The student will have to know the structure and chemical-physical properties of secondary metabolites, present in foods of plant and animal origin, considered important nutrients in the human diet for their beneficial effects on health (functional foods, nutraceuticals). He will also have to know the problems related to the bioaccessibility, bioavailability and absorption of these substances in the human body, as well as their mechanism of action. The course is aimed at providing the basic tools for understanding the structural and biological characteristics of nutraceutical substances and for evaluating the main mechanisms of action, in vivo, through which they exert their health action. The course also aims to provide adequate knowledge on the variability of the human microbial ecosystem and its role in the state of health and disease. By studying the scientific foundations provided by the teaching, the student will be able to improve their judgment and intervention skills for an optimal evaluation of adequate nutrition in the prevention of certain diseases. The teaching is organized in such a way as to allow the acquisition of an adequate scientific language and specialized terminology. Learning skills will be stimulated through multimedia presentations and classroom discussions, also aimed at verifying the effective understanding of the topics covered. The learning capacity will also be implemented with supplementary teaching aids (journal articles, seminars held by experts in the field), in order to develop a critical capacity in a rapidly evolving research field.