Biochemistry – Biochimica

NUTRITIONAL STANDARDS, GUIDELINES and CALORIMETRY Definition of Food Science and Nutrition Science. Categories of nutrients, macronutrients and micronutrients. From nutrients to foods. The seven classes of foods. Nutritional quality of food. Nutrition and Health. Food and energy. Body mass index (BMI), RDA. Dietary guidelines. Food pyramids. WATER Water balance. Water requirements. Endogenous and exogenous sources. Water homeostasis in the body. Water hardness. Water as a drink. CARBOHYDRATES Monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides. Nutrition and metabolism of carbohydrates. Lactose intolerance. Galactosemia. Glucose metabolism. Need of carbohydrates. Foods and glucose tolerance, glycemic index, nutrition and diabetes. Dietary fiber: Resistant starch. Soluble and insoluble fibers. Solubility, viscosity and fermentability of dietary fiber. Benefits and negative effects of the fibers. Recommended intake levels. Food sources. Dietary fiber and health. PROTEINS Nitrogen balance. Protein turnover. Nutritional features of aminoacids. Transamination reactions. Protein needs and requirements of essential aminoacids. Nutritional value of proteins. Food sources of proteins and protein quality. Protein-energy malnutrition. Celiac disease. LIPIDS Classification, metabolism, function and food sources of lipids. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Trans fatty acids. Plasma lipoproteins. Intake recommendations. Cholesterol. Relationship between lipids and diseases. Essential fatty acids (Linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid): metabolic functions, RDA, food sources of Omega-6 and omega-3. Cholesterol function, nutrition and control of serum cholesterol concentration. Lipoproteins. ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES Ethanol metabolism, diet and alcoholism. VITAMINS Differences between water-soluble and fat soluble. Nomenclature, sources and properties. Possible causes of deficiencies. B vitamins: general. Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B8, B9, B12, C: food sources, functions, deficiency. Fat-soluble vitamins A, E, K, D: vitamin molecules to activities, functions, food sources, requirements, deficiency and toxicity. MINERALS Biochemical functions. Bioavailability. Causes of loss of minerals. Functions, deficiencies and toxicity of sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, fluoride, iodine, manganese, copper, zinc, selenium and iron. OXIDATIVE STRESS AND ANTIOXIDANTS Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and oxidative stress. Intracellular and extracellular antioxidants. Polyphenols, Bioactive nutritional compounds, PROBIOTICS AND PREBIOTICS NUTRIGENETICS AND NUTRIGENOMICS Gene expression, gene mutation and polymorphism, transcription, genetic diseases of interest in nutrition, epigenetic control of chromatin structure and function. Dietary impact of nucleic acids. microRNAs and gene regulation

Knowledge of inorganic and organic chemistry, and of biology and biochemistry is required. Water, acids and bases, buffer systems, principle of thermodynamics, atomic structure, electronegativity, redox reactions, functional groups in organic chemistry, chemical reactivity of functional groups. Structure and fuction of Carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. Metabolism of sugars, lipids, proteins

- S. S. Gropper and J. L. Smith; “Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism”, VII edition, Wadsworth, Cengage Learning - M. J. Gibney, S. A, Lanham-New, A. Cassidy, H. H. Vorster; “Introduction to Human Nutrition”, III Edition, Wiley-Blackwell - A. Mariani Costantini, C. Cannella, G. Tomassi; "Alimentazione e nutrizione umana", IIth edition, Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore - G. Arienti; "Le basi molecolari della nutrizione", Piccin, 2011 - U. Leuzzi, E. Bellocco, D. Barreca; "Biochimica della nutrizione", Zanichelli, 2013

Attendance is not mandatory

The assessment is a single final exam consisting in a multiple choice test followed by oral discussion of the test. In the final evaluation, the commission ensures that the student has achieved the course objectives and also his ability to have an overview of the subject and to use a proper and specific language.

Traditional lessons