24207 - Analysis of Foods

Course contents

Introduction of the teacher, explanation on aims and topics, timing of lessons, modality of the final exam.

The course is splitted in three activities:

PART A (in classroom), lessons on objectives, analytical procedures and data elaboration of specific operative protocols (SOP, Standard Operating Procedure) for the quality analysis of foodstuffs.

PART B (in chemical laboratory), practical training on specific analytical determinations based on the SOP explained during theoretical lessons.

PARTE C (in computer classroom), elaboration of data obtained during practice exercises and preparation of a brief text to comment the results.

Topics of the course program:

General concepts on the food quality with examples from scientific literature. The Standard Operative Procedure (SOP).

Introduction to the analytical problem, basic concepts on the validation of an analytical method, titrimetric, spectrophotometric and chromatographic approaches.

Explanations on specific analytical determination of potable/mineral water. Practical training on quality parameters: determination of calcium and magnesium salts content (by titration); nitrates by enzimatic test. Elaboration of data, report and comments.

Explanations on specific analytical determination of wine and fruit juice. Practical training on quality parameters: determination of the total polyphenols content by spettrofotometric assay and building of a calibration curve with gallic acid; iodimetric titration of ascorbic acid in fruit juice. Elaboration of data, report and comments.

Explanations on specific analytical determination of milk and honey. Practical training on quality parameters: determination of lactose content in milk (by titration); determination of the total acidity of honey (by titration); determination of proline by spectrophotometric assay. Elaboration of data, report and comments.   

Explanations on specific analytical determination of tomato products. Practical training on quality parameters: extraction of licopene in tomato products and spectrophotometric determination. Elaboration data, report and comments.

Explanations on specific analytical determination of vegetable oils. Practical training on quality parameters: determination of the free acidity (by titration); specific extinctions in UV by spectrophotometric test; determination of peroxide number (by titration); transmethylation procedure for the GC analysis of fatty acid composition. Elaboration of data, report and comments.

Readings/Bibliography

Cabras P., Tuberoso C., "Analisi dei Prodotti Alimentari" Ed. Piccin (Padova), 2013.

Harris D. C. "Chimica Analitica Quantitativa", Zanichelli, 2005.

Teaching methods

Theorical lessons and practical experiences in chemical and computer laboratories.

Assessment methods

Learning examination is based on an oral discussion on the total programme with specific questions on the reports prepared by the student during practical in lab. 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 (6 CFU) and Food Analysis (3 CFU).

Teaching tools

Lessons in presence: slide projector and electronic form of slides; practical applications in chemical laboratory and computer classroom.

Office hours

See the website of Alessandra Bendini