FDSC30070

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Academic Year 2025/2026

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Product Development (FDSC30070)

Subject: : Food Science

College: : Health & Agricultural Sciences

School: : Agriculture & Food Science

Level: : 3 (Degree)

Credits: : 5

Module Coordinator: : Assoc Professor Nigel Patrick Brunton

Trimester: : Autumn

Mode of Delivery: : Blended

Internship Module: : No

Module Type: : Research/Capstone Module

How will I be graded? : Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

The module consists of a small number of lectures and/or workshops relevant to product development combined with a major portfolio-based product development project. The students will work in small teams to develop their product under the guidance of an academic mentor. During the trimester the team will be required to complete a series of paper -based tasks that will combine into a group portfolio report, describing the product produced, outlining the Product Development Process used, and comparing small scale versus industrial scale production processes. The module will conclude with a "product launch" at which each member of the team will have to make a brief presentation on some aspect of their product concept . In this module students are expected to take primary responsibility for their own learning and the achievement of their project objectives; the role of the academic mentor is to facilitate these processes. To do well in this module and achieve the desired learning outcomes, students will need to synthesise from their prior and current learning on their core stage 2 and 3 modules, particularly those modules that have been designated as pre or co-requisites.\

About this Module

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What will I learn?

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to: work effectively as a member of a product development team; source information from reliable sources using library and web resources; conceptualize and formulate a new food product; determine processing and packaging requirements for the product; prepare product specifications and labeling for the product; contribute to the writing of a technical report; make an effective presentation.

Indicative Module Content:

This module will contribute to the development of your understanding of the following areas that are considered core to your development as a professional in Food Science.\ Food chemistry and analysis: Structure and properties of food components; Chemistry of changes occurring during processing, storage and utilization of foods; Principles, methods, and techniques of qualitative and quantitative physical and chemical, analyses of food and food ingredients.\ Food processing and engineering: Characteristics of raw food material; Principles of food preservation; Principles of food engineering; Principles of food processing techniques; Food Packaging.\ Success skills: Oral and written communication skills; Critical thinking/problem solving skills; Professionalism skills; Life-long learning skills; Interaction/teamwork skills; Information acquisition skills (i.e., written and electronic searches, databases, Internet, etc.); Time management and project management skills.\ Applied food science: Integration and application of food science principles to real product situations; Computer skills; Quality assurance; Sensory analysis of foods; Food laws and regulations. \ Food safety and microbiology: Influence of the food system on the growth and survival of microorganisms; Control of microorganisms in foods.

How will I learn?

Student Effort Hours:

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Approaches to Teaching and Learning:

The overall approach to teaching and learning is outlined above , students must take responsibility for their own learning and delivery of the module outcome - i.e. development of a satisfactory food product concept. To facilitate this each group will be assigned an academic supervisor with whom they will meet, weekly - face-to face or on-line, as appropriate - to discuss progress and agree objectives for the week ahead. At the beginning of the trimester all students will be provided with a comprehensive course document which clearly outlines the aims and objectives of the module and provides a timeline with milestones for the expected level of progression throughout the trimester. Weekly class sessions afford each student with the opportunity to report on their groups progress allowing feedback on presentation skills and level of progress. Sizeable portions of time have been assigned to allow for organisation of workshops and for independent group work on the development of their product concepts. To facilitate smooth running of these practical elements of the module each group may be additionally assigned a demonstrator to liaise with technical staff. The students will be required to present the product concept they have developed to an audience of peers, staff and invited industry participants at a "Product Launch", this scenario mimics the pitching of a product to higher management as would occur in a real world industrial setting. Finally each group must prepare a report which will develop their organisational and scientific writing skills. AI may not be used for any assessments in this module.

Am I eligible to take this module?

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Learning Requirements:\

This course is largely self-directed and will require students to be motivated, self-starting and organised.

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Module Requisites and Incompatibles

Pre-requisite:\ FDSC20030 - Food Analysis, FDSC20040 - Sensory Analysis\ \ Co-requisite:\ ENVB30110 - Food Microbiology, FDSC30040 - Food Chemistry I\ \ Incompatibles:\ FDSC30190 - Product Development\ \ \  \

How will I be assessed?

Assessment Strategy

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Carry forward of passed components

No

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What happens if I fail?

Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. \

Assessment feedback

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment\ • Peer review activities\ • Self-assessment activities\

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Groups will meet weekly with their assigned academic supervisor and demonstrators to agree a plan of action for the coming weeks activities at the subsequent meeting the last weeks activities will be reviewed. In addition weekly updates on progress will be presented by each member of each group, in turn, over the semester, feedback on presentation skills and the level of progress of the group will be given by the module coordinator and peers present at the sessions. These weekly sessions provide useful formative practice/feedback opportunities to students to help develop their presentation skills as they will need to present for credit at the final product launch. Additionally these sessions allow the module coordinator and students to keep track of the level of progress across all the groups. The level of progress by each group, relative to the milestones provided in the initial course documents, serves as a valuable form of feedback.

Associated Staff

When is this module offered?

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.

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