NFOK20003U Sustainable Innovation in Food Science

Volume 2025/2026
Education

MSc Programme in Food Science and Technology

Content

The course aims to provide the students with an understanding of sustainable innovation in the food chain and sector; e.g. gentle food processing technologies and circular business models that result in reduced environmental footprints. The students will be introduced to key aspects such as:

  • Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): In-depth exploration of the four steps of LCA— goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation. 
  • Sustainable Innovation and Systems Design: Exploration of circular business models and sustainable production systems designed for resource efficiency and environmental impact reduction

 

The students will work theoretically with identifying potential solutions to current challenges in the food chain and sector. The student will work in a group on a relevant challenge that is linked to the teaching on a weekly basis. 

Students will apply theoretical knowledge to practical challenges divided in portfolio parts. They will reflect on real-world restrictions and opportunities, including IPR, food regulation, and data security considerations. 

Learning Outcome

Knowledge:

  • Describe the four steps of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), including system boundaries and functional units
  • Explain key concepts of sustainable innovation and circular economy in food systems design.
  • Identify environmental impacts and potential improvements in food processing and production systems.

  • Basic insight into IPR, regulation, ethics, and consumer preferences

 

Skills:

  • Ability to conduct and interpret comparative LCA, including mass balance calculations for the chosen challenges.
  • Ability to critically reflect on bottlenecks in the implementation of sustainable innovation in the food chain
  • Ability to apply theoretical LCA knowledge to practical challenges.
  • Ability to identify business expansion opportunities for sustainable innovation in the food chain.

 

Competences:

  • Ability to collaborate effectively in interdisciplinary groups to address complex sustainability challenges.
  • Ability to analyse environmental performance and propose improvements based on LCA results.
  • Ability to communicate findings and solutions effectively using LCA data and theoretical frameworks.
  • Ability to contextualize system and product environmental footprint within the broader frameworks addressing the grad societal challenges of UN's SDGs and planetary boundaries in the course challenge.

 

Literature

See Absalon for a list of course literature

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.

We recommend the students have a Windows based operating system for the LCA calculations.
Lectures, exercises and group work. The student will work in a group on a relevant challenge documented by a portfolio addressing the key aspects of the course.
The course is identical to the discontinued course NFOK20004U Short Thematic Course in Food Science and Technology. Therefore you cannot register for NFOK20003U - Sustainable Innovation in Food Science, if you have already passed NFOK20004U Short Thematic Course in Food Science and Technology.

If you are registered with examination attempts in NFOK20004U Short Thematic Course in Food Science and Technology without having passed the course, you have to use your last examination attempts to pass the exam in NFOK20003U - Sustainable Innovation in Food Science. You have a total of three examination attempts.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 54
  • Preparation
  • 42
  • Theory exercises
  • 30
  • Project work
  • 73
  • Guidance
  • 6
  • Exam
  • 1
  • Total
  • 206
Written
Oral
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 15 minutes
Type of assessment details
The exam is an individual oral exam (15 minutes) without preparation time based on both previous submissions and the course curriculum.

Written assignments are done in groups and consist of multiple
parts with deadlines throughout the course.

In order to access the oral exam the submissions (written assignments) must be submitted during the course.
Exam registration requirements

Use of AI is only allowed for the wirtten assignments as described in the challenge guidelines provided on the course. 

Aid
Only certain aids allowed (see description below)

The student can bring a paper version of the challenge portfolio parts to the oral exam.

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
Re-exam

Same as ordinary exam.

In order to access the oral exam the submissions (written assignments) must be submitted two weeks before the oral examination.

Any previously submitted submissions (written assignments) will be reused.

Criteria for exam assesment

See Learning Outcome