I thought I’d talk a little about my course this week. This semester I have some pretty good modules… Contemporary Eating Practices, Functional Foods and Food Product Design Development (being the favourite!)
First I’d like to say that I absolutely adore my course and having been to university before (to study fashion) I know what it feels like to not love what I’m doing and I think it’s really important to be obsessed with what you do and involve yourself in every way to make the most of it!
We’re a few weeks into the new academic year now so assignments have been handed out, lectures have started and I’m slowly putting together the few ideas I have of exactly what I need to do. So let me give you a snippet of what it is an applied food and nutrition student does.
Contemporary Eating Practices
My assignment summed up – create a menu aimed at the elderly (75+) living under supported living.
We had the choice between the elderly and children in nursery (six months old – one year) and I chose the elderly. Although I chose a target population out of the two, we get to learn about both and why diet and nutrition is specifically important to them. It’s an essay-based assignment which I quite like because I know the other two modules contain posters and presentations and all sorts, so I’m happy with the 2000 words!
Functional Foods, Nutraceuticals and Legalities.
My assignment summed up – present a scientific poster and provide a 10-minute presentation on a functional food or nutrient and its physiological effect on a person.
A lot of big words in this one, I’m not going to lie, and so far it has probably been the one I’ve neglected because I thought it was going to be really hard. BUT it’s really all about picking a functional food – a food with a greater effect (such as things that could prevent disease) and talking about what it is and what it does. I don’t mind a presentation, its all about practice and really knowing your stuff so I just need to make sure I choose a food that I really believe in! Last week we played around in the kitchens with good bacteria to make things like kimchi, fermented tea (kombucha) and kafir which all have some pre or pro-biotic properties.
Food Product Design Development
My assignment summed up – develop a finished food product that showcases a new ingredient (provided by leading fruit, nut and seed company Whitworths).
As I’ve mentioned before this one’s my favourite, possibly because I’d like to go into manufacturing or product development. This one is especially interesting because a real life company has provided us with a new product to play around with. They are also taking our ideas to a big conference in Paris which is amazing! Today we got to try the product and bake some goodies with it to see how it would work under different processes. Now the ideas are flowing so I’m just keen to get back in the kitchens and start creating!
If you have any questions about my course then please do ask in the comments – Mischke!
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