Apollinaire Tsopmo

Profile

Professor Food Science and Nutrition

Academic and Professional Background

Professor, Carleton University, Ottawa ON, July 2020-present
Associate Professor, Carleton University, Ottawa ON, 2012-june 2020
Assistant Professor, Carleton University, Ottawa ON, 2008-2012
Manitoba Institute of Child Health Research Fellow, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, 2005-2008
NSERC Visiting Fellow, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Saskatoon SK, 2003-2005
Ph.D. University of Lund, Sweden

Food Chemistry: Bioactive peptides, Phytochemicals, Vitamins & Minerals

Foods contain nutrients that help keep our body alive. The consumption of a nutritious diet promotes long-term health and reduces the risk of chronic disease. Certain constituents found in foods, herbs, and spices known as phytochemicals or bioactives are responsible for changes in health status. Although oxygen is essential for our survival, its relatively high reactivity enables it to form free radicals readily. These free radicals are common and are important components in biological systems where they are essential for the maintenance of life. The overproduction of free radicals can lead to damage of cell components and other biomolecules. Endogenous antioxidant defenses superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and metal binding proteins are inadequate to prevent damage completely, and so diet-derived antioxidants are important in maintaining health. Many dietary compounds have been suggested to be important antioxidants. The evidence for a key role of vitamins E and C is strong, but that for carotenoids and other phytonutrients is weak. There is increasing evidence of the role of food derived peptides in the maintenance of health and prevention of diseases.

Research interests

Food peptides and proteins chemistry. Structure function, LC-MS/MS identification, Interaction of peptides with the food matrix.
Protective role of food hydrolyzed proteins and peptides in different models: Oxidative stress, inflammation, inhibition of enzymes involved in sugar and lipid metabolisms.
Nutrients analysis: Vitamins, minerals
Bioactive compounds in Human milk: role in the reduction of lung and intestinal diseases in newborns