What does Food Chemistry study?

Food Chemistry is the scientific discipline that studies the composition, structure, properties, and chemical transformations of foods, as well as the relationships between food components, production processes, quality, safety, and human health.

Foods are complex systems composed of nutrients and numerous other biologically active molecules. Food Chemistry is concerned with identifying and characterizing these substances, understanding their role in the nutritional and sensory properties of foods, and evaluating how they are modified during production, processing, preservation, and digestion.

The study of foods requires a multidisciplinary approach that integrates analytical chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, nutrition, toxicology and food technologies. Through advanced analytical methods it is possible to characterize proteins, peptides, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, bioactive compounds and contaminants, obtaining an in-depth knowledge of food matrices and the processes that influence their quality and safety.

A central area of ​​the discipline concerns the study of chemical changes that occur along the food supply chain. Technological processes, storage conditions, and gastrointestinal digestion can alter the structure and functionality of food components, influencing their nutritional value, bioavailability, and biological effects.

Food Chemistry also deals with the evaluation of food safety through the study of contaminants, unwanted substances, allergens and compounds generated during production processes. In this context, the identification of chemical markers useful for guaranteeing authenticity, traceability and quality of food production takes on particular importance.

Modern research activities also extend to the study of interactions between food and the human organism. The focus is on understanding the mechanisms through which nutrients and bioactive compounds influence digestion, intestinal barrier function, microbiota, immune response and inflammatory state. This knowledge contributes to the development of innovative, sustainable and health-promoting foods.

The research conducted in the Food Chemistry Laboratory fits into this context and integrates the chemical characterization of foods with the study of their biological and functional properties, with particular attention to food safety, allergenicity, gastrointestinal digestion, intestinal inflammation, and the evaluation of the effects of foods on human health.