Food Chemistry

FD-203
(3+1)

Fall Semester 2021

Second Year Food Engineering
Batch 2020
Lecture 6

Dr Muhammad Badaruddin
[email protected]
 Course Content
• Chemical Composition of Foods:
Carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, water, vitamins, minerals,
phenolic compounds and pigments.

• Food Additives:
Preservatives, colorants, antioxidants, sweeteners, emulsifiers.

• Toxicological concepts:
Contaminants and evaluation of metals, radionucleides, plant
protective agents, hormones, antibiotics mycotoxins,
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and toxic compounds
naturally found in foods.

• Nutritional value of food:

Calorific value and pH of food.
 Vitamins
• Vitamins are organic compounds that are needed in
small quantities to sustain life. Most vitamins need to
come from food.
General features
• Micronutrients
• They all are different organic compounds.
• No general structure for vitamins
• Required for absorption of various nutrients.
• May act as co-enzymes (that is activators for several enzymes)
 Vitamins

Fat soluble vitamins Water soluble vitamins

• Vitamin A • Vitamin C
• Vitamin D B-complex vitamins (8)
• Vitamin E • Vitamin B1
• Vitamin K. • Vitamin B2
• Vitamin B3
• Vitamin B5
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B7
• Vitamin B9
• Vitamin B12
 Fat Soluble Vitamins
General Characteristics
• Stored in fatty tissues and liver, excess consumption
causes hypervitaminosis.
• Requirement of vitamins are mentioned in terms of
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) or
Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI)
• Hydrophobic in nature
• Transported in the body with lipoproteins.
 RDA Vs RDI
Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) are the levels of intake of
essential nutrients that, on the basis of scientific knowledge, are judged by
the Food and Nutrition Board to be adequate to meet the known nutrient
needs of practically all healthy persons.

Reference or Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) The average daily

dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of
nearly all (97–98 per cent) healthy individuals in a particular life stage and
gender group. (population adjusted RDA based on all ages and sex groups
of RDA values. It is numerically identical to the highest RDA value for any
group.
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin A
• Chemical Name: retinoids, including retinol, retinal, retinoic
acid and retinyl esters.
Carotenoids, including beta carotene.
• Food sources include: Liver, cod liver oil, carrots, broccoli,
sweet potato, butter, kale, spinach, pumpkin, collard greens, some
cheeses, egg, apricot, cantaloupe melon, and milk.
• Fortification of Vitamin A is done in margarines.
Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin A
Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin A
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin A
• Function:
a. Important for growth and metabolism of body cells.
b. Required for the formation of Rhodopsin (Important for night
blindness).
c. Maintenance of body skin
d. Maintenance of surface or cornea.
e. Maintenance of mucosal lining of respiratory tract.
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
• RDA Vitamin A

• Deficiency: Night blindness

 Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin D
Chemical Name: Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) is formed from
cholesterol in the skin through photolysis of 7-dehydrocholesterol
(provitamin D3) by ultraviolet Light.
Similarly, vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is formed from ergosterol.
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin D
• Food sources:
Egg yolks, liver, fatty fish, fortified milk, fortified margarine.
When exposed to sunlight, the skin can make vitamin D.

• Function:
Needed for proper absorption of calcium; stored in bones

• Deficiency:
Rickets (bones become soft and bent)
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
• RDA Vitamin D
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin E (Tocopherols & Tocotrienols)
Vitamin E refers to a group of eight different compounds: α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherols
and the corresponding four tocotrienols.
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin E
• Food sources:
Polyunsaturated plant oils (soybean, corn, cottonseed, safflower);
leafy green vegetables; wheat germ; whole-grain products; liver;
egg yolks; nuts and seeds.

• Function:
Antioxidant; protects cell walls.

• Deficiency:
Vitamin E deficiency cause nerve and muscle damage that results
in loss of feeling in the arms and legs, loss of body movement
control, muscle weakness, and vision problems.
Another sign of deficiency is a weakened immune system.
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
• RDA Vitamin E
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin K
• Vitamin K consists of a group of naphthoquinones that exist with or without
a terpenoid side chain in the 3 position.
• The unsubstituted form of vitamin K is menadione, and it is of primary
significance as a synthetic form of the vitamin, used in vitamin supplements
and food fortification.
• Phylloquinone (vitamin K1) is a product of plant origin.
• Menaquinones (vitamin K2) of varying chain length are products of bacterial
synthesis, mainly by intestinal microflora.
Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin K
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin K
• Food sources:
Leafy green vegetables such as kale, collard greens, and spinach; green
vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and asparagus; also produced in
intestinal tract by bacteria.

• Function:
Needed for proper blood clotting

• Deficiency:
Vitamin K deficiency is very rare in healthy individuals because of the
widespread presence of phylloquinones in the diet and because microbial
menoquinones are absorbed from the lower intestine.
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
• RDA Vitamin K
 Water Soluble Vitamins
General Characteristics
• Soluble in water.
• Hydrophilic in nature
• Not stored in body and are excreted out through
urine.
• Should be included in routine diet.
 Water Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin C
• Chemical Name: Ascorbic acid.
• Physical appearance: White in colour, crystalline solid.
• Food sources: Found only in fruits and vegetables, especially
citrus fruits, vegetables in the cabbage family, cantaloupe,
strawberries, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, papayas,
mangoes, kiwi fruit
 Water Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin C
• Function:

a. Main component of collagen (protein), connective tissue.

