Course objectives |
This course will describe functional foods and nutraceuticals, including their classification, health benefits, development, and law regulation. The main focus is on analyses, chemistry, processing, bioavailability, and health benefits of bioactive food components. Students will learn about which constituent make some food functional, and will discuss their chemistry and physiological effects. |
Learning outcomes expected at the level of the course (4 to 10 learning outcomes) |
By the end of the course students should be able to:
- understand fundamental concepts related to functional food and nutraceuticals,
- define major nutrient components and specific functional foods,
- describe the major health benefits of functional foods and nutraceuticals,
- decribe the major biological activities,
- understand the basic regulation. |
Course content broken down in detail by weekly class schedule (syllabus) |
1st week: Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals: History and definitions;
2nd week: Categories of functional foods
3rd week: Nutrition and health (Nutrition related diseases, Bioavailability, Specific health issues...)
4th week: Nutrient Components of Foods: Bioactive Carbohydrates
5th week: Nutrient Components of Foods: Bioactive Proteins, Peptides and Lipids
6th week: Nutrient Components of Foods: Bioactive Carotenoids
7th week: Nutrient Components of Foods: Plant Secondary Metabolites
8th week: Other non-nutritive components
I Colloquium
9th week: Specific Functional Foods: Soybean, Fruits and Vegetables
10th week: Specific Functional Foods: Milk and Milk Products, Fish, Meat, Miscellaneous Foods and Food Components
11th week: Biological activities (Antioxidant properties, Antimicrobial activity, Anticancer agents, Anti-inflammatory properties, Cardiovascular effects, Gastric and hepatic protective effects, Anti-obesity and anti-diabetic activities...)
12th week: health benefits of functional foods/ingredients
13th week: Current and emerging trends in the production of functional foods and nutraceuticals;
14th week: Processing technologies,
15th week: Economic aspects, public perception, law regulation and ethical issues
II. Colloquium
Laboratory exercises
- Isolation, purification and identification of bioactive components / fractions of selected foods (eg. pigments, sugars, terpenes, thiols, phenolic compounds ...), (4)
- Determination of antioxidant activity (e.g., methods ORAC, FRAP, DPPH, BR, chelating, ...) (5)
- Determination of antimicrobial activity (disk diffusion method, determination of minimal inhibitory concentration) (3)
- Demonstration: enzymatic inhibition of isolated fractions / compounds (acetylcholine esterase, butirilcholinesterase), vasodilatory effects, anticarcinogenic activity, ...) |
