24207 - Analysis of Foods

Learning outcomes

At the end of the teaching, the student knows the main correlations between food products, their composition, and their production technology in relation to their quality. The aim is to put the student in a position to intervene in the production chain to regulate the desired quality of food products in any future area of expertise. The student is able to address the evaluation of the quality of a food product, in relation to the main effects of the phases of the entire production chain.

Course contents

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

The course is splitted in two different activities (each one of approximatelu 15 hours):

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

PART B in chemical laboratory (10 SOP), practical training on specific analytical determinations based on the SOP explained during theoretical lessons.

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 enzymatic test.

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

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.

Explanations on specific analytical determination of tomato products. Practical training on quality parameters: extraction of licopene in tomato products and spectrophotometric determination.

Explanations on specific analytical determination of vegetable oils. Practical training on quality parameters: determination of peroxide number (by titration); transmethylation procedure for the GC analysis of fatty acid composition.

Readings/Bibliography

Electronic version (pdf) of lessons is furnished by teacher (Virtual Learning Environment platform).

For consultation/detailed study on Food Analysis topics: Cabras P., Tuberoso C., "Analisi dei Prodotti Alimentari" Ed. Piccin (Padova), 2014.

For consultation/detailed study on Analytical Chemistry topics: Harris D. C. "Chimica Analitica Quantitativa", Zanichelli, 2005.

Teaching methods

Theoretical lessons and practical experiences in chemical laboratory.

Attendance at lectures and practice exercises is not mandatory but is recommended as it promotes learning through active participation in discussions, the acquisition of practical examples, and the opportunity for direct clarification with the instructor on more complex content.

The certification of health and safety training (module 1 and module 2 in e-learning mode plus module 3) is requested to students participating in praticals in labs.

Assessment methods

The knowledge and skills taught in this course (total programme with specific questions on the practical experiences in lab) will be evaluated by

1. a written test (by EOL system) with 10 multi-choices questions in 12 minutes (1 point for each correct answer, the test is passed if at least 6 points are reached);

2. an oral examination (if the student passes the written test), the evaluation of the exam is based on criteria such as knowledge of the program content, the ability to apply acquired concepts to case studies, critical analysis skills, the ability to make logical-deductive connections between topics, the use of correct language and appropriate technical terminology, and in-depth knowledge of a topic through the study of proposed supplementary materials.

The grade for the integrated course of Chemical and Sensory Analysis of Food products will be calculated as mean value of scores reached in the Food Analysis (3 CFU), in the Food Chemistry Module 1 (3 CFU) and in the Food Chemistry Module 2 (3 CFU).

The teacher responsible for the registration of the grade is the Prof. Tullia Gallina Toschi.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

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

Office hours

See the website of Alessandra Bendini