Nutritional & Metabolic Biochemistry
Theory: 2 hours/week | Tutorials: 1 hour/week | Practicals: 2 hours/week | ECTS Units: 5
Tutoring in the English language is offered to Erasmus students
Learning Outcomes
The course aims to provide students with the necessary theoretical background for understanding the role of nutrition in health, as well as to introduce them to new developments in research in the field of nutrition.
It is divided in two parts. Part 1 introduces students to classical Food Biochemistry with the aim of acquiring knowledge of nutrients and the effects of their biochemical changes during harvesting and processing on the quality of food. Emphasis is given on innovative developments in the field of Food Biochemistry.
In Part 2 the students are introduced to Nutritional Biochemistry with the aim of understanding the metabolism of essential nutrients and their role in the health of our body and knowledge of new technologies as tools for the study of Nutritional Biochemistry.
Analytical Description of the Course
Food Biochemistry
- Classes of Nutrients
- Biochemical Changes During Food Harvesting and Processing
- Biodegradation
- Molecular Gastronomy
- Food Categories
- Novel and Functional Foods
- Food and Beverage Safety System
Biochemical basis of nutrition
- Metabolism of macronutrients and micronutrients
- The epigenetic role of metabolites
- Nutrigenomics
- Food toxicology
- New approaches to nutrition research: Omics technologies. Specific examples.
- Educational Topics on Health and Nutrition, with the relevant teaching methodology and practical teaching of theoretical modules and experimental activities for primary and secondary education
Student Performance Evaluation
Students are assessed through written exams, laboratory exercises, written assignments and oral presentations. The final course grade
is as follows
• Written exams 80%
• Laboratory exercises 20%
• Assignments (add up to one additional point to the final grade)
Suggested Bibliography
- Βαφοπούλου-Μαστρογιαννάκη, Α (2003) Βιοχημεία Τροφίμων. Εκδόσεις Ζήτη.
- Γαλανοπούλου, Ν., Ζαμπετάκης, Γ., Μαυρή, Μ., Σιαφάκα, Α. (2011). Διατροφή και Χημεία
- Τροφίμων. 2η έκδοση. Εκδόσεις Σταμούλη.
- Sareen S. Gropper, Jack L. Smith, James L. Groff, Διατροφή και μεταβολισμός, 1η έκδ., Αθήνα: Ιατρικές Εκδόσεις Π. Χ. Πασχαλίδης, 2007.
Teaching Material / E-class
Lecturers
Vasiliki Skamnaki (Course Coordinator)
Dimitrios Kouretas
Dimitrios Stagos
