Program Overview

MICOLOGIA DELLA DIETA MEDITERRANEA

Course Description

The course "MICOLOGIA DELLA DIETA MEDITERRANEA" (Mycology of the Mediterranean Diet) is part of the University's offerings, focusing on the study of fungi, their role in natural systems, and their use in various fields, particularly in the alimentary sector. The course aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the importance, use, and nutritional value of different types of fungi in the Mediterranean diet.

Objectives and Contents

The course objectives include:

• Acquiring the fundamentals of mycology, including morphological, metabolic, reproductive, trophic, and ecological characteristics of fungi.
• Knowing microfungi (molds) present in various foods and traditional products of the Mediterranean diet, both for positive and negative aspects.
• Learning to identify, based on main morphological characters, edible macrofungi (including hypogeous fungi) and toxic macrofungi, to avoid mycetism problems and food fraud.
• Recognizing the value contributed to the Mediterranean diet by the consumption and use of different fungal forms.
• Understanding the main aspects related to the production and transformation chains of cultivated and spontaneous fungi (including hypogeous fungi) and current regulations.

Prerequisites

Knowledge of general biology is required.

Teaching Methods

The course consists of frontal lessons, laboratory activities, and thematic seminars delivered through multimedia presentations, both in-person and via video recordings (synchronous and asynchronous). Attendance at lessons is highly recommended. Practical activities take place in equipped classrooms with microscopes and specific instruments.

Program/Content

The course program includes the presentation and discussion of the following topics:

• Brief history of mycology and its relations with botany; hints at the most famous fungal poisonings in history.
• General characteristics of fungal organisms (including lichenized fungi): structure and ultrastructure, growth, differentiation. Modalities of sexual and asexual reproduction. Nutrition. General aspects of metabolism. Factors influencing fungal development.
• Role of fungi in natural systems. Ecological strategies. Mutualistic and pathosistic symbioses.
• Criteria for the identification and illustration of the main edible, toxic, spontaneous, and cultivated macrofungi used in the Mediterranean diet.
• Organoleptic characteristics and nutritional value of macrofungi. Mycotoxicology of macrofungi. Hints of mycological inspection and current regulations in Italy to protect human health and consumers for the collection, production, and trade of edible fungi, both spontaneous and cultivated.
• Criteria for the identification and illustration of the main microfungi involved in contamination and spoilage phenomena of food and zootechnical products. Generalities on mycotoxicoses and factors predisposing to fungal contamination and subsequent development of mycotoxins in food.
• Methods of prevention, control, and fight against the most common fungal contaminations of food and production laboratories.
• Main food transformations due to fungi (dairy products, alcoholic beverages, mycoproteins, fungal rennet, etc.).

Texts/Bibliography

Available (downloadable from Aulaweb for students enrolled in the course) are slides of lessons in PDF format, plus other material in PDF format (scientific articles and online texts) in Italian, English, French, and Spanish.

Some texts for further study:

• DEACON W.B., 2005. Fungal Biology. Blackwell Publishing. 420 p.
• BOCCARDO F., TRAVERSO M., VIZZINI A., ZOTTI M., 2008. – Guida ai funghi d'Italia. Zanichelli Editore, Bologna. 620 p.
• ZOTTI M., TRAVERSO M., BOCCARDO F., 2006. – Funghi di Liguria. Marco Sabatelli Editore, Savona. 159 p.
• ZOTTI M., 2024. – I tartufi di Liguria. Marco Sabatelli Editore, Savona. 156 p.

Teachers and Commissions

MIRCA ZOTTI

Exam

The exam consists of an oral test during which the student will have to answer questions regarding the topics covered in the lessons and laboratory activities.

Exam Modalities

The oral exam will focus on the topics treated during the frontal lessons and laboratory activities. The purpose is to evaluate the degree of learning, autonomy, language property, and synthesis ability achieved by the student.

Calendar of Appeals

• 22/01/2026, 14:30, GENOVA, Oral
• 05/02/2026, 14:30, GENOVA, Oral
• 17/06/2026, 14:30, GENOVA, Oral
• 02/07/2026, 14:30, GENOVA, Oral
• 29/07/2026, 14:30, GENOVA, Oral
• 15/09/2026, 14:30, GENOVA, Oral

Other Information

Constant and regular attendance at lessons is strongly recommended.