Food Chemistry and Analysis
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The teaching aims at delivering knowledge on the chemical composition of the main food matrices and on the methods of analysis to be applied for the control of the quality and genuineness of food according to the current legislation.
The course aims at providing students with knowledge on the chemical classification of the main constituents (macro- and micronutrients, non-nutrients and undesirable substances), and on the transformations that food components undergo during treatments. The chemical-physical properties, the chemical reactivity of the various components and the basic analytical techniques for their determination will be also investigated.
The course aims at providing students with knowledge on the chemical classification of the main constituents (macro- and micronutrients, non-nutrients and undesirable substances), and on the transformations that food components undergo during treatments. The chemical-physical properties, the chemical reactivity of the various components and the basic analytical techniques for their determination will be also investigated.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students will know the chemical nature of the main food constituents, their reactivity/stability, and analytical methodologies.
Students will know the chemical composition of the main food matrices and they will be able to understand a label and to select analytical methods for the characterization of food products in terms of nutritional composition, quality, and fraud control.
Students will know the chemical composition of the main food matrices and they will be able to understand a label and to select analytical methods for the characterization of food products in terms of nutritional composition, quality, and fraud control.
Lesson period: year
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
year
Prerequisites for admission
General chemistry, Organic chemistry, Fundamentals in chemical and analytical methods.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of a written test and lasts two hours. The exam includes questions and calculation exercises on the theoretical and laboratory part. The exam format is considered robust to verify the student's knowledge on the theoretical and practical contents of the course based on the correctness of the specific language, clarity in the answers, knowledge of the structure and properties of food constituents and ability to solve calculation exercises applied to food analysis.
A written test for each module will be held; students must pass the exam related to the first module to take the second part of the exam. Registration for the exam is through Unimia. The vote, expressed by a mark out of thirty, is obtained as the mathematical average of the two evaluations. The vote is communicated to each individual student by automated e-mail.
Students with SLD and students with disabilities should contact by email the teachers at least 15 days before the exam to request accommodations. The university services: [email protected] (students with SLD) and [email protected] (for students with disabilities) should be CC in the email.
A written test for each module will be held; students must pass the exam related to the first module to take the second part of the exam. Registration for the exam is through Unimia. The vote, expressed by a mark out of thirty, is obtained as the mathematical average of the two evaluations. The vote is communicated to each individual student by automated e-mail.
Students with SLD and students with disabilities should contact by email the teachers at least 15 days before the exam to request accommodations. The university services: [email protected] (students with SLD) and [email protected] (for students with disabilities) should be CC in the email.
Food chemistry
Course syllabus
FOOD CHEMICAL - 1° SEMESTER
Classrooms lessons
Introduction: The main components of food.
Water. Structure of water. Interactions of water with food components. Water activity.
Minerals: Macro- and micro-elements.
Carbohydrates. Monosaccharides and oligosaccharides in foods: structure, properties, and distribution. Cane and beet sugar. Inverted sugar, glucose syrups. Alditols. Sugar decomposition in foods: acidic, alkaline, and heat environments. Hydroxymethylfurfural, maltol, isomaltol, lactulose. Maillard reaction. Polysaccharides. Starch. Gelation and retrogradation. Amylase. Pectins. Cellulose, fibers. Gums (gum arabic and xanthan). Physicochemical properties of polysaccharides and their applications in food.
Lipids. Fatty acids: structure and distribution in foods. Properties of oils and fats. Reactions of unsaturated fatty acids. Hydrogenation, margarine, and trans fatty acids. Oxidative degradation reactions and rancidity. Triglycerides. Sterols. Polar lipids. Cholesterol and phytosterols: chemical characteristics, distribution, and stability.
Amino acids and proteins in foods. Degradation reactions: heat and pH. Denaturation, racemization.
Food color. Molecular basis of color. Color measurement (spectrophotometer). Natural colorants: pyrrolic pigments (chlorophylls and porphyrins); Polyenes (carotenoids and xanthophylls); Aromatic heterocyclics (anthocyanins, anthoxanthins). Artificial colorants.
Structure, chemical classification, and reactivity of flavors and food additives. Taste: sweet, bitter, salty, sour, and umami. Astringent and spicy substances. Volatile components of foods. Phenolic substances.
Antioxidants, emulsifiers, natural and synthetic preservatives.
Vitamins. Structure and food sources of the main classes of fat-soluble/water-soluble vitamins.
PAHs, acrylamide, D-amino acids.
Chemical principles of chromatographic and spectroscopic analysis of food molecules (TLC, HPLC, GC; UV, IR, Polarimetry, Refractometry).
