NFOK14031U Thematic Course in Food Innovation and Health
MSc Programme in Food Innovation and Health
The course contains two parts. Initially an intensive two week
teaching program that gives overview of concepts and methods used
in a scientific approach to small-scale food production and topics
related to open innovation, business models, value proposition
and value capturing. In part two, students work project-based in
teams with development, pitching and consumer tests of food
products. This latter part is based on challenges posed by
companies or organisations.
Teaching program
Reading and practical experience with classic and new tools and
techniques in the production of food and meals in
kitchen-scale.
The scientific focus is application of modern preparation and
processing methods, and the effect of these methods on the
physical, chemical and sensory properties of food with regard
to creating aesthetic, palatable, sustainalbe, and healthy
foods. A focus on understanding successful food companies’
business models and open innovation strategies is applied.
- Food Design Thinking approach: ideation, prototyping and production of foods under various constraints (time, materials, economy, techniques) to develop an innovative mind-set, increase students’ creativity and promote action-oriented work based on own academic and professional competences.
- Real business cases with development of new food products.
- Practical exercises in kitchen utilizing a selection of culinary techniques.
- Exercises in ideation and open innovation.
- Exercise with reflection over business models and open innovation processes.
In the project phase students work independently in teams with a
challenge from companies or organisations. The problem is analysed
and solved in a scientific manner, and the subject is discussed
using competences acquired through the teaching period and
preceding course work in the education programme. The approach
trains students to apply their theoretical background to create new
food products using their scientific approach to gastronomy, food
chemistry, consumer experience and behaviour.
It is the aim to establish an open innovation with a
scientific foundation and to provide the students with an
insight to put their knowledge of culinary techniques to practical
use of techniques and ingredients, in order to renew cooking, food
production and create new products. Among the topics are
responsible use of ingredients, and upcycling to reduce food
waste.
Knowledge
- Adapt methods of preparation for different raw materials based on a rational scientific foundation.
- Give an overview over preference formation in relation to food, meals and eating.
Skills
- Use techniques for innovation and creativity related to development of new foods and New Product Development (NPD).
- Analyze and integrate open innovation and value proposition, theories and practices, to understand how food companies operate and compete in the market.
- Work systematically in a kitchen development laboratory with chosen experimental techniques and culinary methods.
- Use digital technologies to capture and evaluate work and progress in the development situation.
- Production of prototypes of complex foods, production in pilot scale of complex foods.
- Consumer tests of complex foods, including considerations regarding subjects' data rights (GDPR).
- Reflection upon own development, and ability to see opportunities in innovation, intra- and entrepreneurship.
- Communicate (oral and in writing) topics in the culinary area with regards to innovation in foods.
- Integrate preference formation in relation to food, meals, and eating into the development of healthy, sustainable, and palatable foods.
Competences:
- A scientific approach to food innovation and small scale food production.
- Implement ideation, open innovation, and value proposition design to develop new food products, focused on health, palatability, sustainability, and circular economy.
- Integrate academic disciplines (food chemistry/physics, sensory science, innovation and nutritional aspects) to innovation and business development in the food sector.
- Apply Food Design Thinking in the innovation process.
- Adapt techniques for characterization of sensory properties and consumer experiences to test foods in various stages of the innovation cycle.
- Aplly relevant statistical methods on obtained data.
- Interdisciplinary cooperation with other students on planning, carrying out and evaluating experiments in relation to new product development of healthy and palatable foods.
- Work independently and efficiently together in a team on joint projects.
- Pitch food concepts to professionals and relevant employers/purchasers.
See Absalon for a list of course literature.
It is recommended to follow the course on the second year of the MSc programme in Food Innovation and Health.
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 30
- Preparation
- 40
- Theory exercises
- 19
- Practical exercises
- 15
- Project work
- 292
- Guidance
- 15
- Exam
- 1
- Total
- 412
- Credit
- 15 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Portfolio, CumulativeOral examination, 25 minThe exam consists of two equal parts:
1. Portfolio exam in teams consisting of multiple oral and written parts handed in during the course. Weight 50 % of the final exam grade.
2. Individual oral examination without preparation time in the portfolio and the course curriculum. Weight 50 % of the final exam grade.
Both parts must be passed in order for the course to be passed. - Exam registration requirements
Approval of all portfolio parts.
- Aid
- All aids allowed
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- External censorship
- Re-exam
Same as ordinary exam.
If the portfolio has not been passed, there is a possibility to re-submit an edited portfolio individually two weeks before the oral re-examination.
Criteria for exam assesment
See Learning Outcome.
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- NFOK14031U
- Credit
- 15 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
- 1 block
- Placement
- Block 2
- Schedule
- The teaching is organised with a confrontation-intensive period for approximately the first two weeks. In that period teaching takes place 4-5 days a week. For the rest of the block, students work in teams and organise their time themselves except for project pitches.
- Course capacity
- 30
- Course is also available as continuing and professional education
- Study board
- Study Board of Food, Human Nutrition and Sports
Contracting departments
- Department of Food Science
- Department of Food and Resource Economics
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Science
Course Coordinators
- Karsten Olsen (2-7a7e4f757e7e733d7a843d737a)
- Michael Bom Frøst (3-7d727650767f7f743e7b853e747b)
- Bodil Helene Allesen-Holm (4-7379727951778080753f7c863f757c)
(Course coordinator)