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Unit of study_
FOOD2000: Principles of Food Science
2025 unit information
Managing safety and quality of food is critical to health, social, environmental and economic security. In this unit of study, you will examine the structural and functional properties of foods, and the science underpinning their production and management. Different categories of food will be described on the basis of physiology and biochemistry and how this underpins quality, organoleptic and nutritional properties. Typical spoilage processes in different foods, quality deterioration during the postharvest period, and the industry practices and technology used to prolong shelf-life will be covered. The main food safety challenges for the food industry and their control will be introduced. The unit focuses on core skills in assessment of food quality and safety, and the understanding of management practices and technology used to ensure these meet market or regulatory requirements. Case study examples will be drawn from grain, fruit and vegetable, meat, eggs, dairy and seafood products. Food standards, food safety systems and government regulations will also be covered. Students are introduced to basic chemistry and microbiology techniques used in food science as well as common industrial methods for food quality assessment.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Science
| Study level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Life and Environmental Sciences Academic Operations |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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BIOL1XXX or AGEN1004 or MBLG1XX1 |
|---|---|
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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AGEN2002 |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. describe the chemical composition of foods and how it affects their organoleptic and nutritional quality traits
- LO2. apply common scientific and industrial methods of analysing food qualities, basic chemistry and microbiology skills commonly used for food analysis
- LO3. explain postharvest biochemistry of plant and animal food products, and scientific basis of management practices and technologies used to maintain postharvest quality and inhibit spoilage processes
- LO4. explain major food safety hazards and their development in the food supply chain, and the scientific basis of management to minimise food safety risks
- LO5. describe the diversity and complexity in international food regulation and functions of Australian regulatory systems for managing food quality and safety
- LO6. collaboratively design, carry out and report on a research project to analyse quality of a specific product in response to postharvest treatments.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Semester 2 2025
|
Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
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