Nutrients, Contaminants and Toxic Compounds in Food
Objectives
At the end of the curricular unit the student will be able to:
- Characterize the structure and most common types of nutrients: proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and vitamins.
- Identify the nutritional functions, physical and chemical, sensory and functional properties of the different nutrients in food.
- Know and identify the main changes in food components that occur during processing.
- Characterize the different chemical contaminants in food and ways to mitigate their presence.
- Know the body''s response to chemical contaminants and the importance of antioxidants in inhibiting their formation and bioactivation.
- Identify the bioactive compounds present in foods and their beneficial function for the body.
General characterization
Code
13198
Credits
3.0
Responsible teacher
Fernando José Cebola Lidon
Hours
Weekly - Available soon
Total - 42
Teaching language
Português
Prerequisites
Basic knowledges in biology, chemistry and biochemistry.
Bibliography
Belitz, H. D., Grosh, W., Shieberle, P. 2009. Food Chemistry, 4th edition. Springer-Verlag (Ed.), New York
Egbuna, C. and Tupas, G.D. 2020. Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals. Bioactive Components, Formulations and Innovations. Springer Ed. ISBN: 978-3-030-42319-3.
Nollet, Leo M.L., Toldra. F. 2010. Safety Analysis of Foods of Animal Origin. CRC Press Taylor & Francis, New York.
Yildiz, F. 2010. Advances in Food Biochemistry. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis, New York.
Teaching method
Exposition of theoretical contents using audiovisual media. The students'' involvement is sought through the analysis and discussion of concepts, works and oral presentations.
Continuous assessment on the content of classes, bibliographic research and final exam.
Evaluation method
Continuous assessment in two components: theoretical (2 individual Mini-Tests - each with 30% of the final classification) and theoretical-practical: (production and oral presentation of a research project on the synthesis and mobilization of assimilates and crop production, based on literature and laboratory studies - 40% of the final classification).
Final rating: (0.30*Mini-Test1) + (0.30*Mini-Test2) + (0.40*Research work). Approval requires a minimum score of 9.5 (scale of 20 values) for each component (theoretical-practical and theoretical).
Students without approval in the continuous assessment will be submitted to exam. Rating equal to 0.6*Exam + 0.4*classification of theoretical-practical. Approval with a minimum grade of 9.5 (scale of 20 values)
Subject matter
Food nutrients. Proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins and minerals from foods of animal and vegetable origin. Nutrient metabolism. Nutritional functions, physical and chemical, sensory and functional properties.
Changes in food components during processing: changes in carbohydrates, proteins and lipids and influence on nutritional characteristics and functional properties. Non-enzymatic browning reactions. Maillard reactions. Biochemistry of food oxidation. Lipid and protein oxidation.
Chemical contaminants in food: Nature of different contaminants and contamination routes. Toxic compounds formed during food processing. Biogenic amines, nitrosamines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic aromatic amines. Ways of mitigating its presence in food. Response to toxic effects. Oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species. Importance of antioxidants in inhibiting the formation and bioactivation of toxic compounds Bioactive compounds present in food. Biochemical nature of compounds with antioxidant activity and their role in foods. Stability and main mechanisms of change.