NFOK19002U Food Structure and Functional Ingredients

Volume 2023/2024
Education

MSc Programme in Food Science and Technology. 

 

Content

The course focuses on food structure on multiple length-scales (nm to mm), the food ingredients used to generate and stabilize such structures. Food properties and functionality related to structure such as texture, rheology and mouthfeel. 

The following core subjects will be covered: Food Ingredients with emphasis on fat/oils, polysaccharides (thickeners and gelators), proteins and emulsifiers. Phase behavior and phase diagrams of food components and their mixtures. Dispersed system and their stability: Emulsions, foams, sols and gels. Interaction of hydrophobic or electrostatic origin. Science of interfaces in food: surface and interfacial tensions, adsorption to surfaces and contact angles. Structural characterization of food and simple systems of components in terms of x-ray and light based techniques

Learning Outcome

Knowledge:

  • Understanding of concepts of food structure
  • Knowledge of the interactions and forces that stabilizes and destabilizes colloidal systems and create and stabilize structure.
  • Understanding of phase diagrams and the theory behind phase diagram.
  • Knowledge of surface chemistry and theory of surface tension.
  • Knowledge of complex food systems using colloidal chemical concepts.

 

Skills:

  • Skills in presenting and explaining complex relations and theory and relating it to practical implications within food structure and stability.
  • Skills in applying theoretical concepts and making calculations.
  • Skills in selecting appropriate ingredients for specific applications, based on scientific principles.
  • Ability to theoretically evaluate ingredient functionality in food systems. 

 

Competences:

  • Competences in choosing experimental techniques to study properties of foods, based on colloidal chemical knowledge

See Absalon for a list of course literature.

Qualifications within the field of basic chemistry, basic physical chemistry, and basic food chemistry on bachelor level is recommended.

Academic qualifications equivalent to second year of bachelor of food science and nutrition is recommended.
Lectures, group work, theoretical exercises, poster presentations, open discussion.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 60
  • Preparation
  • 95
  • Theory exercises
  • 30
  • Project work
  • 10
  • Seminar
  • 10
  • Exam
  • 1
  • Total
  • 206
Oral
Individual
Collective
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 20 min
Type of assessment details
Oral examination without preparation time. The examination takes its starting point in one of the posters produced by the student.
The student draws a poster and presents it. The presentation soon develops into a scientific conversation with the examiners. The examiners pose questions in the full curriculum and might include supplementary materials (graphs, tables, pictures and drawings).
Exam registration requirements

Students must prepare two posters and present these posters and take part in poster sessions.

Aid
Without aids
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examiners
Re-exam

Same as ordinary exam.
Lacking posters must be produced and handed in three weeks prior to re-examination.

Criteria for exam assesment

See Learning Outcome