NFOK14018U Advanced Food Chemistry

Volume 2016/2017
Education

MSc Programme in Food Science and Technology

MSc Programme in Animal Derived Foods

Content

The course topics relate to specific food products and advanced food chemistry where reactions of the major food components, proteins, carbohydrate and lipids are occurring. The control of these reactions is of primary importance to ensure product quality and solve problems on food deterioration during production and storage of foods.

The course will provide a general knowledge of food as a chemical system and the effect of processing and storage conditions on whole foods will be considered from a kinetic and thermodynamic point of view. Examples may involve meat, cheese, dry products, beer, bread, coffee, etc.  where concurrent reactions are taking place during processing and/or storage and lead to quality detrimental changes of the product.

In addition to food science knowledge attention is given to (1) processing of foods by emerging gentle technologies and the consequences on product quality and shelf life (2) evaluation of chemical food quality based on analytical data, kinetic mechanisms and scientific litterature. The application of the information discussed during the lectures will be demonstrated in a computer assisted modelling exercise in relation to understanding changes of food quality during processing.

Learning Outcome

The course objective is to acquire an understanding of the chemical reactions that take place with food components during processing and storage, and be capable of designing and conducting experiments and interpreting data to understand important reactions and interactions in food chemistry.

After completing the course the student should be able to:

Knowledge:

  • Classify structures and properties of components and of chemical reactions in foods during processing and storage.
  • Recognize important reactions and mechanisms in foods and describe how these may affect the quality of foods based on food chemistry principles.
  • Describe carbohydrates, lipids and proteins basic characteristics in food and the mechanisms for formation of specific taste and aroma during processing.
  • Display overview of specific interactions of food components and use analytical data to describe the changes during processing.

 

Skills:

  • Suggest which specific analytical methods that is relevant for describing chemical changes of food quality.
  • Explain the mechanisms during processing and storage which cause modifications or formation of specific components in foods.
  • Explain the mechanisms by which other components in food influence the behavior and reactivity of key components in foods.
  • Use the theoretical knowledge to solve food chemical problems on food quality during processing and storage.
  • Reading and using original scientific literature, and communicate the obtained knowledge in writing.
  • Illustrate and discuss analytical data understandably and thoroughly.

 

Competences:

  • Apply theory and knowledge on the properties of food components to understand important reactions and mechanisms in food chemistry.
  • Discuss the outcome of reactions and interactions taking place during food production and storage, and make suggestions to solve problems on food quality.
  • Evaluate and predict the chemical food quality based on analytical data, kinetic mechanisms and scientific literature.
  • Cooperate with fellow students on project and exercises.

Book chapters, collection of reviews, and original scientific literature (see Absalon)

BSc courses in inorganic and organic chemistry.
LLEA10273 Fødevarekemi or equivalent course in Food Chemistry.
Active participation during plenary lectures, self-study of theory. Participation in case studies in which interaction between food components will be studied for a number of product groups by different analytical methods. Theoretical exercises that elaborate and illustrate the theoretical knowledge using scientific literature on real foods. The theoretical exercises support the plenary lectures and case studies. Project based learning where groups of students are required to identify and explain the most important food chemical aspects and suggest methods of analysis for evaluation of these. The work results in a short report based on each topic.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Exam
  • 1
  • Guidance
  • 20
  • Lectures
  • 32
  • Preparation
  • 59
  • Project work
  • 62
  • Theory exercises
  • 32
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 20 min
The student draws a known food system and engage in a scientific discussion of processing and storage conditions of relevance for the product. The examiner will present the student for graphical material illustrating phenomena within the curriculum.
Exam registration requirements

Approval of group reports or individual reports from the theoretical exercises.

Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examiners
Re-exam

Same as ordinary exam with oral examination in the curriculum.

Possible non-approved reports must be resubmitted two weeks prior to reexamination.

Criteria for exam assesment

Cf. Learning Outcome.