NFOK14031U Thematic Course in Food Innovation and Health

Volume 2020/2021
Education

MSc Programme in Food Innovation and Health

Content

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.

Learning Outcome

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.

 

 

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
Lectures, exercises and project work. The project work will be carried out in student teams and results in two outcomes: new food products and a project portfolio. The portfolio will contain different elements developed and handed in over the project period (e.g. interview guide, feedback reflections, pitches and short project report).
For the data analysis in this course you need a laptop with Windows based operating system.

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
Written
Oral
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Feedback by final exam (In addition to the grade)
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)
Credit
15 ECTS
Type of assessment
Portfolio, Cumulative
Oral examination, 25 min
The 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.