82296 - Enzymes In Food Technology

Academic Year 2022/2023

  • Docente: Romana Fato
  • Credits: 4
  • SSD: BIO/10
  • Language: Italian

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the students are expected to understand and be able to control the enzymatic reactions that influence the food processing with enphasis on their applications to increase yield and quality in production or enhance product properties.

Course contents

1. Introduction.

  • significance of enzymes in food systems. Nature of enzymes and definitions of enzyme activity. Measurement of enzyme activity.
  • Fundamentals of enzyme kinetics: units, mechanism of action. Effects of: pH, ionic strength, temperature, pressure; inhibition. Determination of Km and Vmax.

2. Enzyme localization, compartmentalization, and significance to food quality.

  • Role of enzymes in the color, flavor, and texture of food.
  • Carbohydrate-dependent enzymes; Protein-dependent enzymes and Lipid-dependent enzymes.
  • Factors that affect enzyme activity in natural food systems.
  • Effects of processing on enzyme activity.
  • Role of enzymes in climacteric fruits (ripening and senescence)

3. Enzymes used by the food industry.

  • Use of enzymes in food analysis.
  • Use of enzymes in food processing

4. Purification of soluble and membrane enzymes.

  • Extraction and purification methods.
  • Introduction on enzyme production by recombinant DNA technology.

5. Immobilized enzymes.

  • immobilized enzymes bioreactors
  • Enzymes as biosensors

Readings/Bibliography

The student will be provided with material used for the lectures

Teaching methods

lectures

Practical theoretical exercises through the use of software for virtual laboratories: Protein purification software and  Enz Lab (enzyme kinetics simulation software)

Assessment methods

 

Assessment method.

 

Each student  must present a dissertation paper in which he will describe an innovative technique that involves the use of an enzyme in a process of industrial food transformation.The dissertation  should be developed and characterized with an emphasis on the principles of food enzymology. Each student is responsible for a oral presentation and for a typed written report. The oral and written reports should consist of an introduction, proposed methods, potential problems, alternative approaches, discussion, and bibliography.

The oral report should be presented in a professional manner using computer projections.

The clarity in exposure and the ownership of scientific language used will contribute to the evaluation of excellence

Teaching tools

power point slides and softwares

Office hours

See the website of Romana Fato