Food Sciences
Code: 102611 ECTS Credits: 3| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2502445 Veterinary Medicine | OB | 2 | 1 |
Contact
- Name:
- Marta Capellas Puig
- Email:
- marta.capellas@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- catalan (cat)
- Some groups entirely in English:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Catalan:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Spanish:
- No
Other comments on languages
70% catalan, 30% spanishTeachers
- Victoria Ferragut Perez
- Montserrat Mor-Mur Francesch
- Josep Yuste Puigvert
Prerequisites
There are no official prerequisites, but it is recommended that the students have passed the subjects of Microbiology and Biochemistry of the first year of the Degree. Students must be able to read and understand academic texts in Catalan and Spanish.
Objectives and Contextualisation
Our health depends on what we eat daily and how we do it. Also, our economy depends on that, since the agri-food sector is one of the most active in our country. In Catalonia, there are many industries that are dedicated to the production or the processing of raw materials to convert them into food. Industries must ensure that food is safe and healthy, and that it remains appetizing for as long as possible. The administration, for its part, must carry out official controls to ensure that food legislation is accomplished. According to Order ECI/333/2008 of 13 February, which establishes the requirements for the verification of the official university degree that qualifies for the exercise of the Veterinary profession, the first competence that Veterinary graduates must have acquired is the control of the hygiene, the inspection and the technology of the production and elaboration of foods of human consumption from the primary production until the consumer. Food Science and Technology related subjects which are taught in the 2nd year of the Veterinary Degree, contribute to a part of the specific competences necessary for the exercise of the profession. In the first semester, in the subject Food Science, the students must acquire the theoretical and practical fundamentals about the characteristics, composition and alteration of foods of human consumption. In the second semester, Food Technology is studied, in which the foundations and principles of the technologies used for obtaining healthy and safe foods are acquired.
After completing the course, the students are expected to:
- Recognize the components and ingredients of foods, and their functions and properties
- Recognize the additives and their main functions
- Analyze components and their properties in specific foods
- Identify specific food quality indicators
- Relate components, properties and quality indicators
- Identify the mechanisms of food deterioration
- Evaluate the possibility and probability of deterioration of a food due to a specific cause
Competences
- Analyse, synthesise and resolve problems and make decisions.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the rights and duties of the veterinarian, with a special focus on ethical principles
- Seek and manage information related with professional activity
- Work effectively in single or multidisciplinary teams and show respect, appreciation and sensitivity for the work of others.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyse, synthesise and resolve problems and make decisions.
- Identify foodstuffs and relate their functions, characteristics, interactions and evolution.
- Seek and manage information related with professional activity
- Work effectively in single or multidisciplinary teams and show respect, appreciation and sensitivity for the work of others.
Content
The following contents are distributed in theory, practice, seminars and self-learning activities*:
Theory: 11 h.
Lecture 1. Water in food. Structure and properties State of water in food. Water activity. Sorption isotherms.
Lecture 2. Biotic modifications. RASFF Portal. Bacteria. Virus. Parasites Enzymes and toxins produced by microbial metabolism. Factors that affect the growth and survival of microorganisms in food. The theory of obstacles.
Lecture 3. Components and ingredients of food: functions and properties. Food: definition. Nutritious and non-nutritive components Additives and technological adjuvants. Functional properties Functional additives.
Lecture 4. Abiotic modifications: chemical and enzymatic reactions. Non-enzymatic browning reactions. Oxidative reactions Antioxidants Reactions of the pigments. Degradation of protein and non-protein nitrogenous components. Lipolysis Enzymatic oxidation of lipids. Enzymatic degradation of carbohydrates. Enzymatic browning reactions.
Seminars: 4 h
Fermented foods.
Presentation of self-learning work.
Practical sessions: 11 h
- Laboratory:
Food rheology.
Enzymatic browning and blanching.
Glazing and oxidation of fishery products.
Stability of food.
- Pilot plant practices (Servei Planta Pilot de Tecnologia dels Aliments -SPTA-):
General knowledge of the pilot plant.
Preparation of a liquid food.
*Unless the requirements enforced by the health authorities demand a prioritization or reduction of these contents.
Methodology
The methodology used in this subject combines the following presential and non-presential activities*
• Theory lectures in which the basic concepts of the subject are presented.
