Course content

Content: Description of chemical and biochemical properties and function of components in food: Carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, water, colours, aroma compounds, vitamins and minerals. Chemical composition, structure, biochemistry and quality of important foods: fruit, vegetables, meat/fish, bread, milk. Quality degrading processes in foods. Food microbiology, food hygiene, food borne illness. Toxins, heavy metals. Chemical preservatives, food preservation. Laws and regulations. Quality, sensory analyses. The importance of this knowledge for sustainable utilization and processing of food. Diet and nutrition.

Learning outcome

After completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• K1: Explain properties and reactions of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins during storage and processing of food and how these influence the quality and properties of the food.Explain the importance of water for stability and quality of foods.
• K2: Give an overview of the main classes of compounds influencing colour and flavor of food and have knowledge on important sources of vitamins and minerals in food and how these affect other quality aspects of food.Give an account of necessary growth conditions for important pathogens in food and precautions to avoid food infections and food poisoning.Give an account of sources of important classes of undesirables in food and the HACCP term.
• K3: Be able to explain processes taking place during storage of muscle tissue and how these affect quality.Have knowledge on different methods in sensory analysis and understand possibilities and limitation of the different methods.
• K4: Have knowledge on and be able to use food regulations.
• F1: Can read and understand relevant literature on a selected topic and present it in the form of a poster.
• F2: Can present and explain results achieved in the lab
• G1: Can work independently and in groups

Learning methods and activities

Lectures and self study (160h), exercises (compulsory)(10h), reports (20h), poster presentation (5h), excursion (5h)

Compulsory assignments

• Exercises

Recommended previous knowledge

Students taking this course should have knowledge in biochemistry (TBT4102 Biochemistry 1) and microbiology (TBT4110 Microbiology).

Course materials

Given at the start of the course.

Credit reductions