NFOK14018U Advanced Food Chemistry
MSc Programme in Food Science and Technology
The course focuses on the fundamental chemical reactions that affect quality and stability of foods during their processing and storage. The molecular mechanisms of important reactions in foods and beverages will be introduced and discussed using chemical principles.
Central topics will include:
1) Lipid oxidation and antioxidants in heterogeneous food matrices.
2) Protein modifications (oxidation, the Maillard reaction, cross-linking, and interactions with polyphenols).
3) Pigments and photochemical reactions.
4) Interplay among lipid oxidation, protein modification, photochemical reactions, and antioxidants.
5) Effects of complex chemical reactions on macroscopic properties of foods.
After completing the course the student should be able to:
Knowledge:
- Describe the reactions at a molecular level that occur during common chemical food deteriorating phenomena.
- Classify structures and properties of components, ingredients and of chemical reactions that are central in relation to food quality changes.
- Display overview of specific changes of food components during processing and storage and how to use analytical methods to describe these changes.
Skills:
- Relate chemical mechanisms to macroscopic properties of foods
- Use kinetic principles to explain the mechanisms, which cause modifications or formation of specific components in foods.
- Suggest preventive measures against food quality changes based on theoretical chemical knowledge.
- Reading and using original scientific literature, and communicate the obtained knowledge.
- Interpret and discuss chemical and physical analytical data in relation to food stability.
Competences:
- Evaluate stability and predict changes of food chemical quality based on experimental data in combination with knowledge from scientific literature.
See Absalon for a list of course literature.
It will include book chapters, collection of reviews, and original scientific literature.
Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 36
- Preparation
- 109
- Theory exercises
- 36
- Project work
- 24
- Exam
- 1
- Total
- 206
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- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Oral examination, 20 min
- Type of assessment details
- The written product is a part of the course, but will not be counted for the final grading. The grading is based on the final examination. However, the first half of the exam questions will be based on the written product submitted by the student. The second part of the examination will be based on a question drawn by the student. The exam questions will be announced approximately one week before the exam. No preparation time.
- Exam registration requirements
Submission of written product before exam week.
- Aid
- All aids allowed
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
Several internal examiners
- Re-exam
Same as ordinary exam.
Non-approved or missing written products must be submitted one week before the re-examination.
Criteria for exam assesment
See Learning Outcome.
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- NFOK14018U
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
- 1 block
- Placement
- Block 2
- Schedule
- B
- Course capacity
- No limitation – unless you register in the late-registration period (BSc and MSc) or as a credit or single subject student.
Study board
- Study Board of Food, Human Nutrition and Sports
Contracting department
- Department of Food Science
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Science
Course Coordinators
- Marianne Nissen Lund (mnl@food.ku.dk)
- Mahesha Manjunatha Poojary (mahesha@food.ku.dk)