Brief self-learning exercise. Students will have to solve a short self-learning exercise that will be stated and solved via Moodle.
• Classroom work seminar.
• Laboratory practices: they complete and reinforce the knowledge presented in the theory lectures and allow the acquisition of work skills in the laboratory and the experimental understanding of concepts. Students will have guide notes available for all the practices they will do and will have to do a previous comprehensive reading of them before each practice. During the practical session, students must collect the results obtained to answer the test that will be done at the end of the session. If the student has not attended to the session or the activities associated with it practice have not been done, the result of the test will not be considered for the evaluation of the subject. Students must pass the Basic Safety Test in the Laboratories before the start of the first practical session.
• Pilot plant practical sessions: they complete and reinforce the knowledge presented in the theory lectures and allow the acquisition of work skills in the pilot plant. Students must perform a previous comprehensive reading of the guide notes of each practice. Before the first session, students must pass the Safety Test at the Food Technology Plant, following the instructions found in the Moodle classroom of the subject.
• Self-learning work in groups of 4 people, for the preparation and presentation of a case proposed by the teachers. This work implies searching and selection of information from various sources, answering to the questions raised, and presenting and discussing it with the teachers together with other class groups, during the last seminar scheduled in the subject program.
The teaching materialused in the subject will be available at Campus Virtual.
*The proposed teaching methodology may experience some modifications depending on the restrictions to face-to-face activities enforced by health authorities.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Laboratory practices | 8 | 0.32 | 1, 2, 4 |
| Lectures | 11 | 0.44 | 2 |
| Pilot plant practices | 3 | 0.12 | 1, 2, 4 |
| Seminars | 4 | 0.16 | 1, 3, 2, 4 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Programmed tutorial | 1 | 0.04 | 1, 2 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Autonomous study and bibliography consultation | 28.25 | 1.13 | 1, 3, 2 |
| Brief self-learning exercise, preparation for group work, self-assessment exercises and online tests | 18 | 0.72 | 1, 3, 2, 4 |
Assessment
The evaluation will be carried out continuously during the different training activities. The maximum score that can be obtained is 10. The subject will be passed with a minimum overall score of 5. The grade will be calculated as follows:
• Test-type exam: 50% weight in the overall mark. At the end of all the training activities and on the date specified in the general program, students will take a test with multiple choice answers on all the contents and activities of the subject. In order to be able to calculate the final grade, the minimum value to be reached will be 5 points. In case of not passing the exam or not having taken it, there will be the possibility of carrying out a reevaluation exam in the dates indicated in the course program.
• Brief individual self-learning exercise: 10% of weight in the overall grade. Students will be required to search for information in a database and bibliography and answer an online questionnaire.
• Practices in the laboratory: 15% of weight in the global note. The students will pass a test at the end of each laboratory sessions.
• Self-learning -Group work: 25% weight in the overall grade. Students will have to prepare a self-learning work in groups of 4 people from their same group of practices. The teachers will explain in a tutorial session how the work should be solved. The work will be presented, together which other groups, during the last seminar of the subject.
*Student’s assessment may experience some modifications depending on the restrictions to face-to-face activities enforced by health authorities.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brief individual self-learning exercise test | 10 | 0.2 | 0.01 | 1, 3, 2 |
| Laboratory sessions tests | 15 | 0.3 | 0.01 | 1, 3, 2 |
| Presentation and discussion of self-learning-group work | 25 | 0.25 | 0.01 | 1, 3, 2, 4 |
| Test exam | 50 | 1 | 0.04 | 1, 2 |
Bibliography
- Course bibliography:
- Other online books accessible from the UAB library's website:
http://www.knovel.com/web/portal/browse/subject/60/filter/0/
From this web, we list some that can be useful:
Chemical Deterioration and Physical Instability of Food and Beverages
Chilled Foods
Encyclopedia of Food Microbiology
Essentials of Food Sanitation
Food Additives Data Book
Food Spoilage Microorganisms
Oxidation in Foods and Beverages and Antioxidant Applications, Volume 1 - Understanding Mechanisms
Of Oxidation and Antioxidant Activity
Oxidation in Foods and Beverages and Antioxidant Applications, Volume 2 - Management in Different Industry Sectors
Principles of Food Chemistry
Stability and Shelf-Life of Food
Software
Not necessary any special software.