LLEF10268U Molecular Food Science

Volume 2013/2014
Education
The course is listed as limited elected study in the Food Science and Technology MSc programme
Content
An advanced food chemical course based on cases of specific food products.

Applied Molecular Food Science; 
Physical and chemical principles behind oxidation, carbohydrate chemistry, light induced chemical reactions and photo chemistry in foods. Moisture sorption, glass transition, stickiness and texture in dry products. Solubility of gases in foods. Water migration in foods. Chemical toxicology. The physics and chemistry of color and pigments in foods. Chemistry and physics of dry bacteria formulations.

Properties of Packaging Materials;
Gas and water vapor permeability. Optical properties. Migration.

Cases of food products;
Cases involving applied food chemistry and packaging. Modified atmosphere packing. Cases involving specific products like meat, cheese, dry products and beer. Novell products like functional food and probiotics. Food chemical problems arising in relation to product development. The process of innovation and patententing with starding point in food chemical knowledge.
Learning Outcome
The main objective of the course is to give the students a general knowledge of food as chemical systems and the derived practical consequences for the quality of food during production and storage including selection of packaging system. After completing the course the student should have the ability to:

Knowledge:
Use chemical food science knowledge to evaluate the stability of a certain food product;
Identify which chemical reactions are taking place during production and storage of food and relate to consequences for food quality;
Explain how these detrimental chemical reactions may be analysed in a food sample;
Use analytical data to describe the stability of food;
Suggest how quality deterioration of a food product may be avoided during production, storage and by selection of appropriate packaging system; Knowledge of patenting and intellectual property rights.


Identify how different packaging atmospheres influence the chemical and microbiological processes in food;
Describe the interaction between food, packaging and surroundings including transport and distribution of chemical substances;
Select the most relevant materials to food products;



Skills:
Relate knowledge about chemical reactions in food to the quality of food;
Solve problems on food quality deterioration arising during production and storage including selection of an appropriate packaging solution;

Argument and make a qualified evaluation (based on basic scientific competences) of the influence of different packaging solutions on the quality and safety of the food;
Illustrate and discuss analytical data understandably and thoroughly;
Present a food quality problem and a suggested solution;
Communicate the obtained knowledge in writing.

Competences:
Assess the stability of a food product;
Select, describe and illustrate the essence of a food quality problem and solutions to overcome this problem;
Present and discuss the outcome of the project work;
Cooperate with fellow students on a project and exercises

Literature
Collection of reviews, book chapters, and original scientific literature.
Qualifications correponding to LLEA10273.
Lectures with a general overview of the subject are presented. Workshops on specific topics, where the students are required to participate actively. Lectures and workshops are given by both external experts and internal staff covering both fundamental and applied topics. Theoretical exercises that elaborate and illustrates the theoretical knowledge by using scientific and real world examples. Practical examples or demonstrations will introduce important experimental aspects from real life and industry. Project based learning where groups of students are required to identify and explain the most important food chemical aspects, methods of analysis for evaluation of these aspects, and suggest packaging solution(s) to a specific food product. The work results in a poster presentation.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Exam
  • 10
  • Guidance
  • 20
  • Lectures
  • 30
  • Preparation
  • 33
  • Project work
  • 95
  • Theory exercises
  • 18
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 20 min.
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Exam registration requirements
Participation in the group-based project work. Handing in and approval of poster.
Aid
Only certain aids allowed
Project poster
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
One internal examiner
Criteria for exam assesment
Weight: Oral examination in project poster and curriculum 100%