Innovative technologies for the processing of foods and its nutritional improvement

To provide the students with an understanding of the new processing technologies, both of preservation and conversion, and their effect in food quality.

To provide the students with an understanding of the new methods and technologies that allow improving food nutritional properties.

To provide students with the capability to evaluate the potencial application of emerging food processing technologies according to the characteristics of each type of food product.

Programme units:

1. Preservation by combined methods. From empiricism to new technologies.
2. New thermal technologies: ohmic heating
3. Food processing using light and sound: ultraviolet radiation and ultrasounds.
4. Supercritical fluid extraction and processing.
5. Texture modification and preservation: extrusion cooking.
6. Edible packaging and natural bionanomaterials for packaging
7. Modification of lipid composition in food of animal origin.
8. Whey proteins: functional and bioactive properties.
9. Enzyme technology in food processing.
10. Other innovative technologies and new ingredients in food processing.

SEMINARS:
Application of innovative technologies in the processing and improvement of particular foods.
ESSAYS/WORKS PREPARATION:

The students will do essays/works individually or in groups about topics related to the subject contents.

BASIC BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Bhat, R., Alias, A.K., Paliyath, G. (2012). Progress in food preservation. Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester.
- Han, J.H. (2014). Innovations in food packaging. 2nd ed. Academic Press, London.
- Leistner, L., Gould, G. (2002). Hurdle tecnologies. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers. New York.
- Morata Barrado, A. (2009). Nuevas tecnologías de conservación de alimentos. A. Madrid Vicente, Madrid.
- Passos, M.L., Ribeiro, C.P. (Eds.) (2010). Innovation in food engineering. New techniques and products. CRC Press, Boca Raton.
- Proctor, A. (2011). Alternatives to conventional food processing. Royal Society of Chemistry. Cambridge.
- Rahman, S. (2003). Manual de conservación de los alimentos. Acribia, Zaragoza.

COMPLEMENTARY BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- Scientific journals accesible through Web of Science (WOS) data base and scientific-academic research engines (e.g. Google Scholar).
- Scientific high-impact journals specialized in review articles (Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, Trends in Food Science & Technology, Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, Food Reviews International).


- Bhattacharya, S. (2015). Conventional and advanced food processing technologies. Wiley-Blackwell. Chichester, UK.
- Whitehurst, R.J., van Oort, M. (2010). Enzymes in food technology. Wiley-Blackwell. Chichester, UK.
- Zhang, H.Q., Barbosa-Cánovas, G.V., Balasubramaniam, V.M., Dunne, C.P., Farkas, D.F., Yuan, T.C. (2011). Wiley-Blackwell. Chichester, UK.
- Scientific journals accesible through Web of Science (WOS) data base and scientific-academic research engines (e.g. Google Scholar).
- Scientific high-impact journals specialized in review articles (Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, Trends in Food Science & Technology, Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, Food Reviews International).

The skills that will be worked in this course are:

BASIC COMPETENCES:
CB6 – Posses and understanding of knowledge that provide a base or opportunity of being original in the development and/or application of ideas, frequently in a research context.
CB9 – That the students know how communicate their conclusions and the supporting knowledge and final reasons to specialized and no specialized public in a clear way without ambiguities.

GENERAL COMPETENCES:
CG4 – To know the production and packaging methods and technologies that allow to obtain safer, healthier and greener food products, and also to know their impact in overall quality of food.
CG6 – To be able to participate in the design and development of healthier foods.
CG9 – To manage information sources specialized in food technology, safety and nutrition.

TRANSVERSAL COMPETENCES:
CT1 - Capacity for analysis and synthesis.
CT3 - Ability to work in teams.
CT4 - Demonstrate ethical commitment.
CT5 – Capacity for using information and communications technologies.
CT6 – Ability to search for, analyze and manage information from a variety of sources.
CT9 - Ability to transmit knowledge.
CT12 – Ability to use information in a foreign language.

SPECIFIC COMPETENCES:
COP19 - To know and understand the new technologies used in food processing and food nutritional improvement.

The subject consists of 3.0 ECTS credits. The contents will be covered during 12 hours of lectures, 10 hours of interactive classes (seminars and a visit to an industry) and 2 hours of tutorials.

The lectures will be carried out through the development of theoretical classes in which the topics of the programme will be explained, and current issues related to the food industry will be raised. The competences that will be worked on are: CG4, CT1, CT5, CT6 and COP19.

The practical classes will allow students to complete their training in the subject. They consist of seminars and visits to two or more food companies, such as the Aula de Productos Lácteos y Tecnologías Alimentarias (APLTA), Torre de Núñez, or another company in the same sector. The competences to be worked on are: CG6, CG9, CT1, CT3, CT3, CT4, CT5, CT6, CT9 and CT12.

On the other hand, the student will be able to carry out an individual project. The topic will be proposed by the teacher or by the student. These works will be presented in the classroom (in the hours corresponding to the seminars) opening a debate between the authors of the work, the teacher and the rest of the students. The competences to be worked on are: CG6, CG9, CT1, CT3, CT3, CT4, CT5, CT6, CT9 and CT12.

In the tutorials, the student can consult all the doubts that arise throughout the development of the subject. The competences that will be worked on are: CG9 and CT9.

During the development of the subject, the Virtual Campus will be used to support the teaching.

The student's assessment will be made up of continuous assessment (50% of the final grade) and a final assessment (50% of the final grade).

In the continuous assessment, the following will be assessed:

-The completion of a report after attending the industries that have been visited (20% of the final assessment).
-The completion of work (30% of the final grade). It will consist of the oral and written presentation of a paper on topics related to the subject.
Attendance at interactive activities (seminars and company visits) is compulsory to pass the subject.

In the final assessment:
A final written test will be held to evaluate the knowledge acquired in the subject and will account for 50% of the final mark (students must obtain a minimum mark of 4 out of 10 to evaluate the rest of the merits). This test is complementary to the continuous assessment.

The above criteria will be maintained for the extraordinary exam. Partial marks will not be kept for repeating students.
In cases of fraudulent performance of exercises or tests, the provisions of the "Regulations for the evaluation of students' academic performance and revision of grades" will apply.

The subject (structured in lectures, interactive classes and tutorials) consists of 3.0 ECTS credits, which means 75 hours in total (1 credit is equivalent to 25 hours).

Of the total time, 25 hours are face-to-face (attendance to lectures, interactive classes, tutorials and the exam) and the remaining 50 hours correspond to the student's work. The distribution is as follows:

PRESENT WORK IN THE CLASSROOM, Hours
-Group lectures: 12 hours, 100% classroom work.
Interactive classes (visits to companies and seminars): 10 hours, 100% face-to-face.
-Tutorials in small groups or individualised: 2 hours, 100% attendance.
-Assessment activities: 1 h, 100% attendance.
Total hours of face-to-face work: 25

STUDENT'S PERSONAL WORK, Hours
-Reading and preparation of topics: 20.0 h, 0% attendance.
-Preparation of course work: 20.0 hours, 0% attendance.
-Preparation of evaluation tests: 10.0 h, 0% attendance.
Total, hours of personal work by the student 50

It is recommended:

-Attendance to the expository classes.
-Attendance to interactive classes.
-Completion of work related to the subject.
-Consultation and management of the recommended bibliography and use of on-line links of interest.
-Use of the tutorial hours to resolve doubts.

The subject is taught in the two official languages of the community, Spanish and Galician.

For tutorials, as well as to maintain direct communication between the students themselves, as well as between them and the teacher, they can be carried out through the Virtual Campus forum, via Ms. Teams, by email, or in person.