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.

Channels

NESSUNA CANALIZZAZIONE

LUISA MANNINA LUISA MANNINA   Teacher profile

Programme

The course includes a general part and a special part.
In the general part, introductory concepts regarding the chemical composition of food and food safety are carried out. It is also highlighted the importance of a good diet for the well-being of persons and the existence of pathologies linked to the intake of specific nutrients.

In the special part specific topics are instead treated concerning food supplements, products with nutraceutical action and dietary products intended for subjects in particular physiological conditions or with metabolic disorders.

The articulation in the various topics is deeply interconnected, since the description of the foods in the special part will refer to the chemical composition, to the health properties or to the presence of problems related to the nutrients intake reported in the general part. However, an articulation of the various themes can be foreseen in the following number of hours (approximate values): point 1 = 24 hours; point 2 = 24 hours
Compatibly with the needs of in-depth study presented by the students in the classroom, it is possible to foresee an articulation of the various themes in the following number of orientation hours: point 1 = 30 hours; point 2 = 34 hours


GENERAL PART
Foods and nutrients. Essential nutrients. Classifications of nutrients. Nutritional balance. Energy needs. Basal metabolism. Dietary guidelines. The recommended levels of intake of various nutrients for different age groups. Concept of alteration, adulteration and sophistication. Foodstuffs Labeling. Quality and authenticity. Genetically Modified Foods. Biological agriculture.
Hints on Carbohydrates. Classification and role. Structure and chemical-physical properties of the main monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides.
Hints Lipids. General aspects, classes of compounds. Nomenclature, diffusion and physico-chemical properties of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Maltodextrins. Biological and nutritional role of lipids.
Sweet taste substances: sweetening power and notes on the receptive theories. Natural and synthetic sweeteners.
The fiber. Definition. Soluble fiber and insoluble fiber.
Prebiotics and Probiotics. Functional properties of prebiotic and probiotic foods.
Hints on Protein. Natural amino acids: nomenclature and structural classification. Physical properties and main reactivity. Essential amino acids. Limiting amino acid. Protein quality.
Vitamins and Inorganic component: Main food sources, stability, and biological function,

SPECIAL PART
Food supplements, scientific aspects and problems related to abuse.
Dietary products intended for a particular diet: regulatory framework

Dietary products intended for subjects in particular physiological conditions:
- dietetic products intended for obese subjects or with eating behavior disorders. - sports products

Dietary products intended for subjects with metabolic disorders:
-food products for celiac disease (gluten-free products)
-disorders of the metabolism of amino acids (hyperphenylalaninemias, hypertirosinemia)
- diet in diabetes (products for diabetics, artificial sweeteners)
-disorders of carbohydrate metabolism (galactosemia, fructosemia, lactase deficiency ...)

Adopted texts


L.Mannina, M.Daglia, A.Ritieni: La Chimica e gli Alimenti (Casa Editrice Ambrosiana)
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
Text 2 is instead more useful for the concerning dietetic products for diseases linked to disorders of the metabolism of some nutrients.

Prerequisites

Students should have some basics on organic chemistry. In order to better understand some specific concepts and to achieve , more easily, 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 professor, 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.

Frequency modes

Attendance at lessons is optional. However, for acquiring the competences provided by the course objectives, it is highly recommended. In fact, during the lectures, a useful interactivity is provided for cognitive purposes (not otherwise achievable in case of non-attendance to the course, by the student). At the discretion of the teacher and for the evaluation of the achievement of a valid method of the study, according to pre-established and previously communicated modalities, the attendance to the Course could be verified.

Exam modes

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.

Exam reservation date start Exam reservation date end Exam date
01/01/2021 15/01/2021 19/01/2021
01/02/2021 14/02/2021 17/02/2021
01/03/2021 14/03/2021 17/03/2021
01/04/2021 11/04/2021 14/04/2021
01/05/2021 09/05/2021 12/05/2021
01/06/2021 13/06/2021 17/06/2021
01/07/2021 17/07/2021 20/07/2021
01/09/2021 12/09/2021 15/09/2021
15/09/2021 27/09/2021 01/10/2021
01/10/2021 18/10/2021 21/10/2021
01/11/2021 20/11/2021 23/11/2021
01/12/2021 09/12/2021 13/12/2021
Course sheet
  • Academic year: 2020/2021
  • Curriculum: SCIENZE ERBORISTICHE
  • Year: Second year
  • Semester: First semester
  • SSD: CHIM/10
  • CFU: 6
Activities
  • Attività formative caratterizzanti
  • Ambito disciplinare: Discipline Chimiche
  • Lecture (Hours): 48
  • CFU: 6.00
  • SSD: CHIM/10