Ateneo - UPO

- Regulatory framework in Europe and Italy (food supplements, botanicals, novel foods, food enriched with vitamins and minerals, labelling, nutritional and health claims) - Bioactivity and bioactive compounds - Nutraceutical and nutrigenetic/nutrigenomic studies: cases study - Bioactive compounds: cases study - Botanicals - Food supplements: classification - Claims: examples of labels - Sustainable alternative techniques for extraction/fractionation/sanitization; formulation strategies - Bioaccessibility and bioavailability - Food and ingredient design: strategies.

The slides and material used during the course will be provided by the Teacher. Web sites (EFSA, Italian Health Ministry, EU) .

The course aims to complete the skills related to the knowledge in Food Area. The themes correlated to the bioactivity of natural compounds from foods, especially those already used in the formulation of food supplements and functional foods, the regulatory framework regarding these products, the “claims” of food and food supplements as well as the botanicals criticisms will be the core subject of the Course. Some case studies (from EFSA data base) and some labels will be discussed in class, in order to improve the knowledge of students in this area.

We recommend the acquisition of knowledge about the courses of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Food Products, Products for particular nutrition and new services in Pharmacy.

The teaching method used provides lessons on the main topics of the field, completed by the discussion of particular case studies. The discussion of the case studies, aimed at concretizing the student's understanding of the issues in question by critically, will allow the student to independently apply the acquired notions. Specific seminars may be organized in collaboration with teachers and industry experts.

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 the topics. 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.

Assessment is based on a written exam covering the course topics. The exam consists of a series of multiple-choice questions (1 point each for a correct answer, no points deducted for an incorrect answer) and two open-ended questions (8 points each), to which the student must provide concise but complete answers. The multiple-choice questions, as well as the "open-ended" questions, cover various sections of the course. The open-ended questions may also include a critical discussion of a supplement/food label in relation to the topics covered.

Regulatory framework in Europe and Italy (food supplements, botanicals, novel foods, food enriched with vitamins and minerals, labelling, nutritional and health claims) Definition of the bioactivity of some compounds (also those obtained from wastes/by-products and biomasses), useful to design and formulate new ingredients, foods (included food for peculiar use), functional foods or food supplements. Discussion of some nutraceutical- and nutrigenetic/nutrigenomic-based studies. Examples of bioactive compounds from plants, fungi, animal, microalgae, prebiotics and probiotics. Botanicals and regulatory framework. Classification of food supplements (discussion about different classes for different health targets). Examples of health claims and claims for botanicals (case studies). Examples of labelling and criticisms. Discussion about sustainable alternative techniques for the extraction/fractionation/sanitization; formulation strategies (e.g. microencapsulation). Bioaccessibility and bioavailability and test for their measurement (INFOGEST, SHIME; CACO2, in vitro, in vivo methods). Food and ingredient design: new strategies for the calories reduction, reduction of sucrose, reduction of salt, reductio of lipids. Valorization of “new ingredients”. Functional foods and enriched foods: examples of labelling and discussion of some claims. Food supplements formulation. Shelf life assessment. 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 advanced and specific knowledge on functional foods, novel foods, botanicals and food supplements, reaching a critical view of this area. He will also know in detail the regulatory framework related to labeling, food supplements, enriched foods and botanicals, at national and European level. Finally, the student will be able to manage the labeling and the understanding of the nutritional and health claims, to complete the concepts related to the classes followed in the “food” area, beside the improvement of the knowledge about the food supplement/functional food design as well as the evaluation of its intrinsic quality.