FDSC20030
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Academic Year 2025/2026
Food Analysis (FDSC20030)
Subject: : Food Science
College: : Health & Agricultural Sciences
School: : Agriculture & Food Science
Level: : 2 (Intermediate)
Credits: : 5
Module Coordinator: : Dr Jean-Christophe Jacquier
Trimester: : Spring
Mode of Delivery: : On Campus
Internship Module: : No
How will I be graded? : Letter grades
Curricular information is subject to change.
The aim of this module is to provide students with the knowledge and practical laboratory skills required to conduct basic, quantitative chemical analysis, including food analysis. The module provides an understanding of 1) the principles of stochiometry and solution chemistry that underpin calculations in quantitative chemical analysis; 2) the principles of volumetric and gravimetric analysis; 3) the basic theory of acid /base chemistry. A comprehensive introduction to the application of the principles of quantitative chemical analysis to foods is also given. Subject to availability under public health guidelines weekly laboratory sessions are designed to directly relate to the lecture material being covered at that time and to develop the following : group work; practical laboratory skills; critical analysis of problems, report writing and information technology skills.\ 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, including water, carbohydrates, protein, lipids, other nutrients and food additives; Principles, methods, and techniques of qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis of food and food ingredients.\ Success skills: Report writing skills; Critical thinking/problem solving skills; Professionalism skills; Life-long learning skills; Interaction/teamwork skills; Information acquisition skills; Time management skills.\ Food processing and engineering: Characteristics of raw food material; Principles of food preservation; Principles of food engineering – introduction to mass balances.\ Applied food science: Integration and application of food science principles to real life situations; Computer skills.\
About this Module
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What will I learn?
Learning Outcomes:
On completion of this module students should be able to: demonstrate an understanding of the basic principles of quantitative chemical analysis; demonstrate an understanding of basic laboratory skills; produce a properly structured and formatted laboratory report using appropriate IT; apply the principles of quantitative analysis to foods.
Indicative Module Content:
The module is divided into the following sections:\ 1. Elements of Statistics\ 2. Basic stochiometry\ 3. Composition of Solutions and Volumetric Analysis\ 4. Acid /Base Chemistry\ 5. Buffers\ 6. Introduction to spectroscopy\ 7. Food Analysis
How will I learn?
Student Effort Hours:
| Student Effort Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Autonomous Student Learning | 50 |
| Lectures | 24 |
| Tutorial | 25 |
| Laboratories | 22 |
| --- | --- |
| Total | 121 |
\
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The majority of the content will be delivered in face-toface lectures. \ As the module is largely calculation based, students are issued weekly with problem sets that cover the learning points of each topic and tutorial sessions will provide students the opportunity to train on these problems and address any issues they have with these problem sets with the lecturer/tutor.\ The application of the learning to practical foods will be completed in laboratory sessions where students will analyse common foods in small groups and will write reports detailing their work, presenting their data and discussing conclusions.
Am I eligible to take this module?
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Not applicable to this module.
\
Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Pre-requisite:\ CHEM00020 - Introductory Chemistry (Ag), CHEM10010 - Intro to Biomolecules, CHEM10040 - The Molecular World\ \ Co-requisite:\ FDSC20020 - Nutritional Energy Metabolism, FDSC20100 - Agricultural Biochemistry\ \ \ \
How will I be assessed?
Assessment Strategy
| Description | Timing | Component Scale | Must Pass Component | % of Final Grade | In Module Component Repeat Offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exam (In-person): 2 Hour examination | End of trimester Duration: 2 hr(s) | Standard conversion grade scale 40% | No | 60 | No |
| Practical Skills Assessment: Group (2) practical reports on experiments done in laboratory. | Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 8, Week 11, Week 12 | Standard conversion grade scale 40% | No | 25 | No |
| Quizzes/Short Exercises: 5 short online exams on past exam calculation questions | Week 3, Week 5, Week 7, Week 9, Week 11 | Standard conversion grade scale 40% | No | 15 | No |
\
Carry forward of passed components
Yes
\
What happens if I fail?
| Resit In | Terminal Exam |
|---|---|
| Autumn | Yes - 2 Hour |
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. \
Assessment feedback
Feedback Strategy/Strategies
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment\ • Online automated feedback\
How will my Feedback be Delivered?
Lab reports are returned with grades and feedback within two weeks of submission, calculation exam results are posted on line within one week.
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.
| Spring | Lecture | Offering 1 | Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 | Mon 14:00 - 15:50 |
| Spring | Tutorial | Offering 1 | Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 | Wed 11:00 - 12:50 |
| Spring | Practical | Offering 1 | Week(s) - 21, 23, 25, 26, 30, 31, 33 | Wed 16:00 - 17:50 |
| Spring | Practical | Offering 2 | Week(s) - 21, 23, 25, 26, 30, 31, 33 | Wed 14:00 - 15:50 |