AIMS AND CONTENT

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Participation in the proposed educational activities and individual study will enable students to acquire the necessary knowledge to understand the fundamentals of food chemistry and the main food transformations, including the use of certain authorized additives and the relevant EU regulations. This knowledge will be useful for professionals in the workplace thanks to the critical and judgment skills acquired.

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Synthesize the various topics covered
• Provide the scientific basis necessary for understanding the chemical and/or technological-functional changes that foods undergo during some common processing and preservation methods widely used in gastronomy
• Identify possible nutritional risks resulting from chemical reactions during culinary and industrial treatments
• Recognize the importance of nutrients and their potential modifications in controlling the quality and authenticity of food
• Connect the various topics covered
• Use the sources provided during lessons to develop critical thinking on the topics covered (functional literacy competence)
• Use, process, and evaluate the information acquired with argumentative skills (functional literacy competence)"

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures, seminars, visits to industry companies, analysis of educational material provided to students, practical laboratory exercises, and case studies.

Students with valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file at the University who wish to discuss circumstances related to lectures, courses, and exams should speak with both the instructor and Professor Federico Scarpa (federico.scarpa@unige.it), the disability coordinator for the Polytechnic School.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Chemistry of Nutrients:

• General overview of the different classes of caloric (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids) and non-caloric (vitamins, minerals) nutrients.

Substances Other Than Nutrients:

• General overview of the main classes of non-nutritive substances.

Organoleptic Properties of Food:

• Color, taste, and aroma.
• Molecular basis of organoleptic characteristics and their perception.
• Role and impact on food quality.

Processing, Preservation, and Gastronomic Transformations:

• Main processing and preservation methods used in the food industry.
• Gastronomic transformations and their impact on the chemical composition of food.
• Chemical modifications induced in food products (e.g., Maillard reaction, lipid oxidation, protein denaturation, sugar caramelization).

Additives and Contaminants:

• Types of food additives and their uses (e.g., preservatives, antioxidants, flavor enhancers, sweeteners, colorants, thickeners, gelling agents); food flavors; technological adjuvants.
• General overview of the main chemical contaminants in food.

Overview of the Chemical Composition of Common Foods:

• Milk and dairy products, cereals and derivatives, legumes, olive and seed oils, eggs, meat and derivatives, fish and derivatives, nervine foods/beverages, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
• Overview of unconventional food products (e.g., novel foods, algae).

Practical Laboratory Exercises:

• Closely related to the topics covered in the course.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Mannina L., Daglia M., Ritieni A. La chimica e gli alimenti - CEA Editore

Evangelisti F., Restani P. , Boggia R.. Prodotti dietetici. Chimica Tecnologia e Impiego - PICCIN Editore (III Edizione)

Altro materiale didattico fornito online (Aulaweb)

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

https://corsi.unige.it/en/corsi/11758/studenti-orario

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written exam consisting of 1 open-ended question (worth up to a maximum of 10/30) and 10 multiple-choice questions of equal value (2/30 each). No penalties will be applied for incorrect answers. The written test covers the material taught during the lessons and lasts 1 hour in the presence of the teacher. The papers and any corrections will be subsequently discussed with interested students.

It is mandatory to register for the exam through the student portal.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam aims to assess the knowledge acquired by the student and their ability to connect the topics covered in class, integrating purely chemical information with gastronomic implications.

The multiple-choice quizzes will verify the acquisition of basic concepts related to nutrients and non-nutrients, as well as their possible transformations during preservation and/or gastronomic preparations. The open-ended question will be formulated to allow students to demonstrate not only an adequate mastery of the acquired concepts but also the correct use of chemical terminology and the ability to connect the various topics covered. Additionally, the ability to synthesize the topics clearly and with appropriate terminology will be evaluated.

Details on how to prepare for the exam and the depth of coverage for each topic will be provided during the lessons.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Contact the instructor for further information not included in the course syllabus