PLANT-BASED FOOD SUPPLEMENTS

Course objectives

The first aim of the course of Vegetal food Supplements is to make the students able to recognize and classify food supplements made by, or added with, vegetal extracts, on the basis of their composition and associated activity, The students will be able to recognize and, if possible, solve the problems inherent with formulation inefficacy, instability or toxicity. General targets The lectures have the aim to develop the next skills: Knowledge of the bioactive molecule classes, Knowledge of the natural source by which these molecules could be extracted; knowledge of the formulation and production problems of food supplements, knowledge of the Italian and European laws governing this matter; Knowledge and presentation of the problems concerning the not proper, not safe or ineffective use of vegetal food supplements, with reference to the different clusters of consumers to which they are devoted Knowledge of the intrinsic toxicity risks of products of vegetal origin; knowledge of the adverse reaction problems to grant the safe and efficacious use of this product class, promoting human health and ensuring the product efficacy in relation to the expected result. Specific targets: Knowledge and comprehension: - Basic elements of human nutrition; human metabolism. Secondary metabolism of plants; phytocomplex and bioactive molecules; formulation, preparation, quality control of vegetal food supplements; safety and efficacy of vegetal food supplements. Knowledge and comprehension applying: - to be able to introduce a vegetal food supplement with scientific skills based on the knowledge of the chemical composition and of the chemical stability; - to be able to evidence the toxicological problems associated to an incorrect use of food supplement, with special regard to the weaker population clusters; - to be able to evaluate the potential use of wastes from agroindustrial processes to obtain high interesting bioactive molecules. Autonomy of judgment The lectures make the student able to: - elaborate on the technological and practical aspects correlated to the manufacture and storage of food supplements; they will acquire particular attention in the evaluation of the bioactive component modification; - identify and evaluate the correlated risk s to an incorrect use of this cluster of products; - identify the real necessity and the safe and effective use of a food supplement with regard to the clusters of population to which the product is directed. Communication skills During the lessons, debate and confrontation will be stimulated by the teacher with the aim to verify the capability to communicate and transfer the topics learned. It will encourage the rising of critical skills and will stimulate the deepening of useful themes for the developing of a problem solving methodology. Autonomous learning ability The instruments provided to the students in the progress of this course, that represents a course at the choice, in agreement with other mandatory courses, make the students able to enter the world of work with a whole of theoretical and practical knowledge in the food, cosmetic, nutraceutic, pharmaceutic, toxicological fields. These will allow them to face up to practical problems relying on scientific skills. Particular attention will be addressed to the comprehension of the importance of the constant evolving law and to the socioeconomic aspects related to the trade of food supplements that will constitute indispensable elements educational process of the students of Pharmaceutical Applied Sciences.

