03596 - Food Chemistry

Course contents

Prerequisites:
Basic competences of organic chemistry.

Objectives:
 
i) to understand the aim and the relevance of analytical procedures for the food quality control (classroom) with application of specific operative protocols (SOP, Standard Operating Procedure) ii) to acquire the manual skill necessary for the developing of basic analytical procedures (chemical laboratory) iii) to learn appropriate capacities of synthesis and discussion of results obtained during pratical applications (computer classroom) with reference to legal limits or data from scientific literature.
 
Teaching plan:
Section 1. Characteristics and properties of macro-components of food (water, carbohydrates, proteins, lipids).
Section 2. Main chemical modifications that occur during technological processes and storage of food (oxidation and reduction of sugars, Maillard reactions, acrylamide formation, hydrolysis and oxidation of lipids).
Section 3. Micro-components of food, characteristics and proprieties of molecules responsible for color, texture, aroma and taste; general concepts on food additives.
Section 4. Teorethical explanations and practical applications of analitical determinations useful for quality and authenticity definitions of beverages and vegetal and animal food.

Readings/Bibliography

Books of Food Chemistry:
P. Cabras, A. Martelli, "Chimica degli alimenti“, Ed. Piccin (Padova), 2004.
P. Cappelli, V. Vannucchi, “Chimica degli Alimenti”, Ed. Zanichelli (Bologna), terza edizione, 2005.
T. P. Coultate, “La Chimica degli Alimenti”, Ed. Zanichelli (Bologna), 2005.

For topic concerning the analytical chemistry:
Harris D. C. “Chimica Analitica Quantitativa”, Zanichelli (2005)

Teaching methods

Theorical lessons and practical experiences in laboratory.

Assessment methods

Learning examination is based on a written test organized in three parts, two organized in specific questions relative to analytical protocols and one concerning a specific topic of the teaching programs, each one can rich ten points as maximum score. During the official exam sessions, an oral discussion on the same topics will be realized to assign the final grade of the module of Food Chemistry. The grade for the integrated course of Chemical Analysis of Food products  will be calculated as mean value of scores reached in the the two modules of Food Chemistry and Food Analysis.

Teaching tools

Lessons in presence: slide projector; practical applications in chemical laboratory and computer classroom.

Office hours

See the website of Alessandra Bendini