Laboratorio di analisi chimica degli alimenti - Prof. Annalisa Scroccarello - a.a. 2023/2024
Food science and technology - Elective
ATTENZIONE: i contenuti di questo corso sono relativi all'anno accademico 2023/2024
Topic outline
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The course will start 2nd semester.
Bring a laptop with Excel installed and a scientific calculator to each lesson.
The course includes a total of 10 lessons of 4 h each.
The main goal of the course is the implementation of knowledge of the analytical techniques with particular regard to practical analysis applied to food samples.
The aim of the course is to know, understand, and handle the methods for quantification of an analyte in a given sample; and to achieve the ability to choose the correct methods concerning possible analytical problems.
The strategy: to achieve these strategies, knowledge of rapid methods (e.g. spectroscopic), chromatographic strategies (e.g. HPLC, GC), etc. will be employed in food analysis to assess food safety and quality control.
Case studies relative to research projects and recent publications for each of the analytical methodologies will be also presented and discussed.
In brief, the course's main goals will be:
-Acquisition of theoretical and practical skills to perform quantitative analysis of foods from the sample handling to the data interpretation, enclosing the whole analytical process.
- Acquire skills to choose the best analytical strategy to apply, depending on the food matrix to study and the analyte to determine.
The course will be performed in Italian. The materials (i.e., slides) will be provided in English.Students' reception time: every Tuesday 10.00-13.00
INFO ABOUT THE COURSE
Previous knowledge required
-Basic statistic
-Basic use of excel
-Basic spectroscopy: electromagnetic radiations, absorbance, wavelength, peaks interpretation, Lambert-Beer law.
-Basic Principles of Liquid and Gas chromatography
-Basic principles of solid-liquid, liquid-liquid, SPE extraction methodologiesA brief 'overview' of the required skills will be addressed in the course.
Course main goals
Knowledge and understanding:
The main goal of the course is the implementation of knowledge of the analytical techniques with particular regard to practical analysis applied to food samples. The aim of the course is to know, understand, and handle the methods for quantification of an analyte in a given sample, and to achieve the ability to choose the correct methods concerning possible analytical problems.
The main topics of the course are:
Sample Composition: Analyte, interferences, matrix.
External calibration Curve.
Internal Calibration Curve.
Standard Addition method (single and multiple).
Internal Standard.
How to choose amongst the 4 methods of quantification.
Data treatment in the 4 methods of quantification.
To achieve the listed knowledge rapid methods (e.g. spectroscopic) and chromatographic strategies (e.g. HPLC, GC) will be employed for food analysis to assess food safety and quality control.
Case studies relative to research projects and recent publications for each of the analytical methodologies will be also presented and discussed.
The course's main goals will be:
-Acquisition of theoretical and practical skills to perform quantitative analysis of foods. From the sample handling to the data interpretation.
- Acquire skills to choose the best analytical strategy to apply, depending on both the food matrix to study and the analyte to determine.
Applying knowledge and understanding
The course will be useful for people involved in Research and Development and Innovation areas, as well as in more technical and analytical positions. In particular, the course will provide the ability to handle a whole food analytical process, from the sample up to the expression of the obtained results.
In general, the student should achieve the ability to solve analytical problems in the food analysis contest.
Making judgments
The ability of judgment will be developed during the theoretical lessons, where the student will be involved in the case studies resolution, and during practical laboratory activity where, the acquired knowledge, will be challenged towards real food analysis. Moreover, the student's judgment ability will be further stimulated during the review of the analytical reports, which will be drawn up for each practical lesson (laboratory experience) and discussed during the exam.
At the end of the course, the student will be able to evaluate the analytical quality of the obtained experimental data and focus if the chosen protocol is the most appropriate to solve a given analytical problem.
Communication skills
The communication skills will be trained and used during the case studies resolution, along which the student will be involved in problem-solving challenges. The vocabulary of the specific and exact terminology, contextualized to the purpose of the course, will be expanded. Finally, different communication skills will be implemented during the final examination, and during the discussion of the analytical reports.
At the end of the course, the student will be able to present data in an essay format containing the rationale of the experiment, materials, and methods, results, and critical discussions.
Also, the student will be able to present a seminar on a working paper about one of the topics of the course.
Learning skills
At the end of the course, the student will be able to evaluate the better analytical approach, in terms of methodology and strategy to be employed in real cases of food sample analysis. Moreover, students will be able to design experiments, carry them out, and analyze in critical ways the data they yield.
Course program
The course consists of 4 main units.
Workload 40h: 8h frontal lessons + 32h practical lessons (laboratory).
Each unit consists of a theoretical part (frontal lesson) and a laboratory part (practical lesson).
The 4 units deal with the understanding and practical application of different analytical methods for the quantification of analytes of agri-food interest. In the different Units, different calibration methods will be treated: external calibration curve (Unit 1), internal calibration curve (Unit 2), single and multiple standard additions (Unit 3), and internal standard (unit 4).
The laboratory practical will be devoted to applying these methodologies in real case studies (using food samples).
In each Unit, a different analytical instrument/strategy will be employed as spectrophotometry, chromatography (HPLC and GC), and other instruments/methods conventionally employed in food analysis. For each Unit, the student will draw up an analytical report, focusing on the analytical extrapolation of the data obtained.
It is strongly recommended to bring a personal laptop to the lessons. It's mandatory to bring a lab coat.
COURSE BOOKS
Because of the practical application nature of this course, there is no mandatory textbook. Regular attendance at lessons is strongly encouraged.
- Skoog D.A., West D.M., Holler, F. J., & Crouch, S. R. Fondamenti di chimica analitica. EdiSES.
- Skoog, D.A., West, D. M., Holler, F. J., & Crouch, S. R. (2013). Fundamentals of analytical chemistry. Nelson Education.
- Christian G.D., Dasgupta P.K., Schug K.A. (any version). ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, Wiley.RESEARCH MATERIAL
The material will be provided lesson after lesson and will be previously discussed with the teacher.INTERMEDIATE TESTS
There are no intermediate testsEVALUATION
ORAL EXAM (oral interview with evaluations of the laboratory practicals reports and case studies discussion).
Knowledge and understanding of the topics treated in the course will be evaluated with an oral examination. The ability to apply knowledge, make judgments and communication skills will be evaluated during the exam. The evaluation will be done on the manual lab skills shown during the practical, the quality, organization and quantitative results given in the reports (knowledge and understanding, applying knowledge and understanding, making judgments); the quality of the seminar (slides and presentation, communication skills).
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