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Professional Diploma in Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals

 

Field and Subfield: Nutrition Sciences / Nutrition Sciences

 

1. Program Overview:

An accredited professional and applied program extending over 3 months (80 hours of approved study load), aimed at preparing and qualifying nutrition specialists and healthcare practitioners to understand and apply the science of functional foods, nutraceuticals, and dietary supplements. The program covers the classification of bioactive components (such as phenolic compounds, carotenoids, curcumin, and bioactive peptides), extraction and standardization methods, bioavailability and delivery systems, fermented foods, probiotics and synbiotics, the role of microbial metabolites in enhancing immunity and metabolic and cardiovascular health, evaluation of health claims and safety, through to manufacturing, quality control, and feasibility studies for transferring products from the laboratory to the market.

2. Key Objectives:

  • Scientific differentiation between concepts: understanding the fundamental differences among conventional foods, functional foods, nutraceuticals, and dietary supplements.
  • Understanding bioactive compounds and their mechanisms of action: studying polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, organosulfur compounds, and bioactive peptides, and their molecular effects on health and disease prevention.
  • Mastering bioavailability and microbiome health: understanding the food matrix, bio-delivery systems, the role of fermented foods, probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and microbial metabolites.
  • Therapeutic application and industrial development: employing functional foods in the management of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and immunity, and evaluating evidence, health claims, quality standards, and commercial manufacturing.

3. Target Audience:

  • General, therapeutic, functional, and clinical nutrition specialists.
  • Pharmacists and developers of dietary supplements and natural health products.
  • Food industry engineers and specialists and product development (R&D) professionals.
  • Graduates and students of Pharmacy, Food Science, Nutrition, and Medical and Applied Sciences.

4. Study Plan and Modules (12 Modules — 24 Interactive Lectures):

Module

Topics and Training Units

Number of Lectures

Total Hours

Module 1

The fate of food in the body, the concept of functional food, and when food becomes functional

2

4 hours

Module 2

Differences among functional foods, nutraceuticals, and supplements, and classification of bioactive components

2

4 hours

Module 3

Bioactive components (Bioactives), polyphenols, flavonoids, and their health benefits

2

4 hours

Module 4

Carotenoids and curcuminoids, organosulfur compounds, phytosterols, and metabolic health

2

4 hours

Module 5

Dietary fiber, bioactive carbohydrates and gut health, proteins, and bioactive peptides

2

4 hours

Module 6

Extraction, analysis, and standardization of bioactive components, food processing, and compound stability

2

4 hours

Module 7

Food matrix, bioavailability and delivery systems, fermented foods, and nutritional value

2

4 hours

Module 8

Probiotics in nutrition as functional components, prebiotics, fiber, synbiotics, and gut microbiota

2

4 hours

Module 9

Gut microbiota and microbial metabolites, from food to biological and metabolic effects

2

4 hours

Module 10

Molecular mechanisms of bioactive components, and functional foods and metabolic health (obesity and diabetes)

2

4 hours

Module 11

Functional foods and cardiovascular health, immunity and cognition, and evaluation of evidence, health claims, and safety

2

4 hours

Module 12

From bioactive compounds to industrial products and quality control, applications, case studies, and the future of the market

2

4 hours

Total

12 comprehensive study modules

24 lectures

48 training hours

5. Organizational Structure and Assessment System:

  • Duration and sessions: 3 months (evening period), at a rate of two lectures per week, two hours per lecture.
  • Language of study and delivery method: Arabic and English | fully remote interactive training (Online).
  • Distribution of credit hours (80 hours):

50 hours: live and interactive online lectures.

20 hours: required and open readings.

7 hours: chapter questions and self-assessment.

3 hours: final review and program completion examination.

  • Attendance and assessment requirements: attendance of no less than 75% of the lectures, and completion of periodic assignments and examinations.
  • Certificate and graduation project: the graduate is awarded a Diploma in Therapeutic Nutrition (Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals) after passing the final online examination consisting of 25 multiple-choice questions + 5 practical and applied case questions.

 

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