Channel 1
STEFANIA CESA Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
Synthetic programme Nutrition biochemistry, nutrients classes Phytocomplex Extraction from drugs Regulatory aspects Physiological effects on human body and monographies. In details: 1 cfu 8 hs. Food in human nutrition, nutrients and antinutrients, energeetic, plastic and functional role. Simple and complex sugars, beta-glucans and other polysaccharides. Fibers role in feedng, glycemic index. Fat food: triglycerides, saturated, unsaturated, essential natural fatty acids. Phospholipids and sterols, nutritional role. Classification, denaturation, coagulation and bioavailability of proteins, nutritional role. Water content of body and foods. Water functions, free and bond water, water activity and microrganisms growth. Salts, nutritional requirements, deficiencies. Hydro and liposoluble vitamins, nutritional requirements, deficiencies or excess. Protective, antioxidant, antiradical molecules, food and vegetable composition. 1 cfu 8 hs. Glycosidic structures. Polyphenols, not flavonoid p-OH-benzoic and cinnamic acid derivatives, flavonoid structures, anthocyanins, catechins, isoflavones, tannins. Terpenoid fraction, tocopherols and tocotrienols, carotenoids and sterols. Sulphide and glycosinolate compounds. Polysaccharides and fibers. Polyunsaturated fatty acids with perticular structure and functions. Stilbens, antrachinons and alcaloids. 1 cfu 8 hs. Drug and drug preparation, powder, extraction and distillation. Dry extracts and powder uses. Liquid extracts, tinctures, extraction problems. Distillation and thermolabile substances. Storage and shelf-life. Oxidative process and influence parameter, first steps of autoxidation process, radicals and radical scavenger. Essential oils, oleoresins and resins. 1 cfu 8 hs. Regulatory aspects of food supplements. Food safety. Reg. (CE) 178/2002 General food law. Safety and efficacy of food supplements. EFSA and RASFF. Reg. “novel food”, Reg. “claims”, Mutual recognition (CE) 764/2008, Reg. “labeling”. Guide lines on "Botanicals use in food supplements", guide lines on prebiotics and probiotics. from Italian law D.M. 9 luglio 2012 to “Belfrit” project. 2 cfu 16 hs. Cardiovascular system (Crataegus oxyacantha); blood circulation (Olea europea); blood pressure (Allium sativum); Microcirculation (Vitis vinifera; Centella asiatica). Articolar functionality (Harpagophytum procumbens); muscle contracture (Salix alba). First respiratory tract (Echinacea pallida.). Larynx functionality (piante contenenti mucillagini, olio-gommoresine, glicosidi solforati); bronchial functionality (Glycirrhiza, Thymus). Menstrual cycle regularity (Carthamus tinctorius); desease (Cimicifuga racemosa); menopause (Glycine max); prostatic hypertrophy (Serenoa repens). Connective tissue membranes (piante contenenti GLA); skin, nail and hair (Calendula officinalis sulphide and essential aminoacids containing plants). Urinary tract (Vaccinium macrocarpon, Betula pendula). Dygestive function (Curcuma longa); antinausea (Zingiber officinale); gastric and hepatic functionality (Cynara scolymus); intestinal tract (anthrachinones containing plants, (Foeniculum vulgare; Cichorium intybus). Immunitary system (Echinacea angustifolia, Rosa canina); antiossidante (Camellia sinensis). Memory (Ginkgo biloba); vision (Vaccinium myrtillus); mood tone (Hypericum perforatum); adaptogen tonic (Panax ginseng). Metabolism (caffein and saponins containing plants) depuration (Aloe vera); lipid metabolism (steroids containing plants), assimilation (Opuntia ficus indica); body weight (Citrus aurantium); hunger and satiety (5-idrossitriptofano and galactomannan containing plants).
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of food science and nutrition biochemistry. Deep knowledge of general, inorganic, organic and biologic chemistry, natural organic substances chemistry, physiology, toxicology, pharmacology.
Books
Legislative sources: Ministerial Decree of 9 July 2012 on the "Discipline of the use in food supplements of herbal substances and preparations" (G. U. 21-7-2012 General Series No. 169); Legislative Decree 21 May 2004, n. 169 of "Implementation of the European directive on food supplements" (2002/46 / CE). Reg. (EC) 178/2002 "general food law"; Regulation (EC) 258/1997 "Novel food"; Regulation (EC) 1925/2006 "addition of vitamins, mineral salts, other substances to foods". Hygiene package and next modification Regulation (EU) n. 1169/2011 (fic); Regulation (EC) 1924/2006 (claims); Regulation (EC) 764/2008 mutual recognition. Website of the Ministry of Health WWW.SALUTE.GOV.IT Website of the Italian Phytotherapy Society: http://www.sifit.org/r/pdf/elenco_piante_ammesse.pdf
Frequency
Not mandatory but strongly recommended due to the complexity and diversity of the topics covered
Exam mode
The elements taken into consideration for evaluation purposes are the ability to reason and study autonomously. the exam carried out in the form of an oral interview is aimed at verifying the student's ability to evaluate, critically and in every aspect, the safety, efficacy and correctness of a formulation. As an example, it may be asked to identify the population cluster for which a supplement finds a correct application or if a certain type of fomulation could present problems of a type-specific nature.
Lesson mode
The aims of this course are mainly base on knowledge. For this reason frontal lessons represent the principal way of teaching. During the lessons, the teacher verify the reached degree of understanding promoting an active students participation regard to the proposed question, stimulating the mutual comparison and a criticalattitude in evaluate actual problems such as toxicological safety of vegetal based products or the presumed efficacy of food supplements formulation not supported by scientific and toxicologic, recent and well supported results.
  • Lesson code1035961
  • Academic year2025/2026
  • CourseApplied Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • CurriculumINFORMAZIONE SCIENTIFICA SUL FARMACO
  • Year3rd year
  • Semester2nd semester
  • SSDCHIM/10
  • CFU6