culinary tradition

  • Sociality: conviviality, high sociocultural food values and positive local economic returns

MODULE IX – ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN SOURCES AND MUSCLE METABOLISM IN HEALTH AND DISEASE

• • Animal and vegetable proteins elicited different plasma aminoacidemia

  • How to overcome imbalances in plant-based foods: the complementation between different vegetable proteins

  • Italian legumes-based recipes for promoting muscle mass synthesis

  • Protein isolates from plants for sustainable nutrition in health and disease

MODULE X – ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN SOURCES IN KIDNEY DISEASE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

• • Protein intake and CKD

  • The impact of animal proteins on kidney function

  • The benefits of a plant-based diet in kidney disease

  • The MED-REN Diet: an Italian model for Kidney Disease

MODULE XI – JOURNALISM, SOCIAL MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION

• • The Mediterranean diet as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

  • Mediterranean diet in local tradition and history

  • Implementing Mediterranean diet in everyday life worldwide

  • Promotion and enhancement of short supply chain: territories, companies and products

  • How to defend Made in Italy food products (European quality marks)

  • The protection of quality food abroad and on the web (evocation, usurpation, Italian sounding)

  • IT, artificial intelligence and nutrition in health and disease

MODULE XII – SUSTAINABLE FOOD CATERING

• • Designing a sustainable menu: the role of seasonal, local and traditional productions in school, corporate, and hospital catering menu design

  • The choice of PDO/PGI and organic products in the menu for collectives

  • Mediterranean diet recipes to reduce the environmental impact of food catering

  • Transparent menu communication and consumer education programs

  • Efficient use of water and energy and consumption monitoring

  • Optimization of cooking cycles in foodservice

  • Techniques for reducing waste

  • Environmentally friendly, recyclable, reusable and biodegradable materials

  • The role of food catering and large-scale retail trade in consumer education programs