The course aims to provide students with a solid and highly qualified scientific, professional and methodological training in the field of Food Chemistry, nutrition and nutraceuticals. Students will be able to perform high-level tasks and activities of analysis, organization, supervision, programming, development, management , with the aim of promoting and maintaining the good state of human health, operating in the various professional fields, from the health, to the industrial, to the regulatory one. Students will learn tecniques for the determination of the chemical composition of foods, functional foods, medical foods, food supplements; the relationship between food and nutraceuticals; which products conventionally are considered nutraceuticals. Students will learn the legislative processes that lead to the proposal of health claims of foods, functional foods, phytocomplexes, isolated active ingredients. At the end of the course, students will also have acquired skills related to the formulation of nutraceuticals and food supplements.

Introduction. Foods and nutrients. Foods. Energy balance. Regulatory aspects on the classification of foods, food supplements, functional foods, medical foods, novel foods. Definition of nutraceuticals and description of products that are classified within this definition. Procedures for the definition of health claims. Lipids. General, classification, fatty acids, essential fatty acids, trans fatty acids. Triglycerides, phospholipids, glycolipids, waxes, unsaponifiable fraction (hydrocarbons, tocopherols and tocotrienols, aliphatic alcohols, terpene and sterols). Chemical and nutritional properties of lipids. Reactions of lipids in foods: hydrogenation, isomerization, hydrolysis, oxidation Carbohydrates. Classification of carbohydrates: monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides. Stereochemistry, optical activity, monosaccharide nomenclature. Monosaccharides: reactivity, hemiacetal cyclic form, anomers, mutarotation. Main monosaccharides present in food: D (+) - glucose, D (-) - fructose, D (+) - galactose, L (-) -sorbose. Oligosaccharides: maltose, cellobiose, sucrose, lactose, trehalose. Polysaccharides: starches, cellulose, dextrins, glycogen, pectins. Dietary fiber. Proteins. Amino acids, peptides, proteins: structure, physico-chemical properties, classification. Nutritional properties, protein value of foods. Functional properties of proteins (emulsifying, moisturizing properties). Modifications of proteins in foods during technological treatments. Maillard reaction. Food supplements based on amino acids, potential clini8cal applications and risks. Phytocomplexes and secondary metabolites, flavonoids, hydrolysable tannins, condensed tannins, stilbenes, phytosterols. Botanicals - based nutraceuticals and food supplements. Food supplements: definition, composition, legislation, labeling, purpose and guidelines. Products aimed at an energy and vitamin integration. Products intended to replenish hydro-saline losses. Products aimed at the integration of proteins. Products aimed at the integration of amino acids and derivatives. Foods for special medical purposes: definition, composition, labeling legislation and some examples. Demarcation guidelines between food supplements and foods for special medical purposes. Foods intended for infants and young children.

Functional foods, "novel foods", enriched foods: definition and examples. Probiotic, prebiotic and symbiotic foods: definition, composition and examples. Nutraceutical food supplements: definition, composition and examples. The importance of in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies. Adjuvants low-calorie diets. Vitamins: chemical features, classification, functions and presence in foods. Vitamin supplements. Examples of substances present in foods of plant origin (vitamins E, C, A, carotenoids, phenolic derivatives, thiols and glutathione). Mineral elements of food interest. Supplements based on mineral salts. Rationale and applications

General and inorganic chemistry

D1 (knowledge and understanding): the student will have to show knowledge and understanding of the contents and concepts provided by the course, by answering specific questions, during the written and oral examinations.

D2 (applying knowledge and understanding): the student will have to be able to apply the knowledge and the logic acquired to formulate plausible hypotheses on the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic behavior of specific substances.

D3 (making judgements): the student will have to indicate the most appropriate molecule for therapeutic treatment of a disease, based on knowledge of the relationships between its physico-chemical characteristics, and the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic behavior.

D4 (communication skills): the student will have to show communication skills by formulating clear and comprehensible answers to the questions proposed, using, where necessary, the typical diagrams and the terminology of the mathematical, physical, chemical, biological, pharmacological and medical languages.

D5 (learning skills): the student will have to show learning skills necessary to undertake the study of subjects related to the course itself, and/or advanced ones.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Frontal Lessons and training questions

Attendance

Attendance is recommended, but not mandatory

Course books

L. Mannina, M. Daglia, A. Ritieni: La Chimica e gli alimenti: nutrienti ed aspetti nutraceutici, C.E.A. (2019)

E. Novellino, A. Santini, F. Aversano, Alimentazione 3.0. La nuova frontiera tra salute e sicurezza, Edagricole (2015)

Assessment

The exam is oral (lasting about 30-40 minutes) or written and it is aimed at ascertaining the level of knowledge and understanding reached by the students on the theoretical contents indicated in the program. Asked questions concern the main food components described in the program, with particular reference to chemical characteristics, nutritional, health properties, and legislative aspects as well as a critical evaluation of the health and nutritional claims claimed. Exposure skills and the ability to connect with other preparatory courses are also evaluated. The evaluation of the preparation takes into account four aspects: 1) Knowledge of the classes of food molecules; 2) knowledge of chemical structures; 3) reactivity and physical properties of the food molecules; 4) Exhibition skills and identification of relative examples.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

same as for attending students

Attendance

Attendance is recommended, but not mandatory

Course books

L. Mannina, M. Daglia, A. Ritieni: La Chimica e gli alimenti: nutrienti ed aspetti nutraceutici, C.E.A. (2019)

E. Novellino, A. Santini, F. Aversano, Alimentazione 3.0. La nuova frontiera tra salute e sicurezza, Edagricole (2015)

Assessment

same as for attending students

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.