Food Chemistry, Biology and Nutrition

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

Estimated total time commitment = 170 hrs.

• BIOL10004 Biology of Cells and Organisms; OR
• BIOL10002 Biomolecules and Cells.

AND

• CHEM10003 Chemistry 1; OR
• CHEM10006 Chemistry for Biomedicine; OR
• CHEM10007 Fundamentals of Chemistry.

Students are expected to be familiar with word processing, data management and graphical software packages and to be competent in electronic search techniques.

This subject requires attendance at lectures and active participation in tutorials.

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 food components (natural materials of plant and animal origin plus additives) and the underlying biochemistry. The fate of these components in terms of their biological (enzymatic) and chemical degradation when consumed is explored in the context of their role in nutrition and cell biology.

Upon completion of this subject, students will be able to:

• describe the structure of the food components;
• show some understanding between structure and physical and chemical properties of the food components;
• demonstrate understanding of the digestion, absorption, transport and use of the food components by the human body; and
• demonstrate understanding of the nutritional significance of a range of foods.

Series of online quizzes (4 x 5%) during the semester due approximately one week after the lecture topics.
One written assignment of 1000 words, 20% of final marks due approximately week 9 of the semester.
One final exam (2 hours; 60% of final marks).

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

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music

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.

Upon completion of this unit, students should have developed:

• a profound respect for truth, intellectual and professional integrity, and the ethics of scholarship;
• capacity of independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning and research;
• an ability to drive, interpret and analyse social, technical or economical information from multiple sources; and
• skills in observation, critical analysis and report writing.

This subject is available for science credit to students enrolled in the BSc (new degree only).