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Overview

Explore food components; analysis of food composition; food ingredients; and principles of food processing; and how these factors impact on food quality and functionality.

Food composition is critical for the texture, flavour and quality of food and determines its functional properties and nutritional quality. This paper lays the foundation for your journey into food science, exploring the chemistry, properties and functionality of key food components, including water, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Learn about the principles of food processing techniques and their impact on the foods we eat every day. With hands-on laboratory experience, you will develop essential analytical skills to assess food composition and quality.

About this paper

Paper title Food Components, Processing and Functionality
Subject Food Science
EFTS 0.15
Points 18 points
Teaching period Semester 1 (On campus)
Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) $1,318.20
International Tuition Fees Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website.
Prerequisite
72 100-level points
Schedule C
Science
Notes
For students not taking Consumer Food Science or Food Science as a major or minor subject, the prerequisite is (FOSC111 or CHEM191) and 36 further 100-level points.
Contact

Associate Professor Graham Eyres

Teaching staff

Course Co-ordinator: Associate Professor Graham Eyres

Lecturers: Professor Aladin Bekhit

Dr Yakun Hou

 

Paper Structure

The main themes covered are:

  • Food components, composition and functionality
  • Introductory food processing and preservation
Teaching Arrangements

FOSC201 has three lectures per week and six Laboratory classes over thirteen weeks.

Students should allocate 12 hours per week to this course over the semester. This time includes lectures, laboratories, completion of reports and independent study.

Textbooks

It is recommended that students consult their FOSC111 notes and:

  • Principles of Food Chemistry by DeMan, J.M., Finley, J.W., Hurst, W.J. and Lee, C.Y. (4th Edition) (2018).
  • Food – The Chemistry of its Components by Coultate, T.P. (6th Edition) (2016). Available here
  • Food Processing Technology by Fellows, P. J. (5th Edition) (2022). Available online here.
  • Food Analysis by Nielsen, S. Suzanne (5th Edition) (2017).

 

You may find the following text useful if you are proceeding to 3rd year Food Science:

Fennema’s Food Chemistry by S. Damodaran and K.L. Parkin (5th Edition) (2017). Available as a hardcopy in the Science Library (TX541.F65 2017). Library record

Graduate Attributes Emphasised
Critical thinking, Information literacy, Research, Teamwork.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.
Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this paper will:

  • Be introduced to the composition of foods and the properties of food components
  • Understand the interaction between food components and the impact on food properties
  • Be introduced to the key processing techniques used in the food industry
  • Understand the major food processing unit operations in the food industry
  • Appreciate the effects of food processing on the safety, functionality and quality of food
Assessment details

The final examination is three hours in duration and is worth 60% of the final mark. 10% can be replaced by a Terms Test (on a plussage basis). The other 40% is evaluated during laboratory performance with a mixture of laboratory reports (3 reports, each worth 10%) and questions (2 sets of questions, each worth 5%).

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