Food For a Healthy Planet II

This subject is not offered in 2013.

96 hours

At least 50 points of prior university education in any field.

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/

This subject will use a variety of delivery tools including in-class lecture, case analysis, problems, invited expert seminars etc. This will include modules on science, health, economics, politics & law, social issues relating to food and food security. The primary aim in this year is to engage the students in broad range of issues associated with food and food future. In this course the students would become familiar with the key literature in the area, and the roles of key food regulatory organizations.

The topics to be covered include:

• Designer foods such as probiotics and functional foods
• Global food security and famine
• Food production systems & multi food supply chain
• Economics of food
• Adverse reactions to food, food and immune system, food allergy & food safety
• Organic foods & genetic modification and GM food labelling
• Food laws & politics of food
• Health issues – the obesity epidemic, salts, fats and sugars

At the completion of this subject, students will be better able to:

• Analyse the nutritional benefits of a range of foods;
• Incorporate consideration of global food politics, security and sustainability in applying expertise in other knowledge domains;
• Critically evaluate use of biotechnology in production, safety and quality of food for a healthy planet.

• An essay (2,000 words), worth 20%, due week 8.
• A mid-semester test (1 hour), approximately at end of week 6, worth 20%.
• Final exam (2 hours) exam in the examination period (60%).

75% minimum attendance at tutorials is required.

A reading pack will be produced and made available as hard copy or through the LMS online.

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Engineering

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

• The ability to develop interdisciplinary knowledge and across broad discipline areas
• The ability to examine and evaluate critically information from a variety of sources and assess its quality and relevance to issues under discussion.
• The ability to write a logically argued and well researched essay
• The ability to develop as a well-informed citizen better able to contribute to their community