Course syllabus
Course-PM
BBT050 Sustainable food production lp1 HT21 (7.5 hp)
Course is offered by:
Department of Biology and Biological Engineering
Contact details
Examiner:
Mehdi Abdollahi, Researcher
Department of Biology and Biological Engineering–Food and Nutrition Science, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
Contact information:
Email: khozaghi@chalmers.se
Phone: +46-31-772 3823
Mobile: +46768427346
Homepage: https://www.chalmers.se/en/staff/Pages/khozaghi.aspx
Lecturers:
Lilia Ahrné, Professor
Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Email: lilia@food.ku.dk
Jenny Schelin, Associate Professor
Division of Applied Microbiology, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
Email: jenny.schelin@tmb.lth.se
Helena Lindh-PhD
Market Sustainability Expert - Tetra Pak
Email: Helena.Lindh@tetrapak.com
Anders Höberg-PhD
Research & Strategic Partnership Manager– Orkla Food Sverige
Email: anders.hogberg@orkla.no
Anne-M. Hermansson- Professor (emerita)
Department of Biology and Biological Engineering–Food and Nutrition Science, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
Email: amh@chalmers.se
Patricia Lopez-Sanchez, Researcher
Department of Biology and Biological Engineering–Food and Nutrition Science, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
Email: patlop@chalmers.se
Yvonne Nygård - Associate Professor
Department of Biology and Biological Engineering– Industrial Biotechnology, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
Email: yvonne.nygard@chalmers.se
Rossana Coda-Docent
Department of Food and Nutrition, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
Email: rossana.coda@helsinki.fi
Johan Larsbrink- Associate Professor
Department of Biology and Biological Engineering– Industrial Biotechnology, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
Email: johan.larsbrink@chalmers.se
Verena Siewers-Research Professor
Department of Biology and Biological Engineering– Systems and Synthetic Biology, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
Email: siewers@chalmers.se
Ingrid Undeland- Professor
Department of Biology and Biological Engineering– Food and Nutrition Science, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
Email; Undeland@chalmers.se
Ulf Sonesson
R&I Manager Sustainable Food Systems · RISE Research Institutes of Sweden
Email: ulf.sonesson@ri.se
Course purpose
The aim is to provide an overview and fundamental understanding of the application of food science, biotechnology and engineering principles applied in sustainable industrial food production, from systems to product perspective.
Schedule
Course literature
Course design
Content
The food system is complex and includes several steps in a chain from farm to fork. Industrial food processing i.e. transformation of raw material into ingredients and food products is an important step in the sustainable food production and relies on principles and techniques of biotechnology and engineering. Biotechnology is used in traditional and high-tech food production and processing, above all for manufacture of fermented foods and additives, e.g. for improved taste, texture, shelf life, and nutritional value. New applications of biotechnology are explored within microbiology, enzyme engineering and functional foods. Food engineering integrates principles of engineering, science, and mathematics to food manufacturing including the processing, production, handling, storage, conservation, control, packaging and distribution of food products. The course covers the following aspects under three main areas:
Food engineering and technology
- The food industry and the production chain-from raw material to product
- Processing of common foods
- Food hygiene, production safety and legislation
- Food preservation technologies
- Ultra-processed foods
- Food packaging
- Emerging food processing technologies
- Product development and product assessment
- Assessment of food structure and properties
Food Biotechnology
- Fundamental processes and principles in food biotechnology
- Microorganisms utilized in food biotechnology
- Fermentation in food production
- Enzymes in food production
- Biotech production of food ingredients and high-value products
- Biorefinery for food purposes
- Current trends in circular economy and green, blue, red and brown bioeconomy
Sustainable Food Systems and Engineering
- Green food processing
- Sustainability in the food system
- Tools to evaluate sustainability from product to system
- Future foods and the future of food
The course will provide the theoretical framework of principles, methods and techniques applied in the different main areas. The student will also use acquired knowledge to perform simulations of different food processing conditions to evaluate their effects on food quality and safety parameters in a computer-exercise. Moreover, a food product development project will be conducted throughout the course including design, lab-scale production and evaluation with regards to sustainability, safety and quality traits. The results of the project will be reported orally and in a written report.
Organization
The course includes lectures (25h), a simulation-based assignment (4h), a food product development assignment (16h wet lab, 4h seminar) and a study visit (3h).
Changes made since the last occasion
None
Learning objectives and syllabus
Learning objectives:
On completing this course, students should be acquainted with, understand and be able to describe:
Within Food Engineering and Technology
a. Be familiar with most important conventional and emerging food processing technologies used across the food value chain.
b. Be able to describe how to choose proper food packaging and preservation technologies
c. Be able to describe how to guarantee food quality and safety.
d. Be acquainted with principles of food products development and their assessment in micro/macro level.
Within Food Biotechnology
a. Be able to describe fundamental processes, principles and microorganisms used in food biotechnology
b. Be familiar with applications of biotechnology in food production, processing and preservation.
c. Be able to describe principles of food fermentation and enzyme technology.
d. Be acquainted with biotechnological production of high-value food ingredients and their safety and health aspects.
Within Sustainable Food Systems and Engineering
a. Be able to describe general aspects of sustainability in food systems at different levels (local-global)
b. Be able to use different systems analysis tools-to assess sustainability of food systems, e.g. LCA.
c. Be able to describe how food systems and products can become more sustainable.
d. Be familiar with emerging sustainable food sources and alternatives, their challenges, and the future of foods.
Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen.
Examination form
The final written exam contains descriptive and quantitative questions on contents covered in the lectures, exercises and course literature.
The final grade is based on the written final exam (70%); the report (20%) of the product development project; and the written report on simulation exercises (10%). Oral presentation of the product development project and attendance of laboratory scale food production, study visit and the simulation exercise are mandatory and pre-requisites for grading. There are strict deadlines for submission of assignments. Further details, e.g. criteria for assessment of assignments, are given in the course PM.
Course summary:
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