Unit

School Of Science And Health

Advanced Food Science and TechnologyWestern Sydney University Unit Code: 300780.1

Discipline: FOOD PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

Student Contribution Band: 2

Level: 3

Credit Points: 10

Incompatible Units
300636 - Food Processing and Analysis, 300641 -Packaging Science and Technology

Prerequisite
300499 Food Science 2

About this Unit
This unit gives students an appreciation of the physicochemical and molecular processes involved in food manufacture and their integration to produce safe, nutritious and palatable food. The structure-function relationships of ingredients (water, carbohydrates, proteins and lipids) will be explored, addressing the effect of concentration, ionic environment (pH, salt, sequestrant, etc.), glass transition properties, factors influencing non-enzymic browning, starch retrogradation, lipid oxidation and rancidity. Students will learn about methods for monitoring and controlling food quality and spoilage, including shelf-life testing and the safety evaluation of additives in foods. Various operations used in food processing (emerging technologies, thermal and cold processes, drying and dehydration, and extrusion) and packaging technologies, including active packaging will be studied. A practical program will complement the theory to demonstrate the use of some of the operations, and the effects of varying processing parameters and ingredients on quality of final products. Students will also be taken on conducted tours of food production sites with a view to not only observe activities, but also to document and catalogue ingredients, operations and food products.