Food Science and Innovation

Course description

**Food Science** is a multi-disciplinary field involving chemistry, biochemistry, nutrition, microbiology and engineering to give one the scientific knowledge to solve real problems associated with the many facets of the food system. This course will prepare you to work in this exciting field. It will equip you with the specialist skills that the food industry is currently crying out for to help it innovate and meet national and global demands. If you are passionate about food then this is the course for you.

**Why QMU?**

- A proud history in food science and home to the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation

- A course which responds directly to industry needs, reflects industry input, and is focused on your employability

- Specialist facilities on campus in which you can build your skills and knowledge

- Placement will allow you to put theory into practice.

**The course in brief**:

The food industry is the largest manufacturing sector in the UK, employing 4 million people and generating around £121 billion annually. The Scottish food and drink sector is worth around £14 billion each year and accounts for one in five manufacturing jobs. Scotland has 18,850 food and drink businesses, which employ around 115,400 people.

There are lots of challenges in the way we produce and consume food. How do we make sure that we produce food in a sustainable way in terms of its impact on the environment and climate change? How do we make sure that we produce healthy food that aids in reducing obesity and cardiovascular disease, including producing food that is low in salt, sugar and fat but which is still nutritious, safe and tastes good? The BSc (Hons) Food Science and Innovation at QMU, will give you the knowledge, skills and tools to find innovative solutions to these challenges and opportunities.

**On this course you will**:

- **Become** more aware of the issues facing the food industry today and gain the knowledge, skills and tools to find innovative solutions to those challenges;

- **Develop** a sound understanding of the issues and concepts related to food science and the link between food science, nutrition and health;

- **Have** a detailed understanding of the important characteristics of food which enable the prediction of the safety, shelf life and acceptability of food products, and assess their nutritive values;

- **Acquire** a detailed knowledge of the functionality of ingredients and their innovative use in the formulation and production of food products; and have developed practical skills in the evaluation of food with respect to composition, sensory, safety and nutritive value;

- **Have** experience of the nature and application of the legislation relevant for the food industry and consumer protection; and have practical experience of the monitoring, sampling and analysis of food when assessing safety standards and levels of permitted ingredients and contaminants;

- **Apply** the principles of quality and safety as applied to food provision, and become familiar and practised in the scientific principles and laboratory techniques used in the production, examination and analysis of food;

- **Examine** the systems legal and otherwise, which seek to control the production of food and protect the interests of the consumer, and foster an informed attitude to ethical and environmental concerns associated with food production;

- **Develop the capacity for critical, analytical, reflective and independent thinking** so that you become more of an effective problem solver and continuing learner both as a student and in your subsequent career;

- **Develop experimental and practical skills** and associated skills in design of investigations, data collection, analysis and reporting; and

- **Understand** the role of the food scientist within the food industry and professional and ethical conduct expected of a food scientist as set out by the Institute of Food Science and technology (IFST).

Subjects

• Food studies
• Food science
• Nutrition
• Food microbiology
• Food technology