Learning objectives
The aim of the course is to give to the students knowledge about chemical structures and properties of food components, food technology and food modifications, making a close examination of the food products destined to special diets and to subjects with pathologies.
Course unit content
Definitions. Common foods, functional foods, food for special diets, food supplements.
Inorganic components of foods. Water in foods, water activity, mineral waters. Mineral elements: macroelements and microelements. Food supplements based on minerals.
Carbohydrates: structure and reactivity of monosaccharide; disaccharides, oligosaccharides, poliols, polysaccharides, starch; dietary fiber, cellulose, hemicelluloses, pectin, gums; nutritional aspects of carbohydrates; reactions of carbohydrates in acidic/basic environment and during heat treatments; formation of hydroxymethylfurfural, lactulose, caramelization.
Proteins: amino acids, peptides, protein structure and classification; essential amino acids and nutritional quality of proteins; foods rich in protein; protein modification during food processing, formation of isopeptides, lysinoalanine, furosine, Maillard reactions. Amino acids supplements
Lipids: classification and properties; fatty acids, essential fatty acids, trans-fatty acids; triglycerides, glycerophospholipids, waxes, sterols; nutritional properties of lipids; chemical reactions of lipids in foods, isomerisation, hydrolysis, oxidation; antioxidants.
Vitamins: classification, biological functions and presence in foods. Food supplements of vitamins
Food colour: natural and artificial colorants.
Food flavour.
Physical and chemical methods for food preservation, food additives.
Xenobiotics and natural toxicants in foods.
Principal foods: fats and oils (olive oil, seed oils); milk and dairy products (butter, cheese, yogurt); meat, fish, egg; cereals and derived products; legumes, fruit and vegetables; alcoholic beverages and vinegar.
Food, energy and balanced diet; diets in special physiological conditions.
Food products for special diets: infant foods, hypo-caloric foods, food for particular pathologies, foods for high muscular activity, foods for diabetics.
Food supplements, functional foods, prebiotics, probiotics
Bibliography
P. Cappelli, V. Vannucchi. "Chimica degli alimenti - Conservazione e trasformazioni“. Ed. Zanichelli (Bologna, 2000)
• P. Cabras, A. Martelli. "Chimica degli alimenti“. Ed. Piccin (Padova, 2004)
• H.D. Belitz, W. Grosch, P. Schieberle. “Food Chemistry, 3° revised edition”. Springer-Verlag Ed. (Berlin, Germany, 2004)
F. Evangelisti, P. Restani. "Prodotti dietetici (Chimica, tecnologia ed impiego)". Ed. Piccin (Padova, 2003)
