Hello learners, welcome to online course on functional foods and nutraceuticals.
I am doctor Rekha Sharma, associate professor, UGC Human Resource Development Center, Rashtrasant
Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur.
This online course deals with health-promoting nutritional factors and bioactive constituents,
their potential health implication and mechanisms of action.
The online course on "Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals" is a four credit course of
fifteen weeks duration.
The objectives of this online course or first to enable the students to gain knowledge about
functional foods and nutriceuticals.
Second, to have a thorough understanding about the health effects of functional foods and
nutraceuticals.
And third to make students familiar with the application in industry.
Eligibility for enrollment, the students pursuing post-graduation in food science and nutrition
or clinical nutrition and dietetics, or apply nutrition can opt for this course.
Learning Outcomes, after studying this online course, the students shall be able to describe what
are Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals.
Classify the Functional Foods.
And discuss the potential Health Implications and Mechanism of action of Functional foods.
It has five major units, namely units one- Introduction to Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals.
Which includes Definition, History, Classification of Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals.
Perceived Effect of diet on Disease Prevention and Understanding the Benefits of Functional Foods
and Nutraceuticals.
Unit two- is on Probiotics.
Which include four subunits, namely, First Taxonomy and Important Features of Probiotic
Micro-Organisms.
Second- Health effects of Probiotics, including Mechanism of Action.
Third- Probiotics in various foods like fermented milk Products, Non-Milk Products etcetera.
And Four- Quality Assurance of probiotics and Safety.
Unit-Three is about Prebiotics.
This includes Definition, Chemistry, Sources, Metabolism and Bio-Availability, Effect of
Processing, Physiological Effects, Effects on Human Health, Potential application in
Risk Reduction of Diseases, and Perspective for Food Applications for the following, non-digestible
Carbohydrates, Oligosaccharide, Dietary Fiber, Resistant Starch, and Gums.
Unit-Four Deals with other food components with potential Health Benefits
Which covers Definition, Chemistry, Sources, Metabolism and Bio-Availability, Effects of
Processing, Physiological Effects, Effects.
On Human Health and Potential application in Risk Reduction of Diseases, and Perspective
for food Applications for the following namely- Polyphenols that is flavonoids, catechins,
isoflavones, and tannins.And phytoestrogens, phytosterols, glucosinolates, pigments,
(like lycopene, curcumin, anthocyanins),
Organo Sulphur Compounds.
Other components like phytates, protease inhibitors, saponins, amylase inhibitors, and haemagglutinins.
This unit also includes active bio-dynamic principles in spices, condiments and other
plant materials.
Unit five is a Non-Nutrient Effect of Specific Nutrients.
Which shall cover proteins, peptides and nucleotides, conjugated linoleic acid, and omega-three
fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.
These five units shall be covered in forty modules.
Two to Three Modules per week and each module shall have four quadrant approach.
Mainly, the first quadrant shall be e-Tutorial consisting of Video lectures and the engagement
time will be Thirty- Five to Forty minutes.
Second Quadrant that is e-content shall consist of text materials some illustrations and the
engagement time will be of forty-five to sixty minutes.
The third Quadrant shall focus on Weblink, open source content on the internet, research
papers, and journal articles.
The engagement time will be forty-five to fifty minutes per module.
The fourth Quadrant will include Student Assessment consisting of ten to fifteen MCQs and assignment
of short and long answer question.
This Quadrant shall also include discussion and interaction through open forum.
Or video tutorials and clarification on general misconceptions.
The engagement time will be One to Two Hours.
The final evaluation and credit award shall be based on formative assessment
And assignment of thirty marks, and summative assessment of online exam of seventy marks.
Thank You and Best Wishes.