Academic Year/course:
2022/23
631 - Master's Degree in Food Quality, Safety and Technology
68764 - Advances in nutrition, diet and health
Syllabus Information
Academic Year:
2022/23
Subject:
68764 - Advances in nutrition, diet and health
Faculty / School:
105 - Facultad de Veterinaria
Degree:
631 - Master's Degree in Food Quality, Safety and Technology
ECTS:
3.0
Year:
1
Semester:
First semester
Subject Type:
Optional
Module:
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1.1. Aims of the course
The course and its expected results respond to the following approaches and objectives:
This optional subject belongs to the specialization itinerary of the master's degree in Food Quality, Safety and Technology. For this reason, it is eminently applied to the field of innovation and the development of new foods with repercussions for health.
Its main objective is the development of skills that allow the student to know what the current consumer demands are (increasingly concerned about the relationship between diet and health, but also about the sustainability of the food system, within the framework of a global economy, as well as about the response of the food industry to these new demands). On the other hand, it is also intended to provide knowledge of the necessary tools for the search for scientific information and the acquisition of the ability to develop a research work autonomously, present it and defend it publicly, in the context of the subject.
The course has a theoretical-practical character. In the theoretical sessions, the general concepts on foods and/or food components with an impact on health, which constitute a breakthrough in the field of nutrition, food and health, are explained; the legislative framework and its scientific evaluation are taught. In order to facilitate the understanding of the contents, students are provided with abundant support material (both in Spanish and English), as well as the topics presented in the lectures. In the practical sessions in the computer classroom, students carry out specific searches for information on the Internet using a list of web addresses on this subject.
The laboratory practical sessions are dedicated to organic foods and the determination of antioxidant activity. For the elaboration and oral presentation of the work, students must analyze and know how to highlight the scientific aspects of the publications and reports, as well as make a critical evaluation and show their oral communication skills during the presentation.
These approaches and objectives are aligned with the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations Agenda 2030 (https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/es/), so that the acquisition of the learning outcomes of the subject provides training and competence to contribute to some extent to their achievement:
Goal 2: Zero Hunger
Goal 3: Good Health and well-being
Goal 4: Quality education
Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation
Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production
Goal 14: Life below water
1.2. Context and importance of this course in the degree
This subject, in addition to having as a basis those subjects developed in the basic level of the master's degree, is especially related to the subjects that deal with aspects related to advances in technology and production and quality control, as well as sensory analysis of food.
It is intended to enable the student to perform activities in the field of food and/or food components with health properties (functional foods, bioactive components, food supplements, organic foods, among others); to learn the advances in nutritional and health claims of foods; to know how to perform an evidence-based scientific evaluation for the design and approval of foods with health properties; to learn the regulations applicable to functional foods, bioactive components and organic foods.
This subject gives access to the Master's Thesis, as well as, together with the rest of the subjects of the Master, allows the student to continue their training in the Doctoral Program "Food Quality, Safety and Technology".
1.3. Recommendations to take this course
It is recommended that the student has previous training in Bromatology, Physiology, Nutrition, Food Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Food Legislation.
2.1. Competences
Upon passing the course, the student will be more competent to...
Scientifically approach the study of functional foods, organic foods and bioactive components, their types, properties and their research and development in the food industries.
To know the scientific evaluation system of these foods and health-related food components, as well as their legal framework and specific requirements.
and their legal framework and specific labeling requirements (nutrition and health claims).
To know how to analyze and interpret scientific reports on them, as well as to have arguments to assess their importance in the diet.
To possess learning skills to continue studying autonomously.
2.2. Learning goals
1: To know the advances in relation to those foods and food components of importance in the diet and their impact on health; to know their natural sources, design, formulation, structure, bioavailability, effects of processing, quality, health properties and legal regulations.
2: To know the system of scientific evaluation of foods and components indicated, in addition to the specific requirements of their labeling.
3: To critically analyze publications and/or scientific reports of these foods and components, both in Spanish and English.
4: To orally present a paper on a food and/or food component of importance in the diet that constitutes a breakthrough in the field of nutrition, food and health.
2.3. Importance of learning goals
Contribute to the training of professionals in the food industry, oriented to the field of food and/or food components of importance to health.
Consumers show a growing concern for everything related to health, environment, sustainability, animal welfare, convenience, etc., observing a greater awareness of health and nutrition issues. The idea of designing new food products with beneficial health effects is relatively new and increasingly responds to the recognition of the importance of diet in the prevention and treatment of diseases. Bioactive components, functional foods, food supplements, dietetic foods and organic foods come into play when the aim is to obtain a beneficial effect on some bodily function of the individual, producing an improvement in health and well-being or reducing the risk of disease.
