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CHEM100/ Food Chemistry
• The material for this unit is in
chaps 15-16, 19-20 (text on
reserve) slides pp 55-60.
• We cover Biochemistry slides
p.50, Food/Agriculture p.55,
Drugs,p. 61-78 , and Tox-icology
p. 66 slides 30,31 for the final
exam part 1.
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CHEM100/Food Chem.
• Lecture notebook pp. 88-114.
• Objectives:132-152
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CHEM100/ Food Chem.
• Three basic structural
groups:
• Protein- polymers of amino
acids
• Fats- esters of fatty acids and
glycerol.
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CHEM100/Food Chemistry
• Carbohydrates: Glucose and
various other simple sugars
plus starch, a polymer of
glucose.
• Carbohydrates are mainly
energy molecules
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CHEM100/Food Chemistry
• Fats are energy storage
molecules
• Proteins are structural and
enzymes.
• We need to eat to get glucose
and 8 amino acids.
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CHEM100/Food
• Of 22 amino acids need to
make proteins, humans
manufacture 14. The other 8
(some say 10) are called
Essential Amino Acids.
• Two of these are also used to
synthesize neurotransmitters
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CHEM100/Food
• These two amino acids,
tryptophane and tryrosine,
are precursers to serotonin
and the L-dopamine series of
neurotransmitters
respectively
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CHEM100/Food
• Low levels of serotonin are
typically found in suicide
victims. Diet may contribute
to suicide?????
• PLEASE NOTE: The human
body CANNOT make these
amino acids.
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CHEM 100/Essential Fatty
Acids
• There are essential fatty
acids as well. These are
found in abundance in fish
and flax seed oils.
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CHEM100/Food
• Anorexia, a food disorder associated
mainly with young women, seems to lead
to ongoing problems. Of 70 women
diagnosed with the disorder, all had at
least one psychiatric disorder in the mid
‘90s.*
• *B.Bower, “Sci. News”, 18 Jul.’98, p.39
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CHEM100/Food
• It is little wonder that
anorexics and starving
people have mental
problems. Note: the brain is
the favorite organ of the
body. Other parts can be
stripped to fix the brain.
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CHEM100/Food
• The following chemical
transformations are possible
in the body:
• fat-> energy
• glucose->energy and/or fat
• protein-> fat and/or glucose
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CHEM100/Food
• Vitamins: act as a kind of
catalyst
• Minerals: required in various
chemicals- EXAMPLE: Fe in
hemoglobin
• Women need as much or
more than men.
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CHEM100/ Easy Nutrition
Advice/Carbohydrates
• Minimize “white foods”- white
bread, white rice, potatoes
(Except cauliflower &skim milk)
• Maximize “colored foods” red
peppers, oranges, tomatoes
greens, whole grains.
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CHEM 100/More Nutrition
Advice
• Antioxidants, lycopenes, flavenoids
and other nutrients work better when
they come from food. The “colored”
veggies, whole grains and fruits are
the main source. Pills can work, but
not as well.*
• *read more about this in “Health”,
Jan/Feb, 2001, p. 20
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CHEM100/Food
• Additives:
• Used for Nutrition, flavor,
enhance flavor, preservation,
color, sweetness
• Some “natural” additives;
oxalic acid, salt, vit.A, ergot
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CHEM100/Foods
• Carcinogens “naturally “
found in foods:
aflatoxin(peanuts),
safrole(cinnamon,nutmeg),
3,4-benzpyrene(charcoal
broiled anything) BROOKS!!!
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CHEM 100/Food
• Contaminants: bacteria,
PCBs, hormones, Pb, DES,
sulfites, bugs, pesticides,
droppings(rat), cow, etc.,
• Mad Cow Disease.
• Contaminated burgers.
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CHEM100/Food
• High Tech Pizza
• Regular pizza has food
components from all four
food groups; milk,
meat(beans), grain,
vegetables
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CHE100/Food
• BUT: The grain has been
treated with chemicals that
alter the structure, the
cheese, tomatoes, and
sausage are all manufactured
from components that are
manufactured or chemical
additives.
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CHEM100/Food
• This constitutes an extreme example.
Yet this is the sort of meal served to
school children.
• Teachers trying to teach nutrition are
faced with the fact that the
appearance of food may not suffice.
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CHEM 100/Agriculture
• Population: Conventional wisdomPopulation growth out of control
• Wattenberg- well known demographer
says NO- (N.Y.Times Sun . 23 Nov ‘97)based on latest UN data. A recent article in
Science (vol282, 16 Oct ‘98, p. 419) entitled
“Demographic Consequences of Declining
Fertility”) reinforces this analysispopulation pressure is declining.
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CHEM100/Agriculture
• World barely replacing its
population. Most rapidly growing
areas are at 3 children/woman.
Replacement is 2.1 children/woman.
Currently the U.S. is less than
2/woman (Wattenberg, NY Times).
• A recent US News & World Report (1Mar’99) had a feature
story on aging of world population. Peter F Drucker in his
latest book states that the biggest problem facing business
is population decline & aging. In her book “War on
Population. Dr J.Kasun questions the conventional
population wisdom in her book “The War on Population”.
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CHEM100/Agriculture
• Biological growth is
geometrical
• If rate of growth is 10%, there
is doubling every 7 years or
70/10=7
• Divide 70 by % growth.
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CHEM100/Agriculture
• Need to keep pace with population.
(there is still growth BUT from better
health-longevity, not births.)
• To do this we need soil fertility and
pest control. Also need water and
suitable climate- go back to concerns
over human tampering with climate
such as global warming.
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CHEM100/Agriculture
• Major fertility: Phosphate,
Nitrate, Potassium
• Minor or trace elements: Ca,
B, Cu, Zn, etc.
• pH control usually with
lime(CaCO3).
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CHEM100/Agriculture
• Pesticides: mainly insecticides and
herbicides
• Broad Spectrum- kills all insectsnarrow spectrum desirable- kills only
pest
• Persistent- lasts a long time in
environment. Nonpersistent is more
desirable.
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CHEM100/Ag
• Chlorohydrocarbons (DDT, Chlordane,
Lindane, Dieldrin) are broad spectrum
and VERY persistent. Some or all of
these are estrogen mimicking chemicals,
and therefore are thought to cause
certain diseases such as cancer. The
connection is still uncertain, but caution
is advised. No longer used widely in
USA.
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CHEM100/Pesticides
• Organophosphates- broad spectrum,
non persistent- many especially
parathion quite poisonous. Malathion
less dangerous. No pest strips and
flea/tick collars have a relatively
nonpoisonous type. Parathion not
used in USA- still used in other
countries.
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CHEM100/Malathion
• Malathion has been used during the
summers of ‘99 & ‘00 in certain
areas- especially the New York City
region- to combat mosquitoes that
carry West Nile virus.
• There are environmental concerns
about the effect of residues from this
compound on lobsters in Long Island
Sound
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CHEM100/ Carbamates
• Typical trade name: Sevin
• More narrow spectrum than
chlorohydrocarbons and
organophosphates and not
persistent. Used a great deal
now.
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CHEM 100/Ag
• Newer pesticides:
Pheromones-attract males, then kill the
males
Juvenile hormones-prevent maturation
Other bugs/diseases
Sterilization
• Also in lecture notebook
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