Management of gastronomic sciences for wellbeing

MODULE 1: SUBSTANCES FOUND IN FOODS DIFFERENT FROM NUTRITIVE PRINCIPLES (1 ECTS) Bioactive constituents of plant-based foods Primary and secondary metabolism. Building blocks (Acetyl-CoA, Mevalonic Acid, Shikimic Acid, Methylerythritol phosphate, Derivatives of amino acids). Bioavailability. Phytocomplex. Shikimate pathway: polyphenols (Flavonoids – flavonols, anthocyanins, isoflavones, tannins - and non-flavonoids – hydroxycinnamic acids, lignans, hydroxybenzoic acids, stilbenes, phenolic alcohols). Mevalonate pathway: saponins. Alkylresorcinols. Analytical methods. Overview of extraction techniques. Substances derived from the transformations of nutritive principles Transformation of nutritive principles. Modifications affecting lipids: lipolytic, ketotic, and oxidative rancidity (auto- and photo-oxidative). Examples of analytical methodologies aimed at detecting modified substances (titration for acidity and peroxide number, UV spectrophotometric analysis for conjugated dienes). Lipid modifications during cooking (thermal degradation). Modifications affecting carbohydrates: fermentations (alcoholic, homofermentative, heterofermentative, aceton-Butyric, Propionic, Butyric, oxidative, citric); during cooking (simple sugars – caramelisation, starch – dextrinisation and gelatinisation, pectins – gelling). Modifications affecting proteins and amino acids: denaturation, degradation (Michael reaction, racemisation, cyclic derivatives, Maillard reaction; putrefaction). Determination of total nitrogen – Kjeldahl method. Enzymatic browning. MODULE 2: NON-CONVENTIONAL FOODS (1 ECTS) Food hemp Cannabis sativa: brief history and legislation. The supply chain of food hemp: regulatory aspects, hemp seeds (composition, macro and micronutrients, anti-nutritional compounds), hemp seed oil (composition), hemp seed flour Alternative protein sources Food sustainability. Chemical composition and related issues: legumes, insects, algae, engineered foods (synthetic meat and 3D printing), simulated foods, jellyfish, fermented foods, microorganisms. Legislation of Novel Foods. MODULE 3: FOOD ANALYSIS (1 ECTS) Issues related to foods (quality, fraud, traceability / traceability) Food quality: safety (RASFF), fraud (commercial, health-related, alteration, adulteration, sophistication, forgery); quality marks (DOP, IGP, STG), traceability, authenticity Analytical solutions to the problem of authentication: Targeted analysis (direct and indirect indicators) and Untargeted analysis (profiling and fingerprinting). Sampling and extraction. Conventional and spectroscopic instrumental techniques Conventional analytical methods (classical analytical chemistry, physical techniques, instrumental analytical chemistry, biological analysis techniques). Spectroscopy: overview of analytical principles, infrared spectroscopy (NIR, MIR, FIR); UV-visible spectroscopy, applications in the food field. Chromatographic techniques: fundamental principles, LC, GC, and GLC, applications in the food field. Advanced methodologies Mass spectrometry, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance – brief overview of the analysis mechanism and potential applications in food analysis.

books (La chimica e gli alimenti – nutrienti e aspetti nutraceutici di L. Mannina, M. Daglia, A. Ritieni. CEA 2019, Milano; Food Chemistry, di H.-D. Belitz, W. Grosch, P. Schieberle, 4° edizione, Springer 2009, Heidelberg) teaching material

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