The University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo announced their commitment to a Raw Milk and Cheese course, taking one year to complete, commencing in January 2021. This announcement was made during the very popular September 2019 Slow Food Cheese #2019 event in Bra, Italy. Both the University and Slow Food promote a foodie culture, agroecology and food sovereignty. Students will get to know the entire dairy chain in detail.
“The history of dairy and cheese production is ancient, and inseparably linked to the relationship between people, animals and the environment,” explains Maria Piochi, the course organizer. “With the advent of industrialization, the dairy chain has been standardized, diminishing the strength and relevance of traditional knowledge. The biodiversity of cheeses must be defended and passed down, without forgetting that its protection requires study and the activity of industry professionals.”
"Structured according the holistic approach of the University, for the first time a Master’s degree will be divided into four thematic modules. Starting with animals, and their wellbeing, to their zootechnical characteristics and their habitat, the course then covers the phases of milk production, processing into cheese and other dairy products. There’ll of course be particular attention paid to the final part of the process: the sale of the product, and consumer perceptions of the enormous variety of existing products."