This course focuses on the sources, composition and quality of food materials. Food classifications, daily intake, types of diet, deficiency diseases, food additives and the socio-cultural aspects of food will also be treated. Also causes of food deterioration, food handling and the effects of processing on the nutritional value of food will be treated
The course is interdisciplinary and designed to introduce students into the use of engineering principles to analyze design and develop processes using biocatalyst. Topics include enzyme and microbial kinetics, thermodynamics, bioreactors, bioreactor design, the operation aspects of bioreactors from upstream to downstream and the other units of operation. Bioprocesses covered in the course include those involved in the formation of desirable compounds and products or in transformation, or destruction of unwanted toxic substances.
This course covers the biochemical principles underlying the traditional and modern preservation methods of food (plants and animals) such as smoking and salting animal product processing - milk and dairy products (cheese, yoghurt, ice cream) egg and egg product, fish processing, meat processing. Effects of processing and preparation methods on the nutrient content of foods. Methods of food packaging, economics of food processing, food additives, toxicants and food colour will also be discussed.
This entails a research project in any area of Biochemistry relevant to the goals of the Department. Projects will be undertaken by all students in the Final Year (Level 400), and will be supervised by a lecturer (not necessarily from the Department). Students can choose their research topics from list of topics offered by the department in areas such as Cellular / Biomolecular, Biochemical Toxicology, Clinical Biochemistry and Food Science/Technology/Nutrition. Experimental work is preceded by proposal writing and presentation. Students will be expected to carry out an independent study of their research topics, which will be written and submitted at the end of the second semester.
This course introduces students to the physical and chemical properties of biological compounds with emphasis on sugars, amino acids, fatty acids, nucleic acids, etc., as contribution towards the understanding of the structure and function of organisms, tissues and cells. Chemical principles of oxidation, reduction, dehydration, stereochemistry, epimerisation, amination, deamination, transamination, etc., will be used to explain the roles of the biological compounds in the physiological environment, Physical characterisation of the biological compounds including methods such as acid/base titration, colorimetry, turbidimetry, polarimetry, and polarography will be treated.
This course introduces students to the molecular composition of structure, purification of organic compounds, detection of elements like C, H, N, S and the halogens in organic compounds. It will cover topics such as calculation and determination of empirical and molecular formulae; structural and geometrical isomerism; pictorial treatment of sp, sp2, and sp3 hybridization in single, double and triple bonds in hydrocarbons.
This course focuses on the general production systems in the husbandry of pigs and poultry. Emphasis is placed on proper feeding, health, housing, breeding, waste disposal on the farm and recommended incubation/hatchery practices. Other poultry such as guinea fowls, ducks and turkeys will also be highlighted.
The course provides an overview of the origin, systematics, ecology, botany, agronomy, pests, diseases, processing, marketing and utilization of the major industrial, fruit and tree crops, various classes of vegetables and major cereals, legumes and root crops in Ghana.
The course introduces students to the morphology and physiology of bacteria, protozoa, fungi and viruses of agricultural importance. It also provides knowledge of the energy transformations, antibiotics, disinfectants, sterilisation methods, and common pathogenic microorganisms.
This course introduces students to the scope and importance of agro-processing from the national and global perspectives; the structure and characteristics of an agro-industrial set-up, human and material resources, and the basic operations or functions in the agro-processing industry will be treated. It will also treat the policy concepts for strengthening small, medium and large-scale agri-businesses for sustained economic growth.
