Course Title: Meat Science and Technology

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Meat Science and Technology

Credit Points: 12.00


Course Coordinator: Dr Peter Torley

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 5095

Course Coordinator Email: peter.torley@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Bundoora Campus, 201.06.02

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Assumed Knowledge

Skills developed in an undergraduate science degree that includes one or more courses in chemistry and/or biochemistry.


Course Description

This course deals with the technology involved in the processing, storage and further processing of meat, fish and poultry. The topics covered will include:

  • Key quality attributes in meat, fish and poultry products, including colour in fresh and cured products, tenderness and juiciness.
  • Mechanisms responsible for tenderisation, both naturally occurring and
  • The processing involved in making a representative range of processed products
  • The importance of packaging technologies in fresh and processed meat, fish and poultry products
  • Food safety and shelf-life of meat, fish and poultry products

 

An important aspect of this course that is relevant to all commodity categories will be a problem solving activity. In this activity you will have to solve an industry relevant problem, including research into technical and scientific information, and use that information to identify and evaluate possible solutions.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Students will experience the processes involved and/or develop an understanding of the:

  • CLO1: Structure of the Australian meat, fish and poultry related industry.
  • CLO2: Major ante- and post-mortem factors that impact on meat quality and safety.
  • CLO3: Main sensory attributes associated with the consumer preference related to meat, fish and poultry.
  • CLO4: Further processing of meat, fish and poultry, such as cooked products, dried and/or fermented products, and formed meat products.
  • CLO5: Application of different packaging technologies to extend shelf-life or improve convenience in fresh and processed products.
  • CLO6: Food safety and shelf-life of meat, fish and poultry.


This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes for:

  • MC237 – Master of Food Science and Technology

 

This course contributes to Program Learning Outcomes (PLO) at AQF Level 9:

  • PLO2: Advanced skills to critically analyse and solve problems in food science and technology
  • PLO3: Application of knowledge and skills
  • PLO4: Communication
  • PLO5: Personal and professional responsibility


Overview of Learning Activities

You will learn in this course by:

  • Attending lectures where course content will be explained to you
  • Personal study where you will review lecture content and read the recommended texts
  • Performing laboratory or pilot plant based activities where you will practice the techniques described during lectures
  • Analysing and reporting on the results of laboratory or pilot plant activities
  • Undertaking independent research to find technical and scientific information that you will incorporate into to assignments and laboratory reports

Total study hours:

 

Lecturer, tutor or demonstrator guided learning activities:

  • Lectures: 36 hours over the semester (face-to-face)
  • Practical sessions (undertaken as part of a group): 10 hours over the semester (face-to-face)

 

Independent study activities:

  • Practical session report preparation (a combination of individual and group reports): 20 hours
  • Developing a plan to address a problem related to meat, fish or poultry: 30 hours
  • Course content review and examination preparation: 20 hours


Overview of Learning Resources

You will learn in this course by:

  • Attending lectures where course content will be explained to you
  • Personal study where you will review lecture content and read the recommended texts
  • Performing laboratory and pilot plant based activities where you will practice the techniques described during lectures
  • Analysing and reporting on the results of laboratory and pilot plant activities
  • Undertaking independent research to find scientific information that you will incorporate into to assignments and laboratory reports


Overview of Assessment

This course has no hurdle requirements.

 

Assessment Task 1: Practical session reports

You will submit reports on the practical sessions.

Your first practical session report will be an early assessment task.

Weighting: 20%

This assessment task supports CLOs: 3, 4, 5 and 6

 

Assessment Task 2:  Problem Solving

You will critically evaluate scientific and technical information to design a plan to address a problem related to meat, fish or poultry industry.

Weighting: 40%

This assessment supports CLOs: 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

 

Assessment 3: Final examination

Weighting: 40% 

This assessment supports CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6