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

The course is divided in two modules held by two teachers: Food Chemistry (F. Scarponi) and Chemistry of Antioxidants (R. Amorati).

Each module corresponds to 4 UFC and has distinct evaluation process to attribute the total value of 8 UFC.

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.

Program of Food Chemistry

Classes (18 hours):

Water, micro and macro elements. Lipids, Sugars, Proteins and Vitamins.

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

Interactions among components. Degradation and stability of food. Primary and secondary antioxidants. Antioxidant food products.

Tips on main food sophistications and discussion of main food products: milk and derivatives, eggs, meat, fish, vegetal oils and fats, cereals and vegetables, fruits and fermented drinks.

Laboratory (12 hours): Preparation of a thesis on a choice of key topics concerning food chemistry. Use of specialised databases to collect information.

Module 2: 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 of chemistry of antioxidants

- 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.)

- Synergism in the antioxidant activity

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

- How to design new antioxidant systems.

Readings/Bibliography

Food Chemistry

One of the following textbooks:
- Paolo Cabras, Aldo Martinelli, Chimica degli Alimenti, Piccin Editore, (2004).
- Patrizia Cappelli, Vanna Vannucchi, Chimica degli Alimenti, III edizione, Zanichelli, (2011).

Chemistry of Antioxidants

- L. Valgimigli, D. A. Pratt; Antioxidants in Chemistry and Biology. In: Encyclopedia of Radicals in Chemistry, Biology and Materials, Wiley 2012, Vol. 3 Chapter 56, pag. 1623-1678

- Lectures' notes

Teaching methods

- Food Chemistry: front teaching in classroom and practical training in the lab on traditional titrations and instrumental analysis of food products
- Chemistry of Antioxidants: front teaching in classrom and critical discussion of the recent scientific literature

Assessment methods

Each module will be evaluated separately. The final mark will be determined from the average of the two evaluations.
- Food Chemistry: colloquium on two topics presented in the lectures and discussion of one of the written reports on lab's experiences
- Chemistry of Antioxidants: colloquium on the topics presented in the lectures

Teaching tools

Copy of the transparences and slides used during classes and notes from the lectures.
Copy of the scientific articles used to drive the discussion during classes.

Office hours

See the website of Riccardo Amorati

See the website of Franco Scarponi