Course Title: Food Manufacturing: Plant Products

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Food Manufacturing: Plant Products

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

ONPS2146

City Campus

Undergraduate

135H Applied Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 2 2008,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013

ONPS2183

City Campus

Postgraduate

135H Applied Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 2 2008,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013

ONPS2523

Bundoora Campus

Postgraduate

135H Applied Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2016

ONPS2533

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

135H Applied Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2016

ONPS2533

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

171H School of Science

Face-to-Face

Sem 2 2017,
Sem 2 2018,
Sem 2 2019,
Sem 2 2020,
Sem 2 2021,
Sem 2 2022,
Sem 2 2023

Course Coordinator: Dr Jayani Chandrapala

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 2130

Course Coordinator Email: jayani.chandrapala@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Building 201, Level 06, Room 07, Bundoora Campus

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Assumed knowledge

Completion of four or more semesters of a degree in food technology and nutrition, engineering, science, or other closely related fields.


Course Description

This course deals with the technology involved in the initial and further processing, storage and packaging of plant derived food products. This includes processing of plant commodities (e.g. grains, fruit and vegetables), and substantially transformed food products with a significant plant component (e.g. confectionery and chocolate). The topics covered will include:

  • Processing to convert bulk commodities into ingredients suitable for further processing into consumer products
  • Processing to produce substantially transformed plant based food products (e.g. confectionery and chocolate)
  • The importance of packaging technologies in fresh and minimally processed plant based products

An important aspect of this course that is relevant to all commodity categories will be a problem solving activity. In this activity you will have to solve an industry relevant problem, including research into technical and scientific information, and use that information to identify and evaluate possible solutions.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

  1. Explore the implications of the structure of the Australian plant based food industries, including grains, fruit and vegetables.
  2. Describe the processing stages required to process a representative range of plant based commodity products into ingredients suitable for processing into end products.
  3. Explain the production of substantially transformed products from plant products and the influence of processing parameters and formulation on the quality of the final product.
  4. Apply different processing and packaging technologies to extend shelf-life or improve convenience of fresh or minimally processed plant derived products.
  5. Describe the main quality attributes (e.g. sensory attributes, composition, physical properties) of a range of plant derived products.
  6. Review food safety and shelf-life of plant derived food products.


This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes (PLO) at AQF Level 7:

1.0 Demonstrate a coherent understanding of science
1.2 You will demonstrate a coherent understanding of the role, relevance and significance of food technology and nutrition in society.
1.3 You will demonstrate an understanding of the role and importance of evidence in the continuous evolution of scientific knowledge.

2.0 Exhibit depth and breadth of scientific knowledge
2.2 You will demonstrate an ability to implement the principles and practices that underpins product development, food processing, ingredient interactions, and quality assurance.

3.0 Critically analyse and solve scientific problems
3.1 You will demonstrate an ability to apply scientific principles and methods to solve problems associated with food technology and/or nutrition.
3.2 You will be able to gather and critically review information from a range of technical and scientific sources, and synthesise information relevant to an issue related to the food and/or nutrition industries.
3.4 You will develop project and business management skills relevant to the food and nutrition industries, including designing a project to solve the problem, planning its implementation, collecting data, drawing valid conclusions and appropriately communicating results.

4.0 Demonstrate effective communication of science
4.1 You will able to effectively communicate about food and nutrition issues using oral, written and presentation skills.
4.3 You will be able to communicate the solution to a problem or the result of a technical or scientific investigation using appropriate terminology for the intended audience..

5.0 Demonstrate accountability for your own learning and scientific work
5.1 You will demonstrate accountability for your own learning and professional conduct.
5.2 You will demonstrate initiative and independence.
5.3 You will demonstrate an ability to work responsibly, safely and ethically.
5.4 You will develop an ability to work collaboratively.


Overview of Learning Activities

 

You will be actively engaged in a range of learning activities such as lectorials, tutorials, practicals, laboratories, seminars, project work, class discussion, individual and group activities. Delivery may be face to face, online or a mix of both. 

You are encouraged to be proactive and self-directed in your learning, asking questions of your lecturer and/or peers and seeking out information as required, especially from the numerous sources available through the RMIT library, and through links and material specific to this course that is available through myRMIT Studies Course


Overview of Learning Resources

 

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through myRMIT Studies Course

There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1: Laboratory Reports and Poster Presentation
Weighting: 40%
This assessment supports CLOs: 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

Assessment Task 2: Online Knowledge Testing Questionnaires
Weighting: 30%
This assessment supports CLOs: 1, 2, 3 and 4

Assessment Task 3: Questionnaire-based Practical Assessments
Weighting: 30%
This assessment supports CLOs: 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

If you have a long-term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.