73741 - Food Chemistry and Chemistry of Antioxidants

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students will be familiar with the radical reactions involved in the oxidation of organic materials and on the main mechanisms for antioxidant protection. The student will know the main classes of natural and synthetic antioxidants and the structure-activity relationships for antioxidant behavior. He/She will have developed a critical attitude in the evaluation of a potential antioxidant. The student will know the main methods to test the antioxidant activity in model systems, either chemical or biomimetic.

Course contents

Module 1: Food Chemistry

At the end of the course the student will be familiar with the properties and chemical transformation of main food products and their constituents. Particularly the student will be familiar with the transformations associated with food cooking and storage, and their impact on the nutritional value associated to the different components. the student will also receive practical lab-based training on food analysis concerning the content of fats, carbohydrates, proteins and on common contaminants.

Topics

Compounds arising from transformation of nutrients, chemical contaminations, food additives.

Interactions among components. Degradation and stability of food.

Tips on main food sophistications.

Discussion of main food products:

1) milk, yogurt, cheese;

2) eggs, meat, fish;

3) vegetal oils and fats,

4) cereals, vegetables and fruits;

5) fermented drinks.

 

Chemistry of antioxidants

At the end of the course the student will be familiar with radical reactions leading to oxidation of organic matter and with the main mechanisms of antioxidant activity. He/she will know the main classes of natural and synthetic antioxidants and their structure-activity relationships. The student will have developed a critical attitude in evaluating a compound as potential antioxidant. The student will be informed and the main methods to study the activity of antioxidants in a model system, be it chemical or biomimetic.

Program

- Structure and properties of free radicals. Main radical reactions. Chain-reactions, the autoxidation process. Mechanism of autoxidation of main organic substrates and their kinetic aspects.

- Classification of antioxidants: mechanism of interference with the autoxidation. Preventive antioxidants, chain-breaking antioxidants, other antioxidants. Indirect antioxidant activity in biological systems.

- Kinetic aspects of the antioxidant activity: how effective is an antioxidant?

- Chain breaking antioxidants: main structural cores (phenols, amines, thiols, enols, hydroxylamines, sulphenic and selenenic acids). Structure-activity relationships.

- Examples of natural antioxidants of major interest in human nutrition and health (vitamin E, vitamin C, bioflavonoids, uric acid, glutathione, allicine, essential oils, etc.)

-Polyphenols

- Main methods to study antioxidant and measure their efficacy. Model systems.

Readings/Bibliography

Food Chemistry: Patrizia Cappelli, Vanna Vannucchi, Chimica degli Alimenti, III edizione, Zanichelli, (2011).

Chemistry of antioxidants: lecture's notes.

Teaching methods

Front teaching in classrom.

Study in depth of two specific topics, about the two parts of the course. Preparation of a power-point presentation to be shown to the class before the end of the course. The presentations are based on scientific literature provided by the teacher.

Assessment methods

At the end of both of the two parts of the course, students will prepare a presentation.

The final mark will be determined on the basis of the following parameters:

1) care and commitment in the preparation of the presentations;

2) interest toward the presentation of the classmates;

Teaching tools

Copy of the slides used during classes and notes from the lectures.

Office hours

See the website of Riccardo Amorati