NUTR 405 - Experimental Food Science and Technology Laboratory

This course will cover two major subjects: Food and Nutrient Analysis and Food Product Development. In the first half of the course, students are introduced to common methods of analysis. The properties of food components and testing applications are discussed as related to the tests used. Emphasis is placed on the basic principles involved in the analytical procedure. The next phase of the course will allow student groups to marry creativity with food science to develop a food product prototype. Food ingredients and formulations will be marketed for a specific group and need. Development will include nutrient analysis, labeling, and evaluation and standardization of product attributes. This part of the course will include the application of principles and methods of commercial sensory evaluation of their food product. Students will conduct discriminative and preference testing using panelists. Students will also employ objective methods of food evaluation related to sensory properties of foods. Data analysis and interpretation will be completed on all sensory tests. Students will determine the marketability of the prototype product. This course is designed to draw upon and expand by application material from the Food Science areas of chemistry, nutrition, microbiology, statistics, and engineering. Throughout the course, ingredient variations; group project studies; data interpretation and report writing and group project presentations will be emphasized