Food Chemistry

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170 hours

Eligibility for honours or postgraduate coursework programs.

Chemistry or equivalent background knowledge.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

The aim of this subject is to provide students with an understanding of the chemical structure of major and minor food components (natural materials of plant and animal origin plus additives). The fate of these components in terms of their biological (enzymatic) and chemical degradation when consumed and modification during food processing is explored.

This course is supported by a practical laboratory program, which emphasises modern and instrumental techniques.

• To be able to describe the structure, composition, nutritional and functional properties of food components
• Have a practical understanding of the chemical analyses used to identify and quantify food components

• A 1500-word assignment due approximately Week 11 worth 20%
• A 1000-word written laboratory report due approximately Week 11 worth 20%
• A three-hour written final examination worth 60%

It is a hurdle requirement that students miss no more than one practical session during this subject.

Principles of Food Chemistry 3rd Ed (1999), John deMan, Aspen Publishers, Inc

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Upon completion of this unit, students should have developed:

• A profound respect for truth, intellectual and professional integrity, and the ethics of scholarship
• Capacity for independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning and research
• An ability to drive, interpret and analyse social, technical or economic information from multiple sources
• Skills in observation, critical analysis and report writing