The objective of the course is to provide students with the theoretical and practical foundations needed to use extraction techniques for components from food products, with the aim of quality control. Students must acquire the ability to operate correctly in a chemical laboratory.

The course is divided into two parts: a theoretical component and a practical component consisting of laboratory exercises.

Theoretical Part (Dr. Gian Marco Elisi)

• Extraction of compounds from solid matrices or solutions. Theory of extraction. Nernst partition law, partition coefficient.
• Liquid-liquid separation techniques. Batch process: separatory funnel. Single extraction and multiple extraction. Criteria for solvent selection. Continuous extraction: liquid-liquid extractors for solvents denser than water and for solvents less dense than water.
• Solid-liquid extraction: preliminary operations, extraction phase, and purification. Filtration by gravity and reduced pressure.
• Traditional extraction methods: pressing, percolation, maceration. Steam distillation. Soxhlet  and Randall extraction.
• Innovative extraction methods: supercritical fluid extraction, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), ultrasound extraction, extraction assisted by pulsed electric fields, Naviglio extractor.
• Application of solid-liquid extraction in the food industry. Theoretical background on quality control of olive oil (determination of polyphenols, free acidity, and analysis with UV spectrophotometry).
• Solid-phase extraction (SPE): separation mechanism and columns. Application of SPE in the food industry. Micro-solid-phase extraction (MSPE): extraction methods, extracting materials. Application in the food sector.

Practical Part (Prof. Carla Roselli)

The laboratory portion includes individual or group exercises, depending on the number of students attending. The exercises are designed to address some of the topics covered in the theoretical part. Each exercise is preceded by an explanation of the procedure for the food samples proposed by the instructor. The completion of the exercises will also involve the application of qualitative and quantitative determination methods, such as TLC (thin-layer chromatography), volumetry, and spectrophotometry.

Mandatory prerequisites: To attend the course on Extractive Preparation and Quality Control of Dietary and Food Products, students must have passed the exams in General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry.

Recommended prerequisites: To take the exam for Extractive Preparation and Quality Control of Dietary and Food Products, it is advisable to have passed the exams in Analytical Chemistry with Laboratory, Food Chemistry, Principles of Biochemistry of Nutrition, and Physics.

D1 - KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING.
The student must demonstrate a basic knowledge of analytical chemistry. They should show an understanding of the concepts and theories covered in the course, with particular focus on the basic techniques for extracting active compounds from solid or liquid natural matrices.

D2 - ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING.
The student must demonstrate knowledge of the principles governing different types of extraction from solid and liquid matrices. Based on the acquired knowledge, they should be able to apply these techniques to extract active compounds from various food matrices (plant and/or animal) for quality control purposes.

D3 - INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT.
The student must use their skills to determine different components present in food products.

D4 - COMMUNICATION SKILLS.
The student should be able to clearly communicate their knowledge.

D5 - LEARNING ABILITY.
The student should have developed the ability to continue studying in a self-directed or autonomous manner.
The student understands and can practice safety protocols in the chemical laboratory. They know how to use common laboratory equipment and glassware, are familiar with safety data sheets for various substances, and know the procedures for disposing of different types of waste.

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

The course cosists of theoretical lessons and practical laboratory work.

Attendance

Attendance in the laboratory is mandatory, and obtaining attendance signatures is a requirement to take the exam. An 80% attendance rate for the exercises is required.

Course books

The instructor's slides will be available on the Blended Learning platform.

Reference texts: "Analisi dei prodotti alimentari" by Paolo Cabras, Carlo I.G. Tuberoso - Piccin Editore.

Other reference textbooks, as mentioned during the lectures.

Scientific literature provided by the instructor during the lectures.

Assessment

The final exam (oral) covers all the topics addressed in both the lectures and the laboratory. The student must demonstrate an understanding of, and the ability to discuss, the fundamental concepts of each topic. The exam begins with an initial assessment of the activities the student performed in the laboratory.

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.