Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals

The online course on Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals is a 4 credit course of 15 weeks duration. This online course deals with health promoting nutritional factors and bioactive constituents, their potential health implications and mechanisms of action. This course is a part of the approved curriculum and is being taught in Indian Universities for one semester in Masters in Food Science and Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics and Applied Nutrition. After studying this online course, the student shall be able to describe what are functional foods and nutraceuticals, classify the functional foods, discuss the potential health implications and mechanism of functional foods and discuss the applications of functional foods in the industry. The pre-requisites of this course is, the student must be enrolled for Masters degree in Food Science and Nutrition or Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics or Applied Nutrition from Indian Universities. The course shall cover five units viz., ‘Introduction to Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals ,Probiotics, Prebiotics, Other Food Components with Potential Health Benefits and Non Nutrient Effect of Specific Nutrients’. These five units shall be covered in 40 modules and every week two to three modules shall be taught. The final evaluation and credit award of the student shall be based on formative assessments and assignments of 30 marks and summative assessment through online exams of 70 marks.

Week 1Introduction to Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals :Definition, History and ClassificationPerceived Effects of Functional Foods
Week 2Introduction to Probiotics,Prebiotics and SynbioticsProbiotics: Taxonomy and Important Features of Probiotic MicroorganismsHealth Effects of Probiotic Microorganisms
Week 3Probiotics in Various FoodsQuality Assurance of Probiotics and Safety
Week 4Prebiotics: Non Digestible Carbohydrates/ Oligosaccharides,Prebiotics: Dietary Fiber
Week 5Prebiotics: Resistant StarchPrebiotics: Gums
Week 6Polyphenols: Flavonoids, Catechins, Isoflavones, Tannins
Week 7Phytoestrogens, Phytosterols, Glucosinolates
Week 8Pigments: Carotenoids, Lycopene, Curcumin
Week 9Organosulphur CompoundsIntroduction to Anti-nutritional Factors, Phytates
Week 10Enzymes, Protease inhibitors, Amylase inhibitors
Week 11Saponins, Haemagglutinins,An introduction to Active Biodynamic Principles in Spices, Condiments and Plant extracts
Week 12Resveratrol, Kaempferol, Quercetin, Cinnamaldehyde, Crocin, Lutoline
Week 13Capsaicin, Piperine, Gingerol, Eugenol, Rosmarinic acid, Apigenine, Thymoquinone
Week 14Fenugreek and DiosgeninNon Nutrient Effect of Specific Nutrients: Conjugated Linoleic Acid, Omega 3 Fatty acids

Week 15
Proteins and Peptides, Vitamins and Minerals