Fall semester.  See class schedule for dates, times, and location.

Dr. Mirko Bunzel

The  functional role that various ingredients (chemicals)  impart  in processed foods with respect to chemical structure,  physical properties and stability in processing and storage. The student will learn this through integration of  the nutritional facts and ingredient statements on a food label  with material presented in both the lectures and reading assignments. From this the student will develop some background in  being able to design or modify foods for specific nutritional purposes (eg low calorie, low carbohydrate, infant formula, low phenylalanine, etc.).

Lecture

1. The student should be able to estimate the water content and water activity of a food solely from information on the food label and the type of product it is.

2. The student should be able to, where appropriate, show the path diagram for processing of a food on a state diagram representative for that food and use this to explain how the end point can be changed to increase stability by the use of different ingredients.

3. The student should be able to identify and explain to a consumer what each ingredient listed on a food label is used for and why it is used.

4. The student should be able to identify what potential chemical and physical degradation reactions would be possible given a food formulation and what possible changes in processing, packaging or ingredients might be used to inhibit that reaction.

5. The student should be able to, based on a food formula, determine what ingredient changes are needed to create that same food, where appropriate, into either a low carb, low fat or low calorie food and indicate appropriate flavor and texture enhancements that might be needed to make the food acceptable.

6. The students should be able to based on the food composition and packaging develop an accelerated shelf life test to determine shelf life under normal distribution.

Quizzes:

4 in-class open book quizzes  -  worth 100 points each. Total 400 points

Each quiz will consist of 4 essay questions of which 3 must be answered for 30 points each. The 5th question will be for 10 points and can be definitions, matches etc. based on the questions at the end of each assigned topic chapter in the book.

A key will be posted after each quiz is graded. If you desire a grade change because of an error we made in addition, write out the error and give it to the TA with your quiz answer sheet. If you disagree on how we graded a question also write out your reasons indicating how you met what was in the posted key and it give to the TA with your quiz sheet. The TA will regrade the whole quiz. If you further disagree, then the instructor will re-grade the quiz.

6 in-class 5 minute tests - best 5 of 6 count - worth 10 points each Total 50 points No make up of these

Group Presentation  (5 students per group)  on assigned food  product label

worth  50 points ( 20 points content, 20 points presentation, 10 points - 3 page group paper with references )

Note at each day for the group presentations,  ~ 15  volunteers  will be selected from the other groups to grade the presentations. Students will need to do one such evaluation or loose 5 points. A score sheet will be provided

No extra credit points

Where appropriate some instructors will hand out optional problem sets as practice for a quiz.

Optional Final - Worth 100 points Will be used to replace the lowest grade of the four  quizzes but cannot be used to replace any failed or zero grade because a quiz was not taken. The final will be 2 hours  long and consist  of 10 questions with no options.

Text Book: Food Chemistry: Principles and Applications Christen and Smith  STS Publishers available at St Paul Book Store

Additional References:
Fennema, O (Ed).  Food Chemistry (3rd Edition). Marcel Dekker
DeMan, J.  Principles of Food Chemistry (3rd Edition). Avi Publishing

See class schedule for complete textbook listings.

Total Grade based on 500 points

See here for University Grading Policy

Definitions of Grades and Academic Work Load Expectations:

A. Represents achievement that is outstanding relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements.

B.  Represents achievement that is significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements.

C. Represents achievement that meets the course requirements in every respect.

D     Represents achievement that is worthy of credit even though it fails to meet fully the course requirements.

S. Represents achievement that is satisfactory, which is equivalent to a C- or better.

F. Represents failure and signifies that the work was either (1) completed but at a level of achievement that is not worthy of credit or 2) was not completed and there was no agreement between the instructor and the student that the student would be awarded an I.

N. Represents no credit and signifies that the work was either (1) completed but at a level of achievement that is not worthy of credit or (2) was not completed and there was no agreement between the instructor and the student that the student would be awarded an I.

Academic dishonesty in any portion of the academic work for a course shall be grounds for awarding a grade of F or N for the entire course.

One conventional credit is hereby defined as equivalent to three hours of learning effort per week, averaged over an appropriate time interval, necessary for an average student taking that course to achieve an average grade in that course

Missing a quiz

Note that any quiz missed is a zero unless excused. If you have an excused absence then you must take the final. If you have  a second one excused then you will take a three hour final. Any more misses are not excused. The University policy for excused quizzes is pre-notice to the instructor before the day of the exam and a written note from a doctor, counselor etc. 

Course Web:  http://www.ardilla.umn.edu/05fscn4111-1f