Antimicrobial substances of plant origin (2 credits).
Prof. Maria Daglia
Period: March-April
Contents. Plant antimicrobial compounds are generally produced by plants as secondary metabolites in response to biotic and abiotic stress such as the attack of parasites and herbivorous animals, drought, high salinity of the soil and strong radiation. These compounds are increasingly used as natural preservatives to inhibit or delay food degradation as they are preferred by the consumer because they are considered natural alternatives to synthetic chemicals with antimicrobial activity, whose safety has been questioned, particularly in the population groups such as infants and children. The main antimicrobial agents of plant origin will be described including proteins, essential oils, polyphenols (especially flavonoids), whose activity depends on their concentration, composition and chemical structure, also describing the spectrum of action against various food-borne pathogens, antimicrobial activity mechanisms of action and safety against humans. Mention will also be made of the permitted doses in foods useful for their preservation. Finally, the main applications in food, from food for current use, to food supplements pursuant to Legislative Decree 21 May 2004, n. 169 (Implementation of Directive 2002/46/EC on food supplements) and Food for Specific Groups pursuant to Regulation (UE) 609/2013, will be briefly discussed.
Learning check: written examination.