NUTRACEUTICALS AND DIETARY PRODUCTS

Course objectives

The main educational objectives of the Course of Nutraceuticals and Dietetic Products consist in providing the student with knowledge regarding the chemical composition of food with particular regard to substances with beneficial effect on health and products indicated in case of diseases related to the intake of specific nutrients / foods. The knowledge and skills acquired during the course common to the two curricula in Herbal Techniques and Scientific Informant of the Drug, will be usable by both professionals in the field of work, thanks to the acquired critical judgment and skills useful to suggest the use of foods, supplements and dietary products for nutritional intake and for the specific impact on health. The expected learning outcomes, acquired during the course, will therefore allow future professionals to correlate and integrate the general aspects concerning the chemical composition of foods, nutraceuticals and supplements with the specific characteristics of individual food products, thus understanding the correlation between composition and quality and acquiring the ability to process the information on the label. The course takes place in an alternation of lectures useful to address the concepts of basic theory and classroom reports prepared by students on current topics concerning the sector, suitable to stimulate their critical-applicative and communication skills. The more specific objectives of the course concern the acquisition by the student of transversal skills related to the detailed knowledge of: macro and micronutrients (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins), fiber and secondary metabolites; dietetic products intended for individuals in particular physiological conditions or with metabolic disorders. At the end of the course the student will be able to communicate effectively what has been learned thanks to the exercise done with the classroom reports on current topics concerning the sector. The student will be able to continue the study in an autonomous way, thanks to the acquired skills and the concepts learned also regarding the methods of researching information on the sector. During the course will also be provided websites, bibliographic references and industry associations, possibly useful for developing collaborative relationships in the world of work. Based on the knowledge acquired, the graduate will have the necessary skills to be able to critically give indication in the field of food, nutraceuticals, supplements and health.

Channel 1
ANDREA SALVO Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
Foods and nutrients. Nutraceuticals. Essential nutrients. Nutrient classifications. Food balance. Calculation of calorie needs Nutrition education. Energy requirements. Calorie needs, Body mass index. Basal metabolism. Principles of food alternation. The Mediterranean diet. Dietary guidelines, the recommended intake levels of different nutrients (LARN) for different age groups. Notes on Carbohydrates. Food classification and role. Structure and chemical-physical properties of the main natural or modified monoses, bioses, polyoses. Notes on Lipids. General information, classes of compounds. Nomenclature, diffusion and physico-chemical properties of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Malt dextrins. Biological and nutritional role of lipids. Notes on Proteins. Natural amino acids: nomenclature and structural classification. Physical properties and main reactivity. Essential amino acids. Limiting amino acid. Protein quality. Sweet-tasting substances: sweetening power and notes on receptor theories. Natural and synthetic sweeteners. The fibre. Definition. Soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. SPECIAL PART Food products intended for particular diets: regulatory framework. Dietary products intended for subjects in particular physiological conditions: -dietetic products intended for obese subjects or those with eating disorders. - products for athletes Dietary products intended for subjects with metabolic disorders: -dietary products for celiac disease (gluten-free products) -amino acid metabolism disorders (hyperphenylalaninemia, hypertyrosinemia) -diet in diabetes (products for diabetics, artificial sweeteners) - carbohydrate metabolism disorders (galactosaemia, fructosemia, lactase deficiency...)
Prerequisites
The students should have some basics on organic chemistry. In order to better understand some specific concepts (auto and photo oxidation of lipids, reaction between sugars and proteins etc.) and to more easily achieve the learning objectives, it would be important to know the chemical structure of sugars, lipids and proteins. Where the student can not attend the lessons, he/she must absolutely inform himself of what was made available and/or reported by the teacher, as material useful for learning purposes. The above mentioned must not be considered as an indispensable obligation, but as a prerequisite recommended to optimize the successful passing of the exam, to be taken at the end of the course.
Books
L.Mannina, M.Daglia, A.Ritieni: La Chimica e gli Alimenti (Casa Editrice Ambrosiana) P.Cabras-A.Martelli: Chimica degli Alimenti (Piccin). F.Evangelisti e P.Restani: Prodotti Dietetici: chimica, tecnologia e impiego (Piccin) In order to help the student (in terms of method), the integrated distribution of the two recommended texts along the duration of the course could be hypothesized as follows: Text 1 is useful for the general part and special part
Frequency
lessons will be held in person
Exam mode
The actual achievement of the expected learning outcomes by the student, in accordance with the training objectives, is evaluated through an oral exam. Among the aspects that contribute to the formation of the final judgment, beyond the specific preparation of the student on topics of examination, her/his reasoning ability is also assessed, on the basis of the study that it is conducted independently, which should not be based only on the mnemonic abilities. The duration of the test, as an oral one, is difficult to define and depends essentially on the degree of preparation and the relative exhibition skills of the student. An average duration of about 20 minutes is conceivable. The teaching, as established by Manifesto, does not provide for intermediate tests but only a test at the end of the teaching provision. This test has pre-established dates communicated annually to the Secretariats and published via Infostud websites. In any case, the student has the opportunity of a sort of "self-assessment" during the course because "ad hoc moments" of review and questions on the concepts developed are dedicated. To pass the exam it is need to achieve a grade of not less than 18/30. The student must demonstrate that has acquired sufficient knowledge of the general and special topics To achieve a score of 30/30 cum laude, the student must instead demonstrate that has acquired excellent knowledge of all the topics covered during the course and she/he is able to connect them in a logical and coherent way.
Lesson mode
The adopted teaching method provides (for the greater number of hours) lectures. However, students are invited to make reports on current selected topics regarding foods The teaching methods chosen by the teacher contribute not only to the achievement of the planned training objectives, but also allow the student to deal with current important issues
  • Lesson code1052165
  • Academic year2024/2025
  • CourseApplied Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • CurriculumINFORMAZIONE SCIENTIFICA SUL FARMACO
  • Year2nd year
  • Semester1st semester
  • SSDCHIM/10
  • CFU6
  • Subject areaDiscipline Chimiche