Course Title: Plant Processing for Nutrition and Health
Part A: Course Overview
Course Title: Plant Processing for Nutrition and Health
Credit Points: 12.00
Important Information:
Please note that this course may have compulsory in-person attendance requirements for some teaching activities.
To participate in any RMIT course in-person activities or assessment, you will need to comply with RMIT vaccination requirements which are applicable during the duration of the course. This RMIT requirement includes being vaccinated against COVID-19 or holding a valid medical exemption.
Please read this RMIT Enrolment Procedure as it has important information regarding COVID vaccination and your study at RMIT: https://policies.rmit.edu.au/document/view.php?id=209.
Please read the Student website for additional requirements of in-person attendance: https://www.rmit.edu.au/covid/coming-to-campus
Please check your Canvas course shell closer to when the course starts to see if this course requires mandatory in-person attendance. The delivery method of the course might have to change quickly in response to changes in the local state/national directive regarding in-person course attendance.
Course Coordinator: Dr Jessica Danaher & Dr Jayani Chandrapala
Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 99256117 & +61 3 99252130
Course Coordinator Email: Jessica.danaher@rmit.edu.au & Jayani.Chandrapala@rmit.edu.au
Course Coordinator Location: Building 201, Level 6, Room 007 & 012, Bundoora Campus
Course Coordinator Availability: By Appointment
Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities
There are no prerequisites, co-requisites or assumed knowledge for this course.
Course Description
Increasing consumer demand is fuelling the plant-based food market and the world is increasingly focused on the production and processing of plant-based food products that they eat. In this course you will be provided with an overview of nutrition and health issues related to the production of plant-based food products. You will deal with the technology involved in processing, storing and packaging of plant derived food products. This includes the processing of plant commodities (e.g. grains, fruit and vegetables), and substantially transformed food products with a significant plant component (e.g. confectionery and chocolate). Physical processes responsible for food intolerances and allergic reactions, and the presence of natural toxins and those produced during processing and storage, and their effect on consumer health will be discussed. Furthermore, you will cover different plant food production systems, such as organic and genetically modified production systems. Laws and regulations governing plant-based food markets and the roles of different government agencies in protecting the community from exposure to toxic allergenic substances will be discussed.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development
Program Learning Outcomes
This course contributes to the program learning outcomes for the following programs:
BP199 Bachelor of Food Technology and Nutrition
BP289 Bachelor of Food Technology and Nutrition/Bachelor of Business
- PLO1 - Apply a broad and coherent knowledge of scientific theories, principles, concepts and practices relevant to the fields of food technology and nutrition.
- PLO2 - Analyse and critically examine scientific evidence with reflection of the role, relevance and significance of food technology and nutrition in society.
- PLO3 - Apply principles of scientific inquiry, tools and techniques relevant to food and nutrition industries to solve problems and inform evidence-based decision making.
- PLO4 - Critically evaluate and communicate concepts and practices relevant to the fields of food technology and nutrition to diverse audiences utilising contemporary and traditional formats employing professional integrity and culturally safe practices.
- PLO5 - Work independently with agility, safety, and accountability for own learning and professional future.
- PLO6 - Collaborate and contribute within diverse, multi-disciplinary teams, with commitment to diversity, equity and globally inclusive perspectives and practices including First Nations knowledges and input.
For more information on the program learning outcomes for your program, please see the program guide
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate an advanced and integrated knowledge of various stages required to process a representative range of plant-based commodities into ingredients suitable for processing into food products.
- Critically evaluate the influence of processing parameters and show the ability to design a novel quality plant-based product using various plant-based ingredient formulations.
- Analyse and discuss current and emerging issues related to plant food allergies and intolerances, toxicology and consumer health.
- Compare and contrast different food production systems such as organic, conventional and genetically modified production systems.
- Demonstrate skills in the oral, written and graphic communication of information gathered during the course.
Overview of Learning Activities
You will be actively engaged in a range of online and face-to-face learning activities such as lectorials, practicals, workshops, project work, class discussion, individual and group activities. These activities will be scheduled in alternating blocks of online and face-to-face activities over the semester that each span several weeks. Prior to attending the timetabled, face-to-face sessions, you will be expected to complete some specified online activities.
You are encouraged to be proactive and self-directed in your learning, asking questions of your lecturer and/or peers and seeking out information as required, especially from the numerous sources available through the RMIT library, and through links and material specific to this course that is available through RMIT Student Website.
Overview of Learning Resources
There are no recommended textbooks for this course. RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through RMIT Student Website. Teaching staff will provide the lists of relevant reference texts and freely accessible internet sites.
There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the RMIT Student Website.
Overview of Assessment
Assessment Tasks
Assessment Task 1: Product Formulation and Technical Report
Weighting: 30%
The assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2 and 5
Assessment Task 2: Online Knowledge Checks
Weighting: 20%
The assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3 and 4
Assessment Task 3: Consumer Education Resource and Presentation
Weighting: 30%
The assessment task supports CLOs 3, 4 and 5
Assessment Task 4: Plant Food Specialist Case Study
Weighting: 20%
The assessment task supports CLOs 3, 4 and 5
If you have a long-term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.