Program Overview

Program Overview

The University of Copenhagen offers a Master's program in Food Science and Technology, with a course focused on "Plants for Foods 2 – Processing and Functionality." This program aims to address the rising need for sustainable foods by exploring enzymatic technologies and chemical/physical processes to obtain foods and ingredients from plant resources.

Course Description

The course, NFOK21001U, covers the biochemistry of plant resources relevant for functionality in processing technologies. It delves into technology areas such as extraction and separation of main food constituents using physical/chemical processing and/or enzymatic processing. Important issues like nutritional composition and value, anti-nutrients, flavors, and off-flavors are also covered.

Tentative Modules

• The sources and nutritional composition of foods of plant origin and current consumption recommendations.
• Plant resources as food ingredients: Diversity and extraction of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids.
• Enzymatic, chemical, and physical processing of plant resources for foods or ingredients.
• Nutritional value, anti-nutrients, flavors, and off-flavors.
• Other processing technologies: High pressure and extrusion.
• Sensory aspects of plant-based foods.
• Sustainability: LCA assessment/basic principle and circular economy.

Learning Outcome

The overall aim is to provide students with basic knowledge on plant foods and ingredients, and how plants are composed with respect to major and minor food constituents as well as nutritional and anti-nutritional values. A major aspect will be processing using enzymatic and chemical/physical technologies, and how this addresses the needs for sustainable, healthy, and tasty foods.

Key Learning Objectives

• Describe the importance of foods derived from plants for a well-balanced human diet and for environmental sustainability relative to other food sources.
• Identify the composition of plant resources relevant for food and food technologies.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply enzymatic and chemical understanding to properties relevant for extraction, processing of plant sources in food technology.
• Understand and explain the processes that foods of plant-origin undergo.

Literature and Recommended Qualifications

Primary scientific papers and reviews accompany all lectures and exercises. These papers define the curriculum and are thus exam relevant. It is recommended to have competences within the quality of raw food materials and food chemistry. Skills within Cell biology, Biochemistry, and Processing are also advantageous.

Teaching and Learning Methods

The core teaching is comprised of lectures delivered by a wide range of teachers, including invited industrial guest lecturers. These are supplemented by journal clubs and initial laboratory exercises resulting in a group report. The lectures and laboratory exercises will form the basis for a final laboratory project performed in groups resulting in a project-report.

Workload and Exam Details

• Category: Lectures, Preparation, Theory exercises, Practical exercises, Exam
• Hours: 39 (Lectures), 125 (Preparation), 21 (Theory exercises), 20 (Practical exercises), 1 (Exam)
• Total: 206 hours
• Exam Type: Oral examination, 25 min
• Type of assessment details: Individual oral exam (no preparation)

Course Information

• Language: English
• Course code: NFOK21001U
• Credit: 7.5 ECTS
• Level: Full Degree Master
• Duration: 1 block
• Placement: Block 3
• Schedule: A
• Course capacity: No limitation – unless you register in the late-registration period (BSc and MSc) or as a credit or single subject student.

Study Board and Contracting Department

• Study Board of Food, Human Nutrition and Sports
• Department of Food Science
• Faculty of Science

Course Coordinators

• Poul Erik Jensen
• Ourania Gouseti

This program is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop innovative, sustainable food products, focusing on healthiness and environmental sustainability. The course is part of the Master's program in Food Science and Technology at the University of Copenhagen.