NFOK14024U Molecular Food Science

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