Laboratory activities
1. Extraction of eugenol from cloves using steam distillation, organic solvent extraction, and TLC. Collection of the obtained product.
2. UV analysis of eugenol from the previuos experiment. Determination of the concentration of unknown solutions using a calibration curve and HPLC analysis.
Classrooms lessons
Introduction: The main components of food.
Water. Structure of water. Interactions of water with food components. Water activity.
Minerals: Macro- and micro-elements.
Carbohydrates. Monosaccharides and oligosaccharides in foods: structure, properties, and distribution. Cane and beet sugar. Inverted sugar, glucose syrups. Alditols. Sugar decomposition in foods: acidic, alkaline, and heat environments. Hydroxymethylfurfural, maltol, isomaltol, lactulose. Maillard reaction. Polysaccharides. Starch. Gelation and retrogradation. Amylase. Pectins. Cellulose, fibers. Gums (gum arabic and xanthan). Physicochemical properties of polysaccharides and their applications in food.
Lipids. Fatty acids: structure and distribution in foods. Properties of oils and fats. Reactions of unsaturated fatty acids. Hydrogenation, margarine, and trans fatty acids. Oxidative degradation reactions and rancidity. Triglycerides. Sterols. Polar lipids. Cholesterol and phytosterols: chemical characteristics, distribution, and stability.
Amino acids and proteins in foods. Degradation reactions: heat and pH. Denaturation, racemization.
Food color. Molecular basis of color. Color measurement (spectrophotometer). Natural colorants: pyrrolic pigments (chlorophylls and porphyrins); Polyenes (carotenoids and xanthophylls); Aromatic heterocyclics (anthocyanins, anthoxanthins). Artificial colorants.
Structure, chemical classification, and reactivity of flavors and food additives. Taste: sweet, bitter, salty, sour, and umami. Astringent and spicy substances. Volatile components of foods. Phenolic substances.
Antioxidants, emulsifiers, natural and synthetic preservatives.
Vitamins. Structure and food sources of the main classes of fat-soluble/water-soluble vitamins.
PAHs, acrylamide, D-amino acids.
Chemical principles of chromatographic and spectroscopic analysis of food molecules (TLC, HPLC, GC; UV, IR, Polarimetry, Refractometry).
Laboratory activities
1. Extraction of eugenol from cloves using steam distillation, organic solvent extraction, and TLC. Collection of the obtained product.
2. UV analysis of eugenol from the previuos experiment. Determination of the concentration of unknown solutions using a calibration curve and HPLC analysis.
Teaching methods
The module is given in first semester. Classrooms lectures and laboratory activities organized in several shifts are provided.
Teaching Resources
Slides shown during the lectures and other material available in the myAriel site.
Suggested text book:
Tom Coultate (2023) - Food: The Chemistry of Its Components - ed. Royal Society of Chemistry.
Suggested text book:
Tom Coultate (2023) - Food: The Chemistry of Its Components - ed. Royal Society of Chemistry.
Food chemical analysis
Course syllabus
Food Chemical Analysis - 2° SEMESTER
Classroom lessons
- Introduction to chemical analysis of foods for the control of nutritional value, quality assurance and adulteration detection.
- Traditional and and novel foods. Legislation. Analytical issues related to food marketing. Role and functions of EFSA.
- Food and beverages labeling and EU regulation.
- Chemical and centesimal composition of foods. Dry matter (organic and inorganic).
- Chemical analysis and the food matrix. Sample (sampling systems, sample preparation, applied aspects).
- Classical analytical techniques (gravimetry and volumetry) and instrumental (HPLC and GC chromatography, refractometry and polarimetry: fundamental parameters) applied to food analysis.
- Quantitative methods in instrumental food analysis: case studies. Choice of an analytical technique depends on the purposes of the analysis and the properties of the food. Official and non analysis methods. Quality parameters of an analytical method.
- Analysis of major food components. Water (moisture), mineral salts (ash), lipids, carbohydrates, nitrogenous fraction, dietary fiber, pigments, total phenols, alcohol, aroma compounds.
- Analysis of miscellaneous components. Antioxidants, colorants, preservatives, product and process markers.
- Chemical composition, main analyses and controls for quality and genuineness, regulations of some food products: drinking and mineral waters, milk, olive oils, wheat and flours, musts, wines and vinegars.
Laboratory activities
1. Flours: moisture (gravimetric and thermobalance), ash (gravimetric), total nitrogenous substances (Kjeldhal), fats (Soxhlet).
2. Olive oils: acidity (acid-base titration), peroxide value (iodometric titration), rancidity (Kreiss test), conjugated dienes and trienes (UV spectrophotometry), refractive index (refractometer).
