Learning objectives
At the end of the training activity, the student should have acquired knowledge and skills related to 1) nutritional quality of foods and diets and how to measure it; 2) the effect of nutrients/food/diets on human metabolism in the various physiological states; 3)the role of functional foods in the maintenance of human health and well-being and 4) basic information related to consumer information regulations.
In particular, the student should be able to:
1. Knowing the basic concepts of the European regulations on food labeling for both mandatory and voluntary information (knowledge and understanding skills).
2. Being able to understand how foods and particular diets can influence the human organism (applying knowledge and understanding)
3. Being able to critically evaluate the quality of nutritional information on diets and foods disseminated by the press and the web (making judgment)
4. Being able to present scientific studies to support or against a nutritional case study (communication skills)
5. Linking the different topics dealt with each other and with the basic and related disciplines. Updating by consulting scientific publications specific to the sector (learning skills).
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
The program of the course is summarized in the following topics: NON-NUTRITIVE FOOD COMPONENTS: 1) antioxidants and oxidative stress; 2) probiotics and prebiotics; 3) functional compounds in food. FOODS AS A SOURCE OF NUTRIENTS: 1) vegetable foods; animal foods; beverages. 2) UNDERSTANDING DIETARY MODELS: 1) different expressions of dietary scores; 2) the Med Diet Score. NUTRITION IN DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS: 1) nutrition in the elderly; 2) nutrition in childhood; 3) nutrition in pregnancy and lactation. SPECIAL AND TAILORED FOODS: 1) free-from; 2) vegan foods; 3) infant foods; 4) foods for special dietary purposes (PARNUTS). REGULATIONS AND FOOD INFORMATION TO CONSUMERS: 1) food labeling; 2) dietetic foods; 3) novel foods; 3) regulations on nutrition and health claims; 4) evaluate and interpret information presented in the media, food advertisements, articles, food labels etc. 5) discriminate between misinformation and valid data and accurate information. 6) apply nutrition knowledge to make informed consumer decisions regarding food and nutrition-related products.
Full programme
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Bibliography
1) M. SHILS, J. OLSON, M. SHIKE: Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, VIII ed, LEA & FEBIGER (Philadelphia). 2) ROBERTS HARIS: Nutritional evaluation of food processing, John willy & Sons, N.Y. London. Selected scientific papers. Notes and slides presented by the teacher.
Teaching methods
Teaching will be carried out through classroom lectures with the aid of slides that will represent educational material available online on the Elly platform in pdf format for students. The study, elaboration and discussion of specific "study cases (exercises and business cases)" are proposed on the practical parts of the course and could permit to verify the student’s comprehension and elaboration abilities.
Assessment methods and criteria
The summative assessment of the learning is carried out through: 1) a group work consisting in the presentation of a nutrition case study set with the teacher. The test is evaluated with a scale of 0-30. 2) an oral exam which will focus in particular nutrition on the remaining parts of the program, with an indicative half-hour duration. The oral exam is evaluated with a scale of 0-30. The final grade, communicated at the end of the oral exam, is obtained from the arithmetic average of the marks of the 2 parts (in thirtieths). The mark of the group work during the course is communicated within the two weeks following the presentation by publication on the Elly platform. Please note that the online registration for the exam is COMPULSORY.
Other information
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