The knowledge and skills acquired with this course are important in the field of Food Science and Technology. Indeed, one of the largest budget packages, and on which the development of the food sector depends to some extent, is research into new lines of fortified and functional foods. With this in mind, many firms are financing research projects with various academic or health institutions to create healthier and more complete foods. On the other hand, the work of analysis and presentation of a research article that the students prepare individually, serves to learn the use of computer resources and improve verbal communication, as well as can serve as a basis for the completion of the Master's Thesis.
3. Assessment (1st and 2nd call)
3.1. Assessment tasks (description of tasks, marking system and assessment criteria)
1: CONTINUOUS EVALUATION
The evaluation tests will consist of:
1.1. Resolution of questions on the practice of organic food. The grade will be from 0 to 10 and will represent 10 % of the final grade of the course. The presentation and interpretation of the results will be valued.
1.2. Written self-checks of the contents of the theoretical-practical sessions in a computer classroom to search for information on food and food components of interest to health. The grade will be from 0 to 10 and will represent 40% of the final grade of the course. In order to pass the self-controls, the student must:
- Adapt the answers to the content exposed in the theoretical and practical sessions.
- Show capacity to interrelate the different concepts of the course.
- Have exercised the ability to search for information and autonomous learning.
1.3. Individual work of the student, tutored by the teachers, consisting of the elaboration, oral presentation and defense on a food and/or a food component with interest for health, based on recent scientific articles and scientific evaluations of the EFSA (in English). The grade will be from 0 to 10 and will represent 50% of the final grade of the course. In this test the scientific quality of the work will be evaluated, as well as the synthesis capacity, the expository clarity, the orderly and didactic structure of the presentation, the coherence in the reasoning, the critical capacity and the defense during the subsequent debate.
2: GLOBAL TEST
Students who do not pass the continuous evaluation or have not chosen this modality, will be evaluated by means of a global test consisting of an examination of the theoretical and practical contents (50% of the grade) and the realization and delivery of a written work on a food and/or a food component with interest for health with the subsequent oral exposition of the same (50% of the grade).
Evaluation criteria
The final grade of the course will be obtained by calculating the weighted average of the scores obtained in the different tests. In order to pass the course, the final grade must be equal or higher than 5.
Attendance and active participation in the different face-to-face activities will be positively valued.
4. Methodology, learning tasks, syllabus and resources
4.1. Methodological overview
The learning process designed for this course is based on the following:
This subject begins with a presentation session of the subject, exposing the intended learning outcomes, program of activities, didactic materials, evaluation systems and criteria and other aspects of interest. In this presentation, basic concepts of the course are presented.
In the theoretical sessions, the general concepts about food and food components of interest for health, legal regulations and nutrition claims, as well as scientific evaluation are presented. In addition, the practical sessions are interspersed in a computer classroom in which the active participation of students in the search for information and the critical spirit to the different approaches will be promoted. The practical sessions on organic food and determination of antioxidant activity will be carried out in the laboratory.
All the didactic materials of the course (class notes, support material, recommended bibliography, web addresses) will be available in advance at the virtual platform Moodle (ADD) of the University of Zaragoza and in the reprographic service of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Zaragoza.
4.2. Learning tasks
The course includes the following learning tasks:
- Students will attend and participate in theory and practice sessions, as well and in problem-based sessions.
- Students will attend to laboratory practice sessions focused on organic food, and a final report should be submitted.
- Students must write a report on a selected food or food component with health effects and make a public oraldefense of the work. Students are supervised by teachers.
4.3. Syllabus
The course will address the following topics:
1: Theoretical-practical sessions. 26 classroom hours.
In these sessions, the contents of the course will be presented, some of them being of a theoretical-practical nature with the resolution of exercises in a computer classroom. Specifically, the following topics will be addressed:
- Presentation of the subject, introduction (current food problems, SDGs, current consumption trends, strategic lines of research, response of the food industry) and general concepts.
- Functional foods: general concepts and design
- Nutrition and health claims: scientific evaluation
- Bioactive components of the diet
- Phenolic compounds
- Dietary food supplements
- Organic foods: General concepts, legislation and hygienic, nutritional and organoleptic quality
- Presentation and defense of individual work
2: Practical sessions (laboratory). 4 classroom hours.
- Determination of antioxidant activity (2 h)
- Sensory evaluation of organic foods (2 h)
4.4. Course planning and calendar
Further information concerning the timetable, classroom, assessment dates and other details regarding this course, will be provided on the first day of class or please refer to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine website http://veterinaria.unizar.es/
4.5. Bibliography and recommended resources
The literature of the academic year is kept updated and is consulted on the Library website (biblioteca.unizar.es /recommended bibliography).