BIOTECNOLOGIE ALIMENTARI-modulo di Biochimica Alimentare
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Bibliography
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
Basic knowledge of metabolic biochemistry and related subjects (physics, inorganic and organic chemistry), cellular organization, biology of living organisms, and microbiology.
Food biochemistry and Nutrition modules.
The exam aim at evaluating the abilities achieved by the student in relation to:
1. Knowledge and understanding of the theoretical bases of nutrition and ability to link the various aspects in the argument;
2. Ability to apply the acquired knowledge to grasp the interconnections between diet and the different metabolic cycles and autonomously discuss the problems of energy and material metabolism regulation. Ability to extract information from a text and to identify critical aspects.
Written exam: the student will be asked to use the knowledge related to the program in a written test organized in three open questions concerning two the module of Food Biochemistry, one the module of Nutrition. The outcome of the exam will be in thirties.
Food Biotechnology Module
Student learning of the Food Biotechnology module will be tested through a written exam focused on all the subjects covered. The exam will consist of three open questions that cover all the teaching program. The outcome of the exam will be in thirtieths.
The overall grade (vote) of the course will be the arithmetic sum of the votes of the three modules. The exam is passed if the student has obtained a score of:
• greater than or equal to 9 in the exam on the Food Biochemistry and Nutrition modules
• greater than or equal to 9 in the exam of Food Biotechnology module.
Both conditions must be met to pass the exam. Students who have obtained a grade of 9 or higher only in one of the two modules will have to repeat the exam of the other module in one of the subsequent exam appeals.
EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES
The course is organized in three modules.
The teaching module of Nutritional Biochemistry (2 CFUs) intends to present in detail the role of proteins in determining the properties of food (both from the nutritional point of view and the safety of use) and the main structural, compositional and functional modifications to which they undergo during domestic and industrial processing or during transit in the human body.
Knowledge and understanding:
- acquire the fundamental elements of Food Biochemistry as a basis for understanding the main physiological mechanisms of assimilation, transformation and excretion of nutrients;
- possess the information necessary for understanding the molecular and metabolic bases of human pathologies and dysfunctions related to nutrition;
- to know the fundamental notions to critically face up to a food-related investigation with a biotechnological approach.
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:
- knowing how to apply the acquired metabolism biochemical knowledge to the analysis of the molecular basis of the functionality of the human organism;
- ability to grasp the interconnections between food and metabolism in their interdependence and regulation;
- know the criteria and limits of use of food biotechnologies and then evaluate their applicability in different contexts;
- know how to apply and develop biotechnological approaches for the development of innovative food products.
Independent judgment:
- ability to understand and critically discuss the correlations between food and (alterations of) metabolic processes and potential biotechnological applications;
- ability to understand and critically discuss the results of studies in nutrition sciences;
- ability to integrate information from different sources and to relate it to the knowledge acquired so far.
Communication skills:
- demonstrate the ability to communicate the basics of the discipline in a clear and understandable way;
- demonstrate the ability to extract and summarize the relevant information;
- demonstrate to be able to communicate effectively and with the correct terminology both orally and in writing and to summarize and disseminate the information.
Learning ability:
- ability to understand and comment on a scientific text on food biotechnology, to understand methodologies described on manuals and scientific publications
- ability to use this knowledge to critically evaluate aims and/or results of a research project at quantitative and qualitative level.
The Nutritional Biochemistry module (BIO/10) will be taught through in-class lectures and 2 laboratories. The lectures will address the following subjects:
- structure-function relationships in food proteins and interactions with non-protein components;
- structural modifications of food proteins;
- protein allergens and bioactive components of protein origin.
The two practical laboratory activities will concern the controlled denaturation of food proteins and the determination of lactose in foods.
Books: Leuzzi, Bellocco, Barreca “Biochemistry of Nutrition”. Zanichelli 2013
- Learning material (text and powerpoint slide) available at the E-learning platform.
- Research articles published in journals of food science area.
- Independent searches on scientific websites
Modules will be taught through in-class lectures (1.5 CFU) and laboratories (0.5 CFU). PowerPoint slides with text and images to improve comprehension will be extensively used during lectures. Educational videos will also be used to help students to attain additional information, and acquire new knowledge quickly and easily.
Students can meet with the professors in their office by previous email appointment. The professors will respond only to e-mails from the domain @ uninsubria.it. Professors will not respond to students who ask for confirmation of information that is already available - for example, confirmation of the exam date.