Biochimica degli alimenti
(objectives)
A) TRAINING OBJECTIVES According to the general training objectives set out in the SUA Form, this teaching course aims to provide students with fundamentals of biochemistry and, with them, the knowledge of the biological, chemical and nutritional properties of the main classes of compounds that form the basis of human nutrition. The main objectives of this course are: i) provide a basic understanding of the chemical-physical and biological properties of the main compounds (amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins) contained in food, or food-derived; ii) illustrate the basic concepts of enzymatic kinetics and bioenergetics in order to explain, on a scientific basis, the way in which the metabolic reactions can take place in living organisms, at very high rate. iii) understand the logic of the main metabolic pathways, the interconnections between them, their regulation and the relative energy balance.
B) EXPECTED LEARNING RESULTS 1. Knowledge and understanding At the end of the teaching course, students should be able to discuss/recognize: i) the structures and chemical-physical properties of the most important food-biomolecules; ii) the ways in which the digestive processes (of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids) take place; iii) the main products of the digestive processes, the enzymes involved and their specificity; iv) the absorption of compounds generated at gastro-intestinal level and mechanisms of their delivery to the cells /organs deputed to their complete degradation; v) the basics of bioenergetics and enzymology; vi) the main degradative pathways of: mono-, di- and polysaccharides; amino acids; triacylglycerols; fatty acids; glycerol; ethanol. vii) the general scheme of metabolic processes which are involved in the production of ATP.
2. Applying knowledge and understanding Upon passing the exam, students must be able to: recognize the functional groups of biological molecules, even those not specifically treated in class; discuss the potential reactivity of the various functional groups; describe the behavior in water of the main classes of biomolecules; evaluate the nutritional qualities of foods, on the basis of their composition.
3. Making judgments Judgment skills will be stimulated during the delivery of lectures, with students being asked to provide their interpretation to practical biochemical issues (eg. food intolerances, use of food supplements, etc.). If necessary, the autonomy of judgment will be stimulated also by consulting selected scientific articles. The achieved level of judgment indipendence will be evaluated at the moment of final exam, too.
4. Communication skills The lectures will be conducted in order to stimulate students discussion, on specific topics. During these discussions, students will be invited to express with an appropriate, concise, clear and effective scientific language. The student's communication skills will be tested also during the final exam.
5. Learning skills The course will be provided in order to promote the learning of basic biochemical concepts, at the first; then, the lectures will deal with more complex biochemical issues. The students should take advantage of this course, adopting a personal (but rigorous) method of study; this method should allow them to improve their ability and autonomy of learning, thus strengthening their ability in independent study.
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Derived from
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17757 Biochimica degli alimenti in Food and Wine Technologies L-26 IMPERLINI ESTHER
(syllabus)
HUMAN NUTRITION AND NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS OF FOODS. General features of metabolism. Catabolism and anabolism. Metabolisms and enzyme catalysis. Enzymes: common names, systematic names and E.C. classification. Basic concepts of enzymology: transition states theory and activation energies; reaction rate; Michaelis-Menten equation; definition and significance of KM, Vmax and Kcat. Enzyme inhibition. Allosteric enzymes and regulation. Chemical and functional properties of the most common coenzymes/prostetic groups. Coenzymes and vitamins. “Essential compounds” in biochemistry. Basic/general concepts of bioenergetics: ATP and other so-called “high energy compounds”. Coupled reactions. General overview on energetic catabolism.
CARBOHYDRATES AND THEIR ROLE IN HUMAN NUTRITION. D-Glucose and other D-Monosaccharides. Glycolysis: aims and cellular localization; reactions, metabolic intermediates and final products; energy balance; regulatory aspects. The phosphogluconate pathway: aims and cellular localization; reactions, metabolic intermediates and final products; energy balance; regulatory aspects. Gluconeogenesis: aim and cellular localization; precursors of D-Glucose; energy balance and regulatory aspects. Fate of Pyruvate under aerobic conditions: the multienzyme Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex (PDH); pyruvate uptake into mitochondria; energy balance and regulatory aspects. Lactic acid fermentation. Alcoholic fermentation. A number of sugars are funnelled into glycolysis. Catabolism of starch (in plants) and glycogen (in animals). Oral and intestinal digestion of starch and glycogen present in foods.
FATS AND OILS. Composition and physico-chemichal properties. Fatty acids and Triacylglycerols: structure and general properties. Saturated, mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty acids. Essential fatty acids. Digestion of exogenous triacylglycerols: bile salts; lipases; kilomicrones. Degradation of endogenous tryacylglicerols. Fate of glycerol. Beta-oxidation process: localization; reactions; enzymes; metabolic intermediates; final products; energy balance and regulation. Catabolism of fatty acids containing an odd number of carbon atoms. Catabolism of mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty acids.
STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF PROTEINS AND AMINO ACIDS. Globular, fibrous and membrane proteins. Protein catabolism: protein turnover and digestion of food proteins. Proteolytic enzymes and their specificity. Catabolism of protein amino acids: fate of amino acids alfa-amino groups; transaminase-catalyzed reactions; the glutamate dehydrogenase and ammonia production; carbamoyl phosphate biosynthesis and urea cycle; metabolic fate of the carbon skeleton of amino acids. Krebs cycle (or Citric acid cycle): aims and cellular localization; reactions; enzymes; metabolic intermediates; energetics and regulatory aspects. Krebs cycle: Amphibolic aspects.
THERMODYNAMICS OF REDOX REACTIONS. Redox couples in biological systems. Redox potentials, Standard redox potentials and Nernst equation. Structural organization of mitochondria. Cellular respiration: electron transport from reduced coenzymes to oxygen. The membrane complexes I-IV. Generation of protonic electrochemical potential. Oxidative phosphorylation. ATP synthase (complex V).
(reference books)
Title: PRINCIPI DI BIOCHIMICA. Authors: D. Voet, J.G. Voet e C.W. Pratt. Publisher: Zanichelli (2017). This volume is included into FONDAMENTI DI BIOCHIMICA. Authors: D. Voet, J.G. Voet e C.W. Pratt. Publisher: Zanichelli (2017).
Alternative book: Title: INTRODUZIONE ALLA BIOCHIMICA DI LEHNINGER. Authors: D.L. Nelson e M.M. Cox. Publisher: Zanichelli (V edition 2015).
For further study: Title: BIOCHIMICA DELLA NUTRIZIONE. Authors: U. Leuzzi, E. Bellocco, D. Barreca Publisher: Zanichelli (2013).
All these books are available in the library of the Campus Riello at the Tuscia University.
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Dates of beginning and end of teaching activities
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From 01/03/2021 to 11/06/2021 |
Delivery mode
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Traditional
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Attendance
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not mandatory
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Evaluation methods
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Oral exam
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