FPH-31306 Advanced Molecular Gastronomy

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

FPH-20806 Molecular Gastronomy or FCH-30306 Food Ingredient Functionality.

Contents:

This course has a maximum number of participants. The deadline for registration is one week earlier than usual. See 2014/2015 Academic Year (www.wageningenur.nl/en/Education-Programmes/Current-Students/Agenda-Calendar-Academic-Year.htm) -> Registration for Courses 2014-2015.


The course contains both physical and chemical aspects of products. For the physical part the focus is on phenomena that play a role in the production of products like ice cream, chocolate and pastries. Examples of these phenomena include water activity, absorption, phase transition, crystallization, emulsification, gelation. These phenomena have an effect on the shelf-life of products and textural changes, which are important both in industry and restaurant. These phenomena are also related to techniques that are used in 'modern restaurants' as El Bulli, the Fat Duck and Alinea. Analytical techniques to quantify properties of ingredients and products will also be treated. For the chemical part, the focus is on flavour aspects (mainly the taste modalities bitter, sweet, umami, and astringent) and the effect of specific ingredients on structural changes (i.e. in ice-making and baking). The analytical methods in the practical will focus on describing the quality and sensory aspects of products, mainly the volatiles and non-volatiles in wine. A digital wine module is used to prepare the students for flavour analysis of wine.

Learning outcomes:

- identify the physical phenomena and understand the mechanisms of action that play a role in products as ice-cream, chocolate and bakery products;
- understand the mechanisms behind important taste modalities (bitter, sweet, umami, astringent);
- use practical experiments to associate physical phenomena to effects on texture and chemical processes to flavour;
- be able to use analytical methods to investigate products, such as ice cream, chocolate, wine and fruit;
- develop a new creative recipe for ice cream and chocolate by combining different ingredients;
- analyse the composition of wines and new recipes and relate this to their structural properties and flavour characteristics observed.

Activities:

- following lectures;
- workshop ice cream;
- workshop 'flavor cube';
- practical's.

Examination:

The final grade is based on the written exam (80%) and on the reporting of the practical activities (20%).
To pass the course a minimum grade of 5.5 should be obtained, and at least a 5.0 for both subparts.

Literature:

Lecture notes.