FPE-20806 Mathematical Concepts for Food Technology

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

Mathematical knowledge at the level of the last year of high school (6 VWO) is a prerequisite. Food Technology I (FPH-10306), Product-Flows and Processes in Food Science (FHM-10306), General and Physical Chemistry T&V (PCC-10306), Mathematics T (MAT-10806) and Introduction to Statistics (MAT-11806).

Continuation courses:

FPE-20306 Food Process Engineering, FPE-21306 Food Production and Preservation

Contents:

In order to create a good food, food technologists meet many challenges in various fields, such as mass and heat transfer, reactions etc. To cope with all these aspects of food production, a food technologist should be able to translate these challenges into mathematical expressions, solve them, quantify the outcomes, and subsequently translate this into practical solutions.
This course starts with classes on basic principles of food technology like mass and energy balances, and reaction kinetics.
This theory will be applied widely to practical problems in food technology during exercise sessions on various topics such as food preservation, reactor design for enzyme reactions, and sterilization of food. Besides also three larger cases will be worked out.

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
- translate practical problems in food technology to mathematical expressions;
- make educated guesses of unknown parameters;
- solve the equations and formulate a quantitative answer;
- evaluate this answer within a food technology context.

Activities:

- knowledge clips in which the basic principles will be explained;
- classes in which theoretical knowledge is applied to practical problems.
- three case studies will be worked out in groups of 2 or 3 students.

Examination:

The final mark is based on a written exam with open questions. Bonus points can be achieved by solving the three cases.

Literature:

A reader will be available at the start of the course and sold through WUR shop