FPTSFP215/C1/R1/08-16

School of Industrial Sciences and Technology

DEPARTMENT OF FOOD PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

Course Outline
Course Name

Food Chemistry

Course Code

SFP 215

Contact hours

48h Lectures and 24h Practicals

Lecturer

F. M. Mujuru

Details

fmujuru@hit.ac.zw

1.0 Preamble
Food chemistry deals with the chemical composition of food and includes their
physical, chemical and biochemical reactions as well as the impact of these
reactions on food quality during postharvest/ post-mortem processing, storage and
utilization.
2.0 Course description
The course is intended to give students an overview of the chemical and physical
properties of the major and minor components of food and their changes during
processing, handling and storage. The course will cover water, carbohydrates,
protein, lipids, minerals, vitamins and enzymes. In addition, color, flavor, and
additives will be discussed. There will be an emphasis on the applied aspects of food
chemistry with the help of real-world examples, and laboratory experiments.
Problem-based learning, group work, and lab experiments will be integrated into the
course to help students apply scientific principles to understanding the chemical
properties of foods.
3.0 Course aims
Students are expected to understand and be able to control the major chemical and
biochemical (enzymatic) reactions that influence food quality with emphasis on food

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industry applications. To understand how the properties of different food components
and interactions among these components modulate the specific quality attributes of
food systems, and to understand the principles that underlies the
biochemical/enzymatic techniques used in food analysis.
4.0 Objectives
At the end of the course, students must be able to:
Identify and describe the main components of food and their characteristics
Describe the important biochemical reactions that have important influences
in the quality and safety of food.
Describe and explain
o the relationship between the chemical composition of food and food
quality
o why certain ingredients are used in foods
Experiment with food systems and test various approaches for manipulating
the chemical and/or functional properties of foods.
5.0 Assessment
The course will be taken over a period of one semester and will be examined by way
of written examination, continuous assessment (tests and assignments) and
practical exercises as follows:
Written examination at the end of semester

60%

Continuous assessment (3 tests and 3 assignments)

15%

Practical work (4 practical exercises)

25%

Total marks

100%

Emphasis during assessments shall be on solving problems related to real life

situations that one may encounter in the food industry.
6.0 Teaching Methods and Media
Lectures: Information will be presented in a lecture format. These lectures will
be informal in nature, and class participation will be encouraged to broaden
the overall perspective of the course.
Self-study and in-class student presentations

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PowerPoint presentations
Texts and teaching materials
7.0 Due dates
Please note due dates on assignments and practical write ups will be due two weeks
from when they are given, unless another date is indicated. Submission is to done by
16:00hrs on the day they are due. Assignments and practical write ups should be
properly referenced. Use the Harvard system of referencing to avoid penalties.
(Go to http://www.library.dmu.ac.uk/Images/Selfstudy/Harvard.pdf for guidance
on referencing).
8.0 Course content
8.1 Introduction to Food Chemistry
8.2 Water
Fundamental Properties / Structure
Types of water and water-solute interactions
Water activity and stability of food systems
Sorption Phenomena
8.3 Proteins
Protein classification, nomenclature, and structures of amino acids, basic
properties of protein, structure of proteins, protein functional groups and their
chemical, hydrophobic, and hydrophobic properties.
Functional Properties

Hydration / Solubility

Viscosity

Gelation / Texturization

Emulsification

Foaming

Iso-electric point and solubility as a function of pH, protein denaturation and

its effects on food systems and nutritional quality of protein.
Analytical methods for protein and amino acids determination.

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8.4 Carbohydrates
Classification, nomenclature, and structures of carbohydrates
Physical-chemical properties of carbohydrates.
Functions of carbohydrates in foods,
Reactions of carbohydrates.
Analytical methods for carbohydrate determination.
8.5 Lipids
Lipids nomenclature and structures of fatty acids,
Classifications of lipids
Physical and chemical characteristics of different lipids.
Relationship between chemical structure and fat melting properties.
Lipid oxidation mechanisms.
Analytical methods for
characteristics of lipids.

determining

different

physical

and

chemical

Control of oxidation
Role of lipids in foods
Analytical methods for the determination of fat content and fatty acid
compositions of foods.

8.6 Enzyme and Enzyme reactions

Nomenclature
Mechanism and kinetics of enzyme reactions
Specificity, catalysis and regulation
Factors influencing enzyme activity
Modification of food by endogenous enzymes
Endogenous enzymes and enzyme reaction leading to food quality alteration
Application of enzymes in food processing and storage.

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8.7 Micronutrients
Dietary recommendations, bioavailability, process-induced changes to
micronutrients in food
Minerals:
Functions

Factors affecting stability in food systems

Vitamins:

Water soluble and fat soluble vitamins,

Functions
Chemical reactions and losses during processing and storage
8.8 Food Additives

Definitions

Criteria for use in food systems

Technological aspects and examples of additives

References
Fennema O R , Damodaran S Parkin K. L (eds) (2008) Fennema's Food
Chemistry, 4th ed, CRC Publishers
De Man J.N (ed) (1999) Principles of Food Chemistry, 3rd ed, Springer
Verlag
Hui Y. H Ph.D, Wai-Kit Nip, Leo M.L. Nollet PhD, Paliyath G., Simpson B.K
(eds), (2006) Food Biochemistry and Food Processing, Wiley-Blackwell
Publishers
Belitz H. D., Grosch W., Schieberle P., (2004), Food Chemistry, 3rd ed,
Springer Publishers.
Hui Y. H. 2006, Handbook of Food Science, Technology and Engineering,
Taylor and France, New York
OBrien D. R., 2009, Fats and Oils: Formulating and Processing for
Applications, 3rd edition, CRS Press, New York
Bockisch M., 1998, Fats and Oils Handbook, AOCS Press, USA.
Gunstone F. D., 2004, The Chemistry of Oils and Fats: Sources,
Composition, Properties and Uses, CRC Press, UK