Unit PLANT PRODUCTS, NUTRACEUTICALS AND PHYTOTHERAPEUTICS

PLANTS AND HUMAN DIET

Code	A005598
CFU	5
Teacher	Daniela Gigante
Teachers	Daniela Gigante Lara Reale (Codocenza)
Hours	35 ore - Daniela Gigante 5 ore (Codocenza) - Lara Reale
Learning activities	Affine/integrativa
Area	Attività formative affini o integrative
Sector	BIO/03
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction	Italian
Contents	Overview of the morphological and functional organization of plants and their parts used as food. Main food groups. The Mediterranean diet, an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Plants in the Mediterranean diet as foods, flavorings, spices, and food additives. Monographs on the species with greatest functional and cultural relevance in human nutrition (cereals, pseudocereals, legumes, oilseeds, fruits, and vegetables). Plant-based prebiotics: fructans and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and plants rich in them. Secondary metabolites: plants relevant for their content of terpenes, alkaloids, sulfur compounds, and phenolic compounds of plant origin. Botanicals, novel foods, and other types of plant-based products used in the food and nutritional market.
Reference texts	"Piante Alimentari - Biologia, Composizione chimica, Utilizzo". Calogero Rinallo. PICCIN Nuova Libraria, 2018. Further information: "The Mediterranean Diet: Health and Science", Richard Hoffman and Mariette Gerber. Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2012. Lecture presentations available on the platform Unistudium
Educational objectives	The student will acquire knowledge on: morpho-functional organization of plants; main organs involved in the synthesis and accumulation of primary and secondary metabolites and reserve substances, and their use for food; main characteristics of seeds, fruits, and other plant parts involved in human nutrition; characterization and use of plant species belonging to the main food groups. The main skills (i.e., the ability to apply acquired knowledge) will be: recognition of various types of fruits and seeds and their role in the human diet; mastery of the main food species.
Prerequisites	Good knowledge of biology is required, with special attention to basic botany, cytology, biochemistry.
Teaching methods	The course is organized as follows: Lectures on all subjects of the course; Laboratory experiences at the "Polo Didattico di Microscopia” at the Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences.
Other information	The teaching material is available on the UniStudium platform. Consulting hours by appointment via email: lara.reale@unipg.it daniela.gigante@unipg.it
Learning verification modality	The exam consists of a discussion of about 30 minutes aiming to ascertain the knowledge level and understanding capability acquired by students on contents as indicated in the program. The oral exam will also test the students' communication skills and their autonomy in the organization and exposure of the theoretical topics.
Extended program	Overview of the morphological and functional organization of plants and their parts used as food, with particular attention to storage organs (fruits, seeds, tubers, rhizomes, bulbs); identification and characterization of plant parts containing metabolites of nutritional interest (5 hours). The Mediterranean diet, an intangible heritage of humanity. Main groups of plants of nutritional interest in the Mediterranean diet as foods, flavorings, spices, and food additives. Monograph on the species of greatest functional and cultural importance in human nutrition (cereals: wheat, rice, corn, barley, oats, rye; pseudocereals: buckwheat, amaranth; legumes: chickpea, lentil, bean, pea, broad bean, soybean, peanut; oilseeds: olive, rapeseed, sunflower; fruit: peach, apricot, almond, plum, cherry, pear, apple; grapevine; vegetables: tomato, pepper, potato, cabbage, pumpkin, courgette, cucumber). Plant-based prebiotics: fructans and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and plants rich in them. Secondary metabolites: plants relevant for their content of terpenes, alkaloids, sulfur compounds, and phenolic compounds of plant origin. Botanicals, novel foods, and other types of plant-based products used in the food and nutritional market (25 hours). Practical lessons: Direct observation of plant parts and organs used for food purposes; analysis of the characteristics of various species (10 hours).
Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile	Health and wellness; quality education; Life on earth

HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS

Code	A000565
CFU	3
Teacher	Maria Carla Marcotullio
Teachers	Maria Carla Marcotullio
Hours	24 ore - Maria Carla Marcotullio
Learning activities	Affine/integrativa
Area	Attività formative affini o integrative
Sector	BIO/15
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction	Italian
Contents	Phytotherapy. Crude drug, active principle and phytocomplex. Classes of active principles. Herbal products and their formulation.
Reference texts	F. Firenzuoli - Fitoterapia- Edra F. Capasso, G. Grandolini, A.A. Izzo- Fitoterapia- Springer Verlag, 2006 Lectures slides and didactic material will be provided in Unistudium
Educational objectives	The student will acquire the skills to use herbal products in phytotherapy and for food supplementation.
Teaching methods	Didactic methods are mainly based on front lectures that explain different topics using slides. The classes are structured as an interactive, discussion-based dialogue between student and teacher.
Other information	Attendance is not compulsory, but encouraged
Learning verification modality	Oral examination (20-30 min). The exam questions will include a general question (e.g., legislation or preparation of herbal medicines) and a question on herbal medicines used to treat a pathology.
Extended program	Phytotherapy and conventional therapy. Herbal drug, active compounds and phytocomplex. Classes of phytochemicals and factors affecting their presence. Herbal products and their formulations. Herbal products: claims, interactions and adverse effects. Interactions between conventional therapies and herbal products. Herbal products affecting: gastrointestinal apparatus and digestion, liver and bile ducts, urinary system, inflammation, and adaptogen herbal products
Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile	Health and wellness

NUTRACEUTICAL PRODUCTS

Code	A000564
CFU	3
Teacher	Emidio Camaioni
Teachers	Emidio Camaioni
Hours	24 ore - Emidio Camaioni
Learning activities	Affine/integrativa
Area	Attività formative affini o integrative
Sector	CHIM/08
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction	Italian. Some slides and notes will be in English.
Contents	Knowledge of of the theoretical basis of the main nutraceuticals present in functional food focusing the attention on the classification and the chemical properties of them.
Reference texts	F. Evangelisti, P. Restani - Prodotti Dietetici - Piccin Ed. Slides, notes and handouts will be available on line on the portal UniStudium. https://www.unipg.it/servizi-on-line/unistudium
Educational objectives	The student will learn about the definition of nutraceuticals. The classification and the chemical properties of nutraceuticals present in functional foods and in dietary supplements.
Prerequisites	Knowledge of of the theoretical basis of Chemistry (mandatory) and Food Chemistry (important).
Teaching methods	Theoretical lessons
Other information	Attendance to the lessons is not compulsory, but encouraged. For further information about DSA: http://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa
Learning verification modality	Oral exam: consisting of open questions about the theoretical aspects of the course with the aim to assess the level of preparation, the knowledge and understanding of the student. Online registration is nedeed: https://unipg.esse3.cineca.it/Home.do.
Extended program	Introduction and definitions. Nutraceutical, Functional food, Dietary supplements. EFSA, health claims and IT/EU regulations. Nutraceuticals in functional foods endowed with benefical properties against the musculo-skeletal and cardiovascular systems or involved in the regulation of human methabolism. Melatonin. Functional foods such as cranberry extracts and extravirgin olive oil. Glusosinolates. Other topics and seminars will be implemented in agreement with the attending students.
Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile	Salute e benessere; istruzione di qualità