b. part of an enzyme needed for protein metabolism;
c. Antioxidant;
d. important for immune system health;
e. aids in iron absorption

• Deficiency:
a. Scurvy: bleeding gums, swollen and painful joints,
b. Anaemia: deficiency of hemoglobin
 Water Soluble Vitamin
• RDA Vitamin C
 Water Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin B1
• Chemical Name: Thiamine
• Appearance: Colourless
• Food sources: Found in all nutritious foods in moderate amounts:
meat, nuts, whole grain foods or enriched breads and cereals,
legumes, milk, peas, and potatoes etc.
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin B1
• Function:

a. Part of an enzyme needed for energy metabolism;

b. important to nerve function

• Deficiency:
a. Beri Beri: muscular weakness

• Stability:
a. Losses occurs during cooking.
b. Thiamine decomposes at high temperature in alkaline conditions
c. In acidic medium, less decomposition of Thiamine occurs.
 Water Soluble Vitamin
• RDA Vitamin B1
 Water Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin B2
• Chemical Name: Riboflavin
• Appearance: Yellow in colour
• Food sources include: Milk and milk products (cheese); leafy
green vegetables; liver, kidney, egg; whole grain foods, enriched
breads and cereals.
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin B2
• Function:

a. Part of an enzyme needed for energy metabolism;

b. important for normal vision and skin health

• Deficiency:
a. Effects eyes, lips, tongue.
b. Causes digestive disturbances, general weakness and eye abnormalities.

• Stability:
a. They are fairly stable to heat.
b. Sensitive to light
 Water Soluble Vitamin
• RDA Vitamin B2
 Water Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin B3
• Chemical Name: Nicotinic acid (Niacin), Nicotinamide
• Appearance: White, translucent crystals
• Food sources include: Meat, poultry, fish, whole grain foods,
enriched breads and cereals, vegetables (especially mushrooms,
asparagus, and leafy green vegetables), peanut butter
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin B3
• Function:

a. Part of an enzyme needed for energy metabolism;

b. Important for nervous system, digestive system, and skin health

• Deficiency:
a. Pellagra (Diarrhae, Dermatitis, Dementia, Death).

• Stability:
a. They are heat resistant.
 Water Soluble Vitamin
• RDA Vitamin B3
 Water Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin B5
• Chemical Name: Pantothenic acid
• Food sources include: Widespread in foods
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin B5
• Function:
a. Essential components of enzymes involved in carbohydrate and fat oxidation.

• Deficiency:
a. Deficiency is very rare and not been thoroughly studied.

• Stability:
a. Pantothenic acid is easily destroyed by heat in acidic or alkaline conditions, but
is stable in a neutral solution
 Water Soluble Vitamin
• RDA Vitamin B5
 Water Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin B6
• Chemical Name: Pyridoxine
• Appearance: white or almost white, crystalline powder
• Food sources include: Meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, fruits
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin B6
• Function:
a. Part of an enzyme needed for protein metabolism;
b. helps make red blood cells
• Deficiency:
a. Skin rashes, Cracked and sore lips, Sore glossy tongue,
b. Mood changes
c. Weakened immune function
d. Tiredness and low energy, Tingling and pain in hands and feet
e. Seizzures
f. High homocysteine
• Stability:
a. All vitamin B6 compounds are susceptible to light-induced degradation, which can
cause losses during food processing, preparation, and storage and during analysis.
b. Chemical changes can involve interconversion of chemical forms of vitamin B6,
thermal or photochemical degradation, as well as irreversible complexation with
proteins, peptides, or amino acids.
 Water Soluble Vitamin
• RDA Vitamin B6
 Water Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin B7 or Vitamin H
• Chemical Name: Biotin
• Food sources include: Widespread in foods; also produced in
intestinal tract by bacteria
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin B7
• Function:

a. Part of an enzyme needed for energy metabolism (Fat)

• Deficiency:
a. Subclinical deficiency can cause mild symptoms, such as hair thinning, brittle
fingernails, or skin rash, typically on the face.

• Stability:
a. Biotin is very stable to heat, light, and oxygen.

b. Biotin is stable at 100°C in moderately acid or neutral aqueous solutions; the

solutions can be heat-sterilized. Solutions above pH 9 are less stable. Moderately
acid and neutral solutions are stable several months.
 Water Soluble Vitamin
• RDA Vitamin B7
 Water Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin B9 or Vitamin M
• Chemical Name: Folic acid
• Food sources include: Leafy green vegetables and legumes,
seeds, orange juice, and liver; now added to most refined grains
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin B9

• Function:
a. Part of an enzyme needed for making DNA and new cells, especially red blood
cells

• Deficiency:
a. Anaemia

• Stability:
a. Folic acid is fairly stable during processing and storage of foods.
 Water Soluble Vitamin
• RDA Vitamin B9
 Water Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin B12
• Chemical Name: Cobalamin, synthetic form is cyanocobalamin
• Food sources include: Meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, milk
and milk products; not found in plant foods
 Fat Soluble Vitamin
Vitamin B12
• Function:

a. Cofactor in DNA synthesis, fatty acid and amino acid metabolism;

b. Important in the normal functioning of the nervous system;
c. Maturation of developing red blood cells in the bone marrow.

• Deficiency:
a. Anaemia

• Stability:
a. Under most conditions of food processing, preservation, and storage, there is little
nutritionally signicant loss of vitamin B12.
 Water Soluble Vitamin
• RDA Vitamin B12