3. Milk: Determination of acidity (acid-base titration), density (densimetry), dry and lean residue (indirect method), fat (Gerber), lactose (Fehling/Polarimetry), phosphatase and peroxidase test (qualitative colorimetric reaction).
4. Wine: Total acidity (acid-base titration), volatile acidity (steam distillation of wine and titration), alcohol content (relative density of the distillate), sulfur dioxide (iodimetric titration), total phenols (visible spectrophotometry).
Classroom lessons
- Introduction to chemical analysis of foods for the control of nutritional value, quality assurance and adulteration detection.
- Traditional and and novel foods. Legislation. Analytical issues related to food marketing. Role and functions of EFSA.
- Food and beverages labeling and EU regulation.
- Chemical and centesimal composition of foods. Dry matter (organic and inorganic).
- Chemical analysis and the food matrix. Sample (sampling systems, sample preparation, applied aspects).
- Classical analytical techniques (gravimetry and volumetry) and instrumental (HPLC and GC chromatography, refractometry and polarimetry: fundamental parameters) applied to food analysis.
- Quantitative methods in instrumental food analysis: case studies. Choice of an analytical technique depends on the purposes of the analysis and the properties of the food. Official and non analysis methods. Quality parameters of an analytical method.
- Analysis of major food components. Water (moisture), mineral salts (ash), lipids, carbohydrates, nitrogenous fraction, dietary fiber, pigments, total phenols, alcohol, aroma compounds.
- Analysis of miscellaneous components. Antioxidants, colorants, preservatives, product and process markers.
- Chemical composition, main analyses and controls for quality and genuineness, regulations of some food products: drinking and mineral waters, milk, olive oils, wheat and flours, musts, wines and vinegars.
Laboratory activities
1. Flours: moisture (gravimetric and thermobalance), ash (gravimetric), total nitrogenous substances (Kjeldhal), fats (Soxhlet).
2. Olive oils: acidity (acid-base titration), peroxide value (iodometric titration), rancidity (Kreiss test), conjugated dienes and trienes (UV spectrophotometry), refractive index (refractometer).
3. Milk: Determination of acidity (acid-base titration), density (densimetry), dry and lean residue (indirect method), fat (Gerber), lactose (Fehling/Polarimetry), phosphatase and peroxidase test (qualitative colorimetric reaction).
4. Wine: Total acidity (acid-base titration), volatile acidity (steam distillation of wine and titration), alcohol content (relative density of the distillate), sulfur dioxide (iodimetric titration), total phenols (visible spectrophotometry).
Teaching methods
The teaching consists of lectures (teorical lessons with slides), classroom exercices with examples of protocols of analyses and individual practical activities in the chemical laboratory.
During lectures some learning tests, concerning the topics treated will be proposed in the classroom. During the laboratory sessions, student* will have to acquire the data analytical necessary for to write a short report.
During lectures some learning tests, concerning the topics treated will be proposed in the classroom. During the laboratory sessions, student* will have to acquire the data analytical necessary for to write a short report.
Teaching Resources
It is highly recommended to use the files available on the myAriel website including the slides shown in the classroom, the official regulations concerning food products treated during the course, the safety standards in the chemical laboratories and the analytical methods relating to the practical experiments carried out in the laboratory.
Suggested text books:
- - Shalini Sehgal (2016) - A Laboratory Manual of Food Analysis - ed. I K International Publishing House Pvt. Ltd;
- Damodaran, Parkin (2017) - Fennema's Food Chemistry ed. CRC press. 5th ed. 2017.
Suggested text books:
- - Shalini Sehgal (2016) - A Laboratory Manual of Food Analysis - ed. I K International Publishing House Pvt. Ltd;
- Damodaran, Parkin (2017) - Fennema's Food Chemistry ed. CRC press. 5th ed. 2017.
Food chemical analysis
AGR/15 - FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - University credits: 5
Laboratories: 16 hours
Lessons: 32 hours
Lessons: 32 hours
Professor:
Cosio Maria Stella
Shifts:
Professor:
Cosio Maria Stella
Turno 1
Professor:
Cosio Maria StellaTurno 2
Professor:
Cosio Maria StellaTurno 3
Professor:
Cosio Maria Stella
Food chemistry
CHIM/10 - FOOD CHEMISTRY - University credits: 5
Laboratories: 8 hours
Lessons: 36 hours
Lessons: 36 hours
Professor:
Contente Martina Letizia
Shifts:
Professor:
Contente Martina Letizia
Turno 1
Professor:
Contente Martina LetiziaTurno 2
Professor:
Contente Martina LetiziaTurno 3
Professor:
Contente Martina LetiziaEducational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
by e-mail appointment
office: Via Mangiagalli 25 - fifth floor