LLEK10257U Food Choice and Acceptance

Volume 2017/2018
Education

MSc Programme in Food Innovation and Health
MSc Programme in Animal Derived Foods

Content

The course has its focus on the different factors underlying consumers’ food behaviours. Centrally in the course are theories on determinants of food choice, strategies to change behaviour and  theory of decision making processes. Cognitive, developmental, psychophysiological and neuroeconimic approaches are discussed. Factors influencing food acceptance throughout the different life stages, the relationships between choice, consumption of foods and the sensory, psychological and physiological responses in the human body are presented and discussed. The physiological and psychological drivers of food acceptance and food intake are presented. Methods and techniques for measuring specific responses in relation to eating behaviour are introduced theoretically. The students will in groups work on a curriculum related topic, and hand in a project report towards the end of the course. Only submission, presentation and approval of project report will qualify the student for the examination.

Learning Outcome

The course aims at introducing students to the determinants and principles of consumer’s food behaviours.

Knowledge

  • Demonstrate overview of the terminology and definitions in the field of food choice and acceptance research
  • List the most important factors that play a role in food choice and acceptance
  • Explain the coupling between sensory and physiological effects on food intake
  • Describe the neurological principles and mechanisms of sensory perception, desires, appetite and food reward/addiction
  • Describe how perception and more specifically interoception influence food acceptance
  • Identify and discuss the prevailing theories of food choice behaviour


Skills

  • Analyse and discuss formation of food preferences and habits and how these are related to sensation, perception, cognition, emotion and physiological processes
  • Integrate neurological principles and mechanisms of sensory perception, appetite and food addiction
  • Design and reflect on solutions to handle scientific as well as everyday life problems in breaking food habits
  • Compare and explain how different scientific disciplines work with food choice behaviour

 

Competences

  • Evaluate and critically review scientific work related to changes in food acceptance  
  • Design small scale experiments in the food choice domain, interpret and evaluate the resulting data
  • Collaborate in cross disciplinary teams

See Absalon for a list of course literature

Lectures, exercises and project work. Theoretical concepts are introduced in the lectures that will include highlights of research linked to the subjects presented. Students will work with problems within these concepts in the theoretical exercises and will learn to apply or reflect on the theories in a project report.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Colloquia
  • 10
  • Exam
  • 1
  • Lectures
  • 48
  • Preparation
  • 75
  • Project work
  • 46
  • Theory exercises
  • 26
  • Total
  • 206
Oral
Individual
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment, during course
Oral examination, 20 minutes
The exam grade comprises of two parts:
The project report in teams (25%)
The individual oral exam in the course curriculum and pre-known topics (75%). No preparation time and no aids allowed.
Both parts must be passed in order for the student to pass the course.
Aid
Without aids
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examiners
Re-exam

Same as ordinary exam. Any previously passed part of the exam will count in the re-exam. A failed project report has to be submitted two weeks before the date of the re-examination.

Criteria for exam assesment

See Learning Outcome