Aims

To consider the nutritional chemistry of food plants and provide a rational basis for understanding how plant structure and composition influences food value and health consequences for the consumer.

Outline Of Syllabus

Chemical taxonomy of plants
- family similarities and differences
- composition of major anatomical structures

World crops, production, trade and nutritional importance

Plant structural and storage compounds
- plant proteins
- plant lipids
- carbohydrates

Plant secondary metabolites
- micronutrients
- 'attractive' substances (colours, flavours, fragrances)
- other beneficial or hazardous substances (bioactives, anti-nutrients)

Plant foods - rich diets
- vegetarian and vegan diets
- whole grain foods

Manipulation of plant composition
- conventional breeding
- transgenesis

Post-harvest biology of food plants
- storage of food crops

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The module uses lectures to deliver key information relevant to the subject and to provide information upon which the students can extend their learning by private study, using on-line resources provided to accompany lecture material. The group oral presentations during small group teaching allows students to search for and critically evaluate relevant scientific material and to have opportunity to improve their presentation skills through oral presentation.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The formal exam tests the knowledge and understanding of the module material and the ability to integrate information into a coherent and structured essay. The oral presentation tests the ability to extract information on a specific topic from the literature and present the material orally as an integrated part of a group presentation.