Welcome to the Food Chemistry Division

The Società Chimica Italiana (Italian Chemical Society) has established a new Food Chemistry Division, dedicated to the chemistry that helps us understand what we eat and unlock the value of by-products from our agri-food supply chains.

Food chemistry focuses on the composition of foods and the interactions among their components. It investigates micro- and macronutrients and their interactions, including their bioaccessibility and bioavailability. It studies beneficial molecules, those responsible for specific sensory or nutritional properties, and undesirable substances that occur naturally or are formed during enzymatic and microbiological processes, food processing, or packaging.

Food chemistry plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety and authenticity of food products by providing the chemical data needed to develop regulatory frameworks concerning the traceability of raw materials and food products.
The field also focuses on identifying and recovering valuable substances from co-products and by-products of food supply chains for pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic applications.

It encompasses nutraceutical chemistry, which identifies bioactive and protective compounds in foods, investigates how to preserve them, assesses the quality of food supplements and Novel Foods, and helps us understand how diet can contribute to human health.

The Division aims to promote research, support education, and advance Food Chemistry by organizing conferences, training schools, and scientific events at both national and international levels. These initiatives may also be carried out in collaboration with other SCI Divisions and national and international institutions and organizations pursuing similar objectives. There is much work to be done, particularly through collaboration with industry.