Aims

Through this module, students will gain a sound understanding of selected quantitative relationships between food quality characteristics and the composition of food and food raw materials and an insight into equipment and processes used to achieve particular quality characteristics.

Outline Of Syllabus

Topics covered in lectures and independent study assignments:
Kinetics of changes during processing and storage.
• First order and zero order processes
• Plotting data to determine order and rate of reaction
• Using reaction rates to predict shelf life and process duration
Experimental design and data analysis relevant for food technology
• Matching outcomes to hypotheses
• Mass balance calculations
• Choosing statistical method based on visual inspection of data
• Testing if the conditions are met for using a statistical method
Microbes in food technology
• Foods and ingredients produced using microbes
• Enzymes & genetic modification
• Detection of pathogens
Other advanced technologies
• Nanotechnology to improve sensory characteristics
• Active and interactive packaging materials

Topics covered in practicals:
Modelling of final product quality as a function of initial raw material composition and process conditions. Preparation of group reports with peer assessment of individual contributions, which require data analysis skills, critical reflections on work of own group, work of all groups, and the relevance of the science involved.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The module uses lectures to introduce and explain the concepts and illustrate them with relevant examples.

Before each practical the students will be divided into groups, and each group will be asked to prepare a method description from a given task description, aiming to assess the effect of varying a treatment or type of material on the characteristics of a food. The method description will be submitted and any errors corrected before the practical starts. Each group will then at the practical produce the food corresponding to the corrected method and measure the outcome in terms of food properties. After the practical, each group will analyse the recorded data and will use this to write a group assignment assessing the effect of the treatment and discussing the outcome in relation to a relevant food quality context.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The lectures provide factual information supported by independent study and this factual knowledge is assessed at the exam. The practicals and group work before and after the practicals give students an opportunity to practice what they have learnt in the lectures, to work together as a group to plan and carry out the experimental part and evaluate the outcomes, and these operational skills as well as appropriate self-reflection are assessed by the group assignments.

Study abroad students may require a take-away exam paper to be returned via NESS.