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Selected Topics in Food Chemistry
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 16:21:38
Abstract
This course is centered in cereal chemistry: main chemical components related to physicochemical, technological and nutritional properties of grain products.
Objective
The main goal of the course are: Understand the chemical composition and properties of cereal grains as raw materials for food, changes in composition during grain processing, and the effects of both on the nutritional properties of grain based products, such as breads, pasta, and breakfast cereals.
Content
The course covers fundamental and modern aspects of cereal chemistry: composition of grains, physicochemical properties of main grain components (starch, proteins, fibres, lipids), and their effects on technological and nutritional properties of cereal grain products. Focus is put on chemical reactions and changes during common food processing (dough making, baking, extrusion, fermentation), reflecting also their effects on the nutritional and sensory properties of grain products. Furthermore, a special emphasis is put on dietary fibres and related phytochemicals in grains: Different dietary fibre compounds found in cereals and cereal products (cellulose, arabinoxylan, beta-glucan, resistant starch etc.), co-passengers of dietary fibre (phenolic acids, plant sterols, tocols, folates, alkylresorcinols, avenanthramides), factors affecting their levels in foods, and methods used for the analysis of their content and composition.
Resources
Lecture Notes
The lectures are supplemented with handouts./ Es werden Beilagen zur Vorlesung abgegeben.
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- MSC
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
- Digital
- The exam takes place on devices provided by ETH Zurich.
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture with exercise | Selected Topics in Food Chemistry |
|
2 h weekly |