66044 - Chemistry And Technology Of Oils, Fats And Their Derivatives

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will have the basic knowledge about the production and processing technologies of fats and oils, as well as the degradation problems due to processing and storage. The student will be ble to critically evaluate the diverse technologies and the consequent chemical and physico-chemical modifications on oils and fats.

Course contents

1. Composition of oils and fats

2. The oil and fat industry in Italy and the rest of the world: production and marketing

3. Chemical reactions related to lipid stability

       3.1 Lipolysis

       3.2 Oxidation

4. Oil and fat sources

5. Storage and transport of oleaginous seeds

6. Seed preparation before oil extraction

7. Oil extraction

8. Oil refining

9. Packaging, storage and distribution of edible oils and fats

10. Modified oils and fats: hydrogenation, fractionation, interesterification and organogel

11. Margarine technology

12. Co-products and by-products of the oil and fat industry

13. Lipid analysis

14. Case studies of oil and fat utilization/application: frying and chocolate

15. Future perspectives for the oil and fat industry

Readings/Bibliography

It is not necessary to buy specific textbooks: the teaching material will be provided to students through Virtuale.

 

Consultation textbooks:

- Capella P., Fedeli E., Bonaga G., Lercker G., Manuale degli Oli e dei Grassi, Tecniche Nuove, Milano, 1997.

- Cappelli P., Vannucchi V., Principi di Chimica degli Alimenti. Conservazione. Trasformazione. Normativa, Zanichelli, Bologna, 2015.

- Damodaran S., Parkin, K. L., Fennema O. R. Fennema's Food Chemistry , 4th ed., CRC Press, USA, 2007.

- Guardiola F., Dutta P.C., Codony R., Savage G. P. Cholesterol and Phytosterol Oxidation Products: Analysis, Occurrence, and Biological Effects. AOCS Press, Champaign (Illinois), 2002.

- http://www.efsa.europa.eu/

- http://lipidlibrary.aocs.org/

- http://www.lipidhome.co.uk/

- Specific scientific articles for the different topics.

Teaching methods

- Theoretical lessons.
- Practical group soft-skill exercise about valorization of by-products deriving from the extraction or refining of oils/fats, with a final powerpoint presentation by each working group.
- Seminars with sectors' experts.

Assessment methods

In-person learning verification can be carried out in two ways:

a) Two written partial exams, of 2-h duration each. The tests are structured with 40% multiple choice questions and sentence completition, and 60% open questions about the program topics; each of these written exams should be passed with a mark of 18/30 at least. In case the student is not satisfied with the grade of this test, he/she can perform an oral examination, which will focus on the mistakes/lacks of the written test. The mark of the single partial exams is valid for only one year.

b) One written exam of 3-h duration. The test is structured with 40% multiple choice questions and sentence completition, and 60% open questions about the program topics; the written exam should be passed with a mark of 18/30 at least. In case the student is not satisfied with the grade of this test, he/she can perform an oral examination, which will focus on the mistakes/lacks of the written test.

The tests aim at verifying the acquisition of the knowledge covered in the course syllabus, as well as the overall mindset and skills acquired by the student in dealing with such topics.

Teaching tools

- Text books, published articles, materials used during lessons, video, databases, websites, search engines, literature search techniques.
- Lab session on analytical methods for the evalutaion of frying oil quality.
- Visit to an industry related to the edible fat/oil sector.

Office hours

See the website of Maria Teresa Rodriguez Estrada