Food Science and Nutrition

Year 1 introduces you to the major sources of food and their history, current trends in consumption, and key industrial processing operations. You’ll study food chemistry and develop your laboratory and experimentation skills. In addition, you’ll be introduced to microbiology, human physiology and nutrition; these modules allow you to gain a practical understanding of how food affects health and wellbeing, and appreciate the role of food as a carrier of nutrients

Year 2 modules deepen your understanding of food texture, flavour and taste. You’ll be introduced to the theory behind new product development, with an emphasis on the study of how food components affect the chemical and microbiological safety of food. You’ll come to understand in more detail the science behind diet and health outcomes and will examine the elements and concepts of food allergy.

In your third year you will apply your skills to designing new foods, from concept through formulation and processing, through to sensory evaluation, packaging and marketing. Your team project, based on new product development (NPD), will explore the role of food scientists and of nutritionists in developing and marketing novel healthy foods to fill gaps in the present market and to meet new demands for healthy foods. You will deepen your understanding of how foods can affect health through topics that may include food and cancer, diet and cardiovascular health and functional foods.

In your final year you will undertake an extended individual research project; you will be given a choice of topics to investigate in the School or have been suggested by a food organisation. You will also develop problem solving skills through an interactive module in which you will assess the properties of foods on the market and how their ingredients give the food its desirable tastes and textures, and then investigate how to improve the nutritional profile without changing the taste and texture of the food. You will also be given a choice of modules that will allow you to extend your knowledge in a field of your choice that may include biotechnology, effects of processing on nutrition, and nutrition.

Course structure

These are typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

Modules Year 1

Compulsory modules

• Food: Origins and Form 10 credits
• Key Industrial Processing Operations for Food 20 credits
• Key Skills in Food and Nutritional Sciences 20 credits
• Principles of Human Physiology and Nutrition 20 credits
• Physicochemical Properties of Food 20 credits
• Cell and Molecular Biology 20 credits
• Studying in a Digital Age (Food Science) 5 credits

Year 2

Compulsory modules

• Molecules Controlling Sensory and Nutritional Properties 20 credits
• Microbiological and Chemical Food Safety 20 credits
• Food Analysis 10 credits
• Food and the Allergic Reaction 10 credits
• Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease 20 credits
• Literature Review in Food Science and Nutrition 10 credits
• Introduction to Food Product Development 10 credits
• Food Quality Assurance 10 credits

Year 3

Compulsory modules

• Food Processing: from Farm to Shop 10 credits
• Diet and Cardiovascular Health 10 credits
• Critical Appraisal of Scientific Literature 20 credits
• Functional Foods 10 credits
• Food and Cancer 10 credits
• Food Product Development - Team Project 30 credits
• Obesity and Personalised Nutrition in the 21st Century 10 credits

Year 4