Samples are sent to the students before the course.
1st Lesson
- Definition, history and development of sensory analysis
- Physiology of the senses. Vocabulary: terms to be used to define the various senses
- Perception, identification and description of visual, olfactory, gustatory and tactile senses
- Creation of sensory analysis panels, the use of tasting forms
- Training part: cured meat guided tasting (products are sent to the students before the course; the tasting session will be guided remotely by a Maestro Assaggiatore).
2nd Lesson
- Swine breeding and feeding, importance of genetic selection
- Organic breeding. The autochthonous breeds.
- Slaughter
- Classification of cuts and their use in cured meat productions
- Training part: guided tasting of cured meat.
3rd Lesson
- Raw materials for cured meats production: physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics
- Chemical additives
- Microbiological starters
- Training part: guided tasting of cured meat.
4th Lesson
- Different categories of cured meats: commodity and technological characteristics
- Baked ham
- Mortadella
- Frankfurter
- Training part: guided tasting of cured meat.
5th Lesson
- PDO, PGI and PAT (Traditional Agri-Food Products) products
- Raw salami: technological hints
- Raw ham
- Capocollo
- Pancetta
- Lard
- Training part: guided tasting of cured meat.
-
Lessons usually take place throughout a weekend.
The cost of the course is 113 euros plus the annual membership fee (37 euros) and the shipping costs for teaching materials and samples.