B2958 - Food Chemistry and Nutraceuticals

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student has chemical-technological skills on functional foods, medicinal foods, food supplements and nutraceuticals. The course allows the student to deepen the chemical composition of secondary metabolites with particular attention to their nutraceutical properties. In particular, the student acquires knowledge on the mechanism of action prevalent in the methods of preparation of nutraceutical products.

Course contents

Function of foods. Classification of food principle and nutrients. Definition of nutraceutical.

Inorganic nutrients: water and minerals. Chemical-physical characteristics, food sources.

Nutrients of an organic nature:

Carbohydrates: classification, chemical-physical characteristics, main carbohydrates in foods. Carbohydrates as nutraceuticals.

Proteins: chemical-physical characteristics, proteins and amino acids in foods and their classification. Proteins as nutraceuticals.

Lipids: chemical-physical characteristics, classification, lipids in foods. Lipids as nutraceuticals.

Compositional Analysis of Foods

Sample preparation and analytical methods for macronutrients (lipids, proteins and amminoacids, carbohydrates and dietary fibers) and micronutrients as nutraceuticals (vitamins, polyphenols) in foods.

Total and selective determination and method validation. Targeted and untargeted analysis.

Practice problems and solutions

Readings/Bibliography

1. Slides and articles deposited on virtuale.unibo.it

2. “Analytical Characterization of Biotherapeutics”

Edited by Jennie R. Lill and Wendy Sandoval

2017. Wiley

Teaching methods

Lectures will be carried out with the support of common audio-visual means.

Assessment methods

Verification of learning is to ascertain the achievement of the teaching objectives:

- the ability to chemically discuss the main classes of macro and micro nutrients of foods and nutraceuticals

- the ability to apply acquired theoretical knowledge to food quality analysis and control;

- the ability to interpret and apply analytical methods, even instrumental ones, useful to the determine macro and micro nutrients of food.

Teaching tools

Theoretical lectures  in presence and videos

Office hours

See the website of Vincenza Andrisano

See the website of Maria Laura Bolognesi