Ateneo - UPO

- Chemistry of amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates and lipids: deepening on the peculiarities correlated to the food area
- Vitamins, minerals and polyphenols
- Definitions: food product, ingredient, processed food, regulatory framework
- Food products interest in Pharma area
- Chemical composition of foods: (principal and minor compounds)
- Bioactive compounds in foods and nutraceutics: examples from plant, animal and fungal foods
- Bio-proteins from microbial source, fungi and algae
- Definition of NOAEL and DGA, toxicological studies and Risk Assessment
- Improvement agents (food additives, enzymes, flavouring compounds): classification and case studies
- Food contaminants: classification and case studies
- Residues in foods: plant protection products, pesticides and veterinary drugs
- The food significance in modern nutrition
- Biological detoxification mechanisms (overview)

- Slides used in the course, provided by the Teacher
- Official Journal of the European Union
- Belitz, Grosch, Schieberle “Food Chemistry”, Ed. Springer (IV Edition) 2009

The course aims to provide basic knowledge concerning) i) basic chemical knowledge on molecules and macromolecules in foods, also concerning vitamins, minerals, polyphenols and other minor compounds; ii)the chemical composition and nutritional value of the food and iii) the knowledge on chemistry and usefulness of the main food additives, processing aids, flavourings and enzymes. Moreover, the course will take into account v) the main contaminants (natural and induced by technology) and residues (veterinary drugs/pesticides) in foods also describing their chemical structures, toxicological aspects and the "food risk" correlated to their presence in diet. Another aim will be to transfer a general basic knowledge on the regulatory framework in food and nutrition area.
Particular emphasis will be given to the description of the main bioactive compounds in "functional foods” and ingredients used in the dietary supplements and in "nutraceuticals", in order to provide the student a broad knowledge in the field.
The knowledge gained from the course will be useful to the student to manage the use and the analysis of functional foods, dietetics for particular use and food supplements.
Final aim of this course is to give to the student autonomy in evaluation of the quality of foods through the acquired knowledge. Critically applying this knowledge, the student will be able to manage the use/suggest foods, improving the capacity to critically employ in modern nutrition conventional foods, functional foods and food supplements.

We recommend the acquisition of preliminary knowledge related to the courses of
Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry; fundamental for the understanding of the lessons of this course.

The teaching method will provide lessons held by the teacher, completed by the discussion of specific case studies. Specific seminars may be organized in collaboration with teachers and industry experts. The lessons will be delivered in person; the attendance will be assessed using EasyBadge.

Considering the complexity of the theme as well as the high interest of industry (or regulatory board) towards this field, the teacher will try to discuss deeply the case studies, discussing the most critical sides of the themes in an interactive way with the class. Questions or suggestions by the students will be welcomed, in order to deeply discuss together the case studies. The course takes time to study in addition to the lessons, in order to improve the capacity to manage this field deepening on the topics. This course is a part of the Course "FOOD CHEMISTRY, BASIC PRINCIPLES OF FOOD TECHNOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY". All the arguments are complementary to the course of "Food Chemistry and Biotechnology" and with "Basic principles of Food Technology". Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities. Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The assessment of learning will be carried out by oral examination; the exam focuses on the topics covered in the course: one question will cover the first part of the course (nutrients, chemical composition of foods), one the second part of the course (additives, flavorings and enzymes) and one the third part of the course (contaminants and residues). The questions envisage and require a critical description of the topics covered during the course, requiring all possible links between the topics covered as well as links to other topics covered within the courses in the "food" and "nutrition" area to be clarified.

Food chemistry role in food composition definition. Food, ingredients, processed foods: definitions under the regulatory field (European and National level). Food categories; classification of foods. Food nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins, mineral salts: a chemical view. Other compounds of physiological/nutritional interest: polyphenols. Principal reactions of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and polyphenols. Basic knowledge on nutrients and their occurrence in foods: what, where, why. Basic knowledge on food composition (chemical and biochemical profile): plant-derived food; juices, fruit jelly and confitures; cereals and derived products; alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages; fats and oils; milk and derived products; meat, fish and derived products; honey; water. Novel sustainable sources of foods: aquaculture, plant-derived sources, microalgae, fungi, insects. Biochemical processes in foods; food spoilage. Food preservation and shelf life. Food industry and processing: impact of processing on foods. Maillard’s Reactions; lipid oxidation. Food labelling, novel foods, food supplements and botanicals: regulatory field and product examples. Nutraceutical approach in nutrition. Processing aids; food additives, food enzymes (other than those used as food additives), flavorings and certain food ingredients with flavoring properties: chemical aspects, use and regulatory facts. Adverse reactions in foods: food allergies and intolerances. Food allergens, labelling and risks. Coeliac disease and modern nutrition. Risk assessment and risk exposure. Anti-nutrients; food contaminants and residues: definitions. Examples of natural occurring, technological-derived and environmental contaminants; examples of residues in foods. Endocrine disruptors. Overall and critical discussion about foods, food composition, nutrition and toxicological exposure/risk. Gender mainstreaming: approaches to grant equal benefits in actions and activities for women and mens and for eliminating gender inequalities, also giving practical examples and selected cases study.

At the end of the course the student must demonstrate the acquisition of basic knowledge, as well as specific and advanced knowledge relating to the composition of foods and food supplements, and the relative regulatory framework. Furthermore, it will have to demonstrate a deep knowledge about the criticisms correlated to the food additives, the enzymes and the flavorings, as well as to know the main food contaminants. The student will be able to plan the use of specific food in a diet for healthy people. Finally, the student must possess the knowledge necessary to define the nutritional and caloric profile of a food/food supplement, in addition to the other teachings acquired in the food area.
The student must know how to expose the topics with appropriate technical language, interfacing with other professional figures (principally food and pharmaceutical technologists, but also medical doctors and dieticians).