Learning objectives
The course aims at providing students with adequate knowledge on the general organization of a laboratory of food analysis and specific skills on the technical and practical aspects of physico-chemical analyses for assessing the quality and safety of food of animal origin. Those knowledge and skills will enable the student to achieve a high degree of autonomy within the laboratory of food analysis, in particular in the management of some types of analysis of foods. At the end of the course the student will achieve autonomy for the management of food sampling procedures and food sample storage within a laboratory; the student will also be able at preparing solutions of known concentration, using common laboratory devices and equipments for the determination of pH, water activity, proximate composition. The student must also demonstrate knowledge and understanding about the use of systems for drying, incineration, digestion, extraction, separation, purification, digestion, distillation, titration, spectrophotometers and gas and liquid chromatographic equipments. The student will have the basic skills for the presentation of analytical results.
Prerequisites
Adequate knowledge of organic and inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, with particular reference to the chemistry of proteins and lipids, the properties of acids, bases and organic solvents.
Course unit content
General organization and activities of a laboratory of food analysis. Preparatory activities to the analysis of foods: mode of expression of concentrations and computation for the preparation of salt solutions, acids, bases, organic compounds of known concentration and dilutions. Criteria for the choice of solvents. Nutrients, food components and contaminants: mode of expression of their concentrations. Principles of food sampling, storage and sample preparation for analysis. Principles and techniques of extraction, isolation and purification of analytes from food matrix. Qualitative and quantitative analysis. Definition of limit of detection and quantification. Mode of expression and processing of analytical results; calculation of measurement uncertainty. Calibration curves for quantitative analysis: processing and use. Measurement of pH and water activity of foods of animal origin: theory, practical aspects and application. Proximate composition of meat: theoretical principles and practical. Spectrophotometric methods: theory and applications for the evaluation of the quality and safety of food of animal origin. Chromatographic methods: theory and applications in food analysis with particular reference to assays for the determination of the composition of lipids and vitamin E in meat.
Full programme
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Bibliography
Analisi dei prodotti alimentari
Autori Cabras P e Tuberoso C.I.G.
Ed. Piccin Nuova Libraria Spa (Padova) Edizione 2014
Teaching methods
The course includes lectures in classroom, delivered with the support of audio-visual projection systems, and in two laboratories with basic laboratory devices and analytical equipments adequate to view the procedures outlined in theoretical form in the classroom. The activity that involves the use of spreadsheets will be carried out both in the classroom and in the laboratory. Practicals will be arranged for groups of students and will be scheduled so that the student can solve practically the solutions of the problems outlined during lectures.
Assessment methods and criteria
The achievement of the objectives of the course will be evaluated by a written examination. This latter will be composed of two calculation exercises and other open-ended questions to assess understanding of laboratory procedures and the ability of their correct application by the student. The student's ability to solve problems in analytical terms will be evaluated. The evaluation of the student's preparation is carried out on scale expressed in thirtieth.
Other information
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