NFOK13004U Food Science and Culinary Techniques

Volume 2014/2015
Education
MSc Programme in Food Innovation and Health
Content

The course includes a series of lectures giving a scientific description of foods as a chemical and physical system. It relates to proteins, lipids, carbohydrates as well as topics within general chemistry (inorganic and organic), acid and bases, redox processes and related reactions.The course provides an understanding of the culinary techniques used in the production of foods and highlights the effects of food processing on the chemical and physical properties of the food product, eg. changes in structure, texture, and nutritional composition.

Practical exercises in preparation of foods will be used as a step stone to the understanding of culinary techniques. The use of ingredients in various recipes will be evaluated and thereby demonstrate important experimental aspects of food processing and preparation.

The lectures and theoretical exercises will demonstrate how food components contributes to the functional properties in dry systems, crystalline states, emulsions, foams and other real food systems and means to assess these properties are elucidated through problembased learning methods. The real food systems will reflect a scientific understanding of bioactivity of proteins, antioxidative capacity of polyphenols in redox systems and vitality of probiotic systems as seen from a chemical and physical point of view.

Learning Outcome

Students will obtain a scientific understanding of the chemical and physical composition of foods and which changes occur when various culinary techniques are applied. Further, the students will get insight into product innovation and evaluation of bioactivity of food systems.

A student who has fulfilled the aim of the course should be able to:

Knowledge
Define all the unit operations in a kitchen and evaluate the effect of the methods on the food product.
Describe the most important chemical reactions and physical changes during processing of foods.
Identify factors of relevance for detection of aroma compounds including aroma analysis, threshold value, solubility and volatility in different solvents.
Describe important aspects in business models to improve innovation and development of food products.

Skills
Use culinary techniques to change raw materials into complex foods.
Explain the changes in foods and processes taking place during preparation of food from a chemical and a physical point of view.
Explain and indicate how the raw materials should be treated to obtain specific texture and aroma profiles.
Work in a gastronomic laboratory with specific culinary techniques to develop a welldefined product.
Evaluate a complex food and communicate in writing the compositional structure of the product.

Competences
Work effectively in a group with a common project or practical exercise.
Insight into what it requires bringing a food product into small and large scale production.
Integrate scientific methodologies in development of new products.

Lecture book will be announced later
Compendium
Practicals

The teaching (lectures and exercises) contains introductory sessions for general understanding of food science in combination with practical exercises in a gastronomical laboratory in order to examine the effect of various processing methods on the chemical and physical properties of food. The practical exercises set the frame for group-oriented work and will be evaluated by problem-based learning, answering questions from the supervisors and written reports to be approved. Lectures will be supported by theoretical exercises to comprehend other challenges within
food science in relation to analysis of food stability, bioactivity and innovation.
It is recommended to follow the course on the first year of the MSc. Programme in Food Innovation and Health
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Exam
  • 3
  • Guidance
  • 12
  • Lectures
  • 32
  • Practical exercises
  • 12
  • Preparation
  • 83
  • Theory exercises
  • 64
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination, 3 hours under invigilation
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Exam registration requirements
Approval of reports from practical exercises, 100%
Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
More than one internal examiner
Re-exam
If 10 or fewer register for the reexamination the examination form will be oral.
Criteria for exam assesment

Written examination in curriculum 100%