This course provides an overview of the history and development of biotechnology and the applications of biotechnology and genetic engineering in the food industry. It also organises discussions on the legal and ethical issues of genetically modified foods and the stringent regulations in modern food biotechnology.
Topics selected to be covered include thermodynamics: Definition of system and surroundings, Energy, work and heat. The First Law of Thermodynamics, Hess’s law, enthalpy of reactions. Spontaneous changes: Entropy / Free Energy. The second law of thermodynamics, free energy changes and equilibrium constants will be discussed. The principles of thermodynamics and their application to the energetics of the cell will also be discussed. There will be a review of the structure of mitochondrion and chloroplast and their relationship to the redox complexes of their respective electron transport system. The review will also include the link between ATP synthesis and sources of energy establishment of proton gradients, the concept of high energy compounds, the redox systems, and energetics of coupled reactions. ATP utilisation for the performance of cellular work, active membrane transport, activation for metabolism, and muscle contraction will be examined.
This course provides students with hands-on practical training in the processing of cereal grains, legumes and oil crops of economic importance into various food derivatives.
This course treats the processing and preservation methods for cereal grains, legumes and oil crops. It also treats the influence of processing methods on various quality factors.
The course reviews the structure, function and the general properties of proteins. Chemical Kinetics: definition of kinetic terminologies, rate of chemical reactions, molecularity, order and rate constants, differential and integral methods of analysis. Zero, first and second order differential rate equations, factors affecting rate of chemical reactions will be discussed. Key highlights in this course include enzymatic proteins, the kinetics of enzyme catalysis and derivation of rate equation for single-substrate enzyme reaction. The effects of external factors (pH, substrate concentration, ionic strength and temperature) on the mechanism of enzyme-catalysed reactions will be discussed. Students will be introduced to enzyme-based assays, free energy diagrams; simple reversible inhibition; time-dependent inhibition; transition state theory; inhibition of one-substrate enzymatic reactions; allosteric interaction and the general regulation of enzyme activity. Selected methods of enzyme purification and characterization will be discussed during tutorial sessions.
The course equips students with skills for the organization, sharing and delivery of information, knowledge and technology for a variety of occasions and purposes. It also offers skills for chairing meetings and assessing audience interests and concerns through giving and receiving feedback. The course also evaluates different methods of extension delivery under various contexts.
The course covers the basics of metabolism of the energy-yielding substrates carbohydrates, fatty acids, amino acids and proteins. This includes the pathways specific to the substrates that bring about their breakdown to yield intermediary molecules. The oxidation of the intermediary molecules in the citric acid cycle and the respiratory chain will be highlighted. Nucleic acid metabolism and glycogen synthesis will also be treated. Students will be exposed to the organisation of networks of physiological reactions, the intermediary molecules and enzymes that maintain the energy balance of organism. The use of metabolism for the explanation of the etiology, diagnosis and cure of diseases will be discussed.
This course primarily deals with the human body and the associated systems involved in food delivery. The structure of the digestive system, in relation to its functions in digestion and absorption are key aspects of this course. Other focussed areas include blood physiology: blood and other fluid compartments of the body in relation to the transfer of nutrients and metabolites, pre-scientific ideas about foods, pioneers in nutrition, foods and food groups, nutrient contribution of foods, food habits and their influence on nutrition and ethnic diets. The nutritional requirements in pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescents and the aged, the relation between maternal diet and pregnancy outcomes, breastfeeding and nutrition of premature infants will also be discussed.
This is the practical component of Meat Science and Technology. Students practice the slaughtering and dressing of meat animals, evaluation of meat quality and perform experiments in the dehydration, freezing, canning, curing, smoking and pickling of meat products.
This course examines livestock production factors in relation to meat/livestock markets; pre-slaughter inspection and slaughtering procedures; muscle structure, organisation and conversion to meat. It also treats the importance of meat and carcass quality, and the relationships of the physical, chemical and biological properties of meat, poultry and egg products to quality. The processing, preservation and storage techniques and the microbiological factors affecting the deterioration and preservation of meat products will also be treated.
