B027742 - FOOD CHEMISTRY

Italian language

The course is focused to illustrate the main physical and
chemical characteristics of the macronutrients, and to
describe the composition and the quality requirements of
some common foods. A short summary on the principal
methods applied to improve the shelf-life and an overview on
food additives are also inserted.

Chimica degli Alimenti di Cabras -Martelli, Piccin Editore,
Padova 2004
Prodotti dietetici di Evangelisti Restani, Piccin Editore,
Padova 2010.
La chimica degli Alimenti: Nutrienti e aspetti nutraceutici di L
Mannina, M. Daglia e A. Ritieni - CEA Ed. 2019
Food Chemistry di O. R. Fennema, Marcel Dekker NewYork, ,
La chimica degli Alimenti di Tom P. Coultate,, Zanichelli editore
2004
Principi di chimica degli Alimenti, conservazione e trasformazione
e normativa, di Vannucchi Cappelli, Zanichelli editore 2016

he student will have to acquire basic knowledge on the main
chemical and physical characteristics of macronutrients and
on the reactivity between the different macronutrients. The
special part provides for the knowledge of the composition
and quality characteristics of specific products widely used in
our diet. The student must also acquire the ability to correlate
and integrate the contents of the general part of the course
with the monographic topics dedicated to specific foods. The
course will have to help develop the ability to process the
information on the label, and the ability to identify foods with
greater health potential. The course aims to induce a sense of
responsibility, and respect for ethical and environmental
issues strictly related to agri-food production.

It is required a basic knowledge of general chemistry , organic
chemistry and biochemistry.

The course consists of lectures with the possibility of inclusion
of some seminars with the involvement of external experts.
The didactic material (e.g. commented slides
during lessons) is included in the platform: E-learning of the University of Florence.

All didactic material will be provided at the beginning of the
year; some additional material can be also added during the
semester.
Those who cannot participate must retrieve the recordings
and / or notes to integrate the material of the slides.
The final exam will take place upon registration in the online
online ed esclusivamente nelle date indicate sul sito del CdL. rankings and exclusively on the dates indicated on the CdL
website.website.registration.

TThe exam will consist of a written part consisting of 5-6 multiple choice questions +1 open question + oral integration. The test will last 30 minutes and will take place on Moodle. The outcome of the test does not preclude access to the oral exam. For the final vote, basic knowledge of the general part, the ability to integrate the various topics, the clarity of presentation of the candidate will be taken into account. The final grade will be defined as reported on the CdL website under the item criteria for assigning the exam grade.

Lipids: classification, chemical structure and auto-oxidation
process. Role and mechanisms of action of antioxidants,
evaluation methods of the state of oxidative an edible fat.
Comparison between the different characteristics of dietary
fats: cooking effects on lipids.
Proteins: main physical and chemical characteristics,
solubility and surface properties, denaturation, protein
nutritional indices; enzymes in the food field.
Proteins such as food allergens
Carbohydrate (oligo-and polysaccharides) main chemical and
physical characteristics. The Maillard reaction in food. Role
of polysaccharides in food formulation.
Definition and types of dietary fiber: soluble and
fermentable fiber and production of SCFA; distribution in
food; physiological functions of the fiber.
Cow's milk, composition; comparison with other milks; main
methods of heat treatment and effects on the product.
Notes on maternal and infant milks. Main methods for
controlling the quality of milk. Foods for lactose intolerant
Cheeses: composition, main production methods; effects of
maturation and / or seasoning, main classification criteria.
Examples of some types of cheeses.
Methods of pressing for obtaining virgin olive oils;
composition and classification of olive oils. Components of
the unsaponifiable. More information on the phenolic
fraction in the EVO and its multiple beneficial effects.
Production of seed oils and refining processes; comparison
between EVOO and other oils. In-depth study of palm oil.
Cereals: classification and description of rice and wheat
kernels. Methods of obtaining and characteristics of wheat
flours
Celiac problem, raw materials that can be used and
prohibited in foods for celiacs; regulatory references,
examples of products on the market.
Phenolic molecules in plant foods: biosynthesis, main
chemical classes, presence in the diet, bioavailability and
protective effects for humans.
Main causes of degradation in food and overview of the
main chemical and physical methods of food preservation.
Food Additives: regulatory references, definition of ADI,
examples of additives
Examples of unwanted substances in food: the problem of
mycotoxins in food, and contaminants resulting from
production processes

During the course, reference is made to crucial issues related to food sustainability. In particular: i) how to reduce / avoid food waste, ii) identify new possible protein sources of plant origin,
iii) how to deal with problems related to intensive cultivation and soil degradation (e.g. modern grains and ancient grains), iv) how to identify recovery strategies for agri-food by-products (e.g. from the milling of olive oil, from the extraction of oil seeds, or from the production of pomegranate juice).