Program Overview

Program Overview

The MSc Programme in Food Science and Technology offers a comprehensive course in Food Processing, which deals with understanding the main unit operations and equipment involved in the manufacture of foods and ingredients.

Course Description

The course covers aspects of sustainability in food processing, applications of sensor technology, and process control. Emphasis is placed on understanding individual food processing steps with respect to obtaining optimal process conditions and desired product characteristics, as well as the integration of different unit operations in a production line.

Learning Outcomes

The overall aim of the course is to provide students with knowledge on unit operations, equipment, and production processes applied in the food industry for manufacturing foods and ingredients. The learning outcomes include:

• Describe the principles of unit operations commonly used in the manufacturing of foods
• Identify how to improve product properties and sustainability in food processing
• Identify process steps suitable for process analysis and control
• Describe food safety management using HACCP

Skills and Competences

Students will acquire skills to:

• Apply theory to solve theoretical problems regarding process equipment, process design, and optimization
• Select measures to ensure correct process functionality
• Analyze unit operations in the food industry and apply knowledge of physics and chemistry
• Use theory to solve and explain practical problems as well as analyze process data
• Apply HACCP for food safety management Students will also develop competences to:
• Reflect on the interplay between unit operations along a process line
• Evaluate whether existing and/or new control strategies are appropriate to achieve safe and robust food products
• Discuss the application of different types of equipment and process steps to obtain food products with specific, desired properties
• Describe process lines for a number of foods with required equipment

Literature and Academic Qualifications

The course literature is available on Absalon. It is expected that students have a basic understanding of food-related physics, microbiology, and food chemistry. Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree are recommended.

Teaching and Learning Methods

The course will be based on lectures, theoretical exercises, short demonstrations, and excursions. Some topics will be covered by external lecturers from the food industry.

Workload

The workload for the course is as follows:

• Lectures: 45 hours
• Preparation: 100 hours
• Theory exercises: 25 hours
• Excursions: 7 hours
• Project work: 25 hours
• Exam: 4 hours
• Total: 206 hours

Exam

The exam is an on-site written exam, 4 hours under invigilation. The type of assessment details includes individual written examination of theoretical exercises, typically divided into 3-5 exercises with subquestions, with a mixture of open questions and calculations.

Examination Prerequisites

Approval of one case, prepared and presented in groups, is required. The case consists of a theoretical or practical assignment regarding a specific unit operation, process line, or equivalent.

Aid and Marking Scale

All aids are allowed except Generative AI and internet access. The marking scale is a 7-point grading scale, and the censorship form is external censorship.

Course Information

The course language is English, and the course code is NFOK17001U. The credit is 7.5 ECTS, and the level is Full Degree Master. The duration is 1 block, and the placement is Block 3. The course capacity has no limitation, unless registration is in the late-registration period or as a credit or single subject student.

Study Board and Contracting Department

The study board is the Study Board of Food, Human Nutrition and Sports, and the contracting department is the Department of Food Science. The contracting faculty is the Faculty of Science.

Course Coordinators and Lecturers

The course coordinators are Lilia Ahrné and Franciscus Winfried J van der Berg. The lecturers include local teachers from FOOD and guest teachers from industry.