Learning objectives
Knowledge and ability to understand
During the course the student will have to acquire an in-depth knowledge of the main chemical food safety issues, the main chemical contaminants of foods and their toxicological significance, as well as risk mitigation strategies. They will also have to acquire an in-depth knowledge of the main chemical reactions affecting food components both in terms of the reaction mechanism and the effects on the qualitative characteristics, in particular nutritional and organoleptic, of foods. Finally, the student will have to acquire a good knowledge of the main issues relating to the authenticity of food products and possible fraud, also examining the possible analytical approaches useful for verification. The student will have to acquire the ability to correlate and integrate the different chemical aspects that are the basis of the safety and quality of foods, thus understanding the correlation between composition and quality and acquiring the ability to operate effectively in a production, control and control context. analysis, design of new products and processes.
Skills
The student must be able to use the knowledge acquired to understand and predict the main chemical safety issues in foods, the changes that food components undergo as a result of technological processes and conservation and how to control or direct them to guarantee quality and safety , as well as what possible approaches to use for authenticity verification. The student will also acquire operational skills regarding analysis techniques through the planned laboratory experiences.
Autonomy of judgement
The student must be able to define which are the most relevant problems from the point of view of chemical safety depending on the type of raw material or food and the technological treatments of transformation and conservation, as well as predict what the effects of the main reactions are chemicals and to identify which process or storage conditions can influence the overall quality of the product.
The student must also be able to define which possible approaches can be useful for verifying the authenticity of a food product based on its specific characteristics.
Communication skills
The student must be able to appropriately use scientific language and the specific lexicon of food chemistry, demonstrating the ability to illustrate and transmit the concepts acquired in oral and written form. The laboratory reports must be drawn up in correct form, with concise and exhaustive language and with a clear explanation and commentary of the experimental results.
Learning ability
The student who has attended the course will be able to deepen their knowledge in the field of Food Chemistry, through independent consultation of specialist texts, scientific or popular magazines, even outside the topics covered strictly in class.
Prerequisites
Good foundations in organic chemistry, instrumental analytical chemistry and food chemistry.
Course unit content
The course deals with advanced topics in food chemistry and is divided into two parts, consisting of frontal lessons.
The first part of the course focuses on food safety issues. The risk analysis procedures, the bodies in charge and the European approach to risk management will be described, also providing some basic concepts of food toxicology. The main classes of food toxicants (natural toxicants, residues, process toxicants) will be examined, delving into the causes of their presence in foods, the toxicological aspects and the control and mitigation strategies. Finally, the second part of the course will delve into the aspects relating to food authenticity, also describing the main analytical approaches that can be used for evaluation.
Full programme
Food safety: approach and entities. The European approach to food safety. Risk analysis. Notes on the main toxicological parameters and basic aspects of food toxicology. The role of EFSA and RASFF. Natural contaminants (mycotoxins, algal toxins, plant toxins). Contaminants and residues: environmental (dioxins, PCP), from anthropogenic activities (pesticides, veterinary drugs), from processes (acrylamide, MCPDs, furans). Food quality: main chemical reactions in foods (Maillard, Strecker, oxidative reactions). Food authenticity: classification of food fraud, analytical strategies for verifying food authenticity (targeted and untargeted methods).
Bibliography
Study texts: Patrizia Cappelli, Vanna Vannucchi "Principi di chimica degli alimenti" Zanichelli (Bologna, 2024); Luisa Mannina, Maria Daglia, Alberto Ritieni (a cura di) “La chimica e gli alimenti. Nutrienti e aspetti nutraceutici” Casa Editrice Ambrosiana (Milano, 2019); T. P. Coultate, “La Chimica degli Alimenti”, Ed. Zanichelli (Bologna, 2004); P. Cabras, A. Martelli (a cura di) "Chimica degli alimenti“, Ed. Piccin (Padova, 2004).
Other useful study books: H.D. Belitz - W. Grosch – P- Schieberle, “Food Chemistry”, Springer-Verlag Ed. (Berlin, Germany, 2005); O. R. Fennema, “Food Chemistry”, CRC Press Ed. (New York, USA); Leo M. L. Nollet eds., Handbook of Food Analysis, Marcel Dekker (New York, USA).
Teaching methods
The course consists of frontal lessons (40 hours).
The frontal lessons will be conducted with the aid of power point presentations, which in PDF form will be uploaded as teaching material on the Elly page of the course before their discussion in the classroom.
During the lessons numerous case studies will be illustrated, with particular attention to recent news, in order to allow the student to develop their own critical sense and communication skills. Attendance at lectures is not mandatory, although strongly recommended.
Assessment methods and criteria
Written exam: 6 open questions on the program carried out, one of which concerns the laboratory activities (evaluation: max 5 points per question).
Other information
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