Course Title: Introduction to the Food Industry
Part A: Course Overview
Course Title: Introduction to the Food Industry
Credit Points: 12.00
Terms
Course Code |
Campus |
Career |
School |
Learning Mode |
Teaching Period(s) |
ONPS2137 |
City Campus |
Undergraduate |
135H Applied Sciences |
Face-to-Face |
Sem 1 2006, Sem 1 2007, Sem 1 2008, Sem 1 2009, Sem 1 2010, Sem 1 2011, Sem 1 2012, Sem 1 2013, Sem 1 2014, Sem 2 2015, Sem 1 2016 |
ONPS2137 |
City Campus |
Undergraduate |
171H School of Science |
Face-to-Face |
Sem 1 2017, Sem 1 2018, Sem 1 2019, Sem 1 2020 |
Course Coordinator: Elisabeth Gorczyca
Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 2624
Course Coordinator Email: elisabeth.gorczyca@rmit.edu.au
Course Coordinator Location: Bundoora Campus
Course Coordinator Availability: by appointment
Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities
None
Course Description
This course, introducing the Food Industry (FI), effectively is the start of your chosen career. You will be able to identify potential career opportunities when we discuss and explain what constitutes the FI and how it is organized.
As well, we will discuss in general two important activities of the FI, namely, what is involved in (a) development and (b) production of food. I.e. changing raw materials to efficiently, profitably produce a marketable safe to consume food product, which contributes to the consumers' well-being and is produced within the legal framework, safely and in very large volumes.
The FI must deal with issues that are a serious threat. So, e.g. the FI's contribution to and the effect of climate change, water usage, waste management, community nutrition, food fraud and food security will be discussed.
From these topics, you will appreciate the need to develop relevant key skills to utilise opportunities, upon graduating. Skills such as critical thinking, in depth technical know-how (products succeed / fail on the quality of the detail), curiosity, creativity, problem solving and people skills (teamwork & communications). Course activities (assignments, presentation, & tutorials) will introduce some of these skills.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development
This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes (PLO)
PLO-1 Understanding science
You will demonstrate a coherent understanding of food sciences by explaining the role and relevance of food sciences in industry.
PLO-2 Scientific knowledge
2.1 You will exhibit depth and breadth of knowledge by demonstrating a well-developed understanding of food sciences.
2.2 You will exhibit depth and breadth of food science knowledge by demonstrating knowledge that food science has interdisciplinary connections with other sciences such as health, chemical and microbiological sciences.
PLO-3 Inquiry and problem solving
3.1 You will be able to critically analyse and solve problems in food science and technology by gathering, synthesizing and critically evaluating information from a range of sources.
PLO-4 Communication
4.1. You will be an effective communicator of food sciences by effectively communicating scientific results, information, or arguments (in written or oral mode) for a variety of purposes and audiences.
On successful completion of this course you should be able to:
- Identify in general the role of a food scientist / technologist / nutritionist in the context of a complex food manufacturing environment.
- Demonstrate an awareness of the knowledge, and other attributes desired by the food industry.
- Identify and explain the significance of various types of contributors that make up the Food Industry
- Identify the key events in the supply chain and explain the problems it faces as is relevant to the food industry,
- Identify and demonstrate a basic understanding of key ingredients and how their structure can be altered or associated with their functionality to produce a safe, wholesome and stable product.
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of the development cycle of a new food product including role of sensory evaluation and consumer behaviour.
- Demonstrate an awareness of the importance of the Food Standards Code and other quality assurance practices used by the food industry to control and assure the quality, wholesomeness and safety of food produced.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the nature of microbes of importance to the food industry and apply the principles of hygienic food handling to prevent or minimize the transfer of bacteria to food.
- Demonstrate an understanding of how to evaluate a document or a problem using critically thinking.
- Demonstrate the ability to communicate, by means of oral, written, symbolic and pictorial presentations to a wide range of audience types with an appreciation of communication as a cultural and personal practice as well as the systems of communication in the sciences.
Overview of Learning Activities
You will learn in this course by:
- Attending* lectures and tutorials where an outline of the relevant materials will be presented. In those sessions, each topic will be discussed and supported by illustrations, demonstrations and /or examples
- Private study: - This would involve you working through the theory and ideas as presented in the lectures and any other relevant material. It is very strongly recommended that you can enhance your understanding by attempting the tutorial questions; and
- Completing or reviewing weekly and assignment tasks including answering tutorial questions. This will give you (a) a more in-depth understanding of the associated topics and (b) practice at critical thinking and problem solving - important skills for today's world.
*I very strongly recommend that you attend both the lectures and tutorials. The reason is that I explain the issues and ask you to write down what was said - it is much easier for you to raise your queries then and there in lecture or the tutorial class - so your notes are clear, correct and complete.
Please note that without my discussion and explanation, the lecture material is only a guide to what you should know for the tests and exam.
You will be provided with a list of relevant texts, journal articles and other freely accessible internet sites.
Total Study Hours
Lecturer, tutor or demonstrator guided learning activities:
- Lectures and tutorials: 48 hours (face-to-face)
- Assignment / demonstrations: included in tutorial time (face-to-face)
Overview of Learning Resources
The learning materials that will help you will be provided as needed for each topic - via lists of relevant textbooks, library resources (Including appropriate journals) and freely accessible Internet sites.
Other material will be provided in class.
You will be able to access course information and learning material through CANVAS.
Overview of Assessment
Note that:
☒This course has no hurdle requirements.
Assessment tasks are:
Assessment Task 1: Group assignment and oral presentation
Weighting 40%
Assessment Task 1 (40%): Assignments, Reviews and Presentation
Weighting of (a) a GROUP assignment is 20%,
10% for the associated Reviews (5% x2) & 10% for a group Presentation.
Weighting of (b) Individual assignment is 5%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1 to 10
Please note:
The late penalty for Assessment task #1 is 10% of the total mark for the assessment per business day late for up to 5 business days late (so the maximum late penalty is 50%). Submissions more than 5 days late are not accepted, unless written permission has been given by the course -coordinator.
Assessment Task 2: Short Answers and Multiple Choice Tests (x2).
Weighting 10% (for the better test result).
This assessment task supports CLOs 1 to 9.
Assessment Task 3: End of semester exam
Weighting 45%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1 to 10.