Food Science & Technology: Teaching Programs

FDST 4080/6080 (Instrumental Methods of Food Analysis)

Instructor: Ron Pegg
Term: Spring Semester only
Credit: 3 Semester hrs; lecture and lab

Description:

Instruments that are applied to analysis of food will be discussed and demonstrated

Text:

The textbook Food Analysis – Third Edition by S. Suzanne Nielsen (ISBN: 0-306-47495-6) is required for this course.

Course Schedule:

Lectures are scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:00 to 2:50 pm in Room 218, Food Science. Labs are slated for Thursdays, 3:30 to 6:30 pm in Room 217, Food Science. In addition, there may be some guest lectures. An outline of the laboratory sessions to be given, how reports should be prepared and graded will be provided at the first laboratory session.

Undergraduate Prerequisites:

(CHEM 2100 and CHEM 2100L) or (CHEM 2211 and CHEM 2211L), and (FDST 4040 and FDST 4040L).

Format:

Dr. Pegg will present an overview of topics specific for each heading listed below and provide opportunities to promote critical thinking and problem solving skills during lecture and laboratory sessions. For the laboratory sessions, these will be conducted in teams of 2-3 students.

Lecture topics will include the following:

Review of organic/analytical chemistry basics
Introduction to food analysis
Evaluation of analytical data
Samples and sampling
Basic principles of spectroscopy
- UV-vis
- Fluorescence / Chemiluminescence
- IR
- Atomic absorption and emission spectroscopy/ICP-A(O)ES
Basics of chromatography
- Adsorption chromatography
- Partition chromatorgraphy
- Ion-exchange chromatography
- Size exclusion chromatography
- Affinity chromatography
Gas chromatography (GC)
High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
Immunological assays (e.g., ELISA)
Electrophoresis
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy
Mass spectrometry (MS)

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course, you should have the ability to …

define key terms related to qualitative and quantitative physical and chemical food analysis;
describe approaches necessary in sampling of food prior to its analysis;
describe the basic principles underlying analytical techniques associated with food analysis;
describe physical and chemical techniques necessary for chromatographic analysis of food constituents;
identify analytical instrumentation employed in food analysis;
describe the theory and operation of key components of analytical instrumentation utilized in food analysis;
demonstrate practical proficiency in a food analysis laboratory;
solve mathematical problems involved in physical and chemical food analysis;
summarize the basic principles of data analysis;
use statistical approaches to data generated by the analytical instrumentation;
interpret the statistically-analyzed data generated by the instrumentation;
write concise laboratory reports that communicate key information about the experiment to the reader;
critique the advantages and disadvantages of one method of food analysis versus another; and
select the appropriate instrumental procedure and course of action for a food analysis problem.

Grading:

Undergraduate (non-honors) Student Evaluation Scheme:
Midterm Exam	15%
Labs	25%
Problem Sets	5%
Class Participation *	5%
Final Exam	50%
* Class participation will include involvement in class discussions	100%

Undergraduate (honors) and Graduate Student Evaluation Scheme:
Midterm Exam	15%
Labs	20%
Virtual Lab +	10%
Problem Sets	5%
Class Participation *	5%
Final Exam	45%
* Class participation will include involvement in class discussions	100%
+ Honors and graduate students will participate in teams to design a "virtual laboratory" appropriate for the analysis of food. An agreement on the laboratory exercise will be arrived at from discussions with the instructor. Over the course of the term, the students will prepare a script and then tape, as well as edit, a laboratory session highlighting key steps one has to follow, difficulties one might experience in the analysis, and "tricks" employed to resolve any problems. Detailed chemistry and calculations may need to be included. The final product should be professional looking with a minimum length of 20 minutes. It will be viewed by the class via a computer system at the end of the term before commencement of examinations. All students, except those who prepared the particular video in quesiton, and guests to the class will evaluate the final product. Evaluations will be turned into the instructor for review before a final grade is given.

Course Website:

A course homepage is located on WebCT. This website will be used for e-mail, announcements, posting of additional course materials, photos, links to other websites, etc. Please check the homepage regularly for updates.

Additional Notes:

For all exams, laboratories, and classes bring a calculator. For all assignments, enter your student number, not your name.

Attendance & Dress Policy:

For lectures, two absences are allowed without penalty. Attendance for all labs is required. Successful and organized labs depend in part on each individual understanding their individual input. Time is scheduled at the beginning of each lab section for specific instructions and pop quizzes. Therefore, punctual lab attendance and participation is critical. For labs, wear long pants and have closed toe shoes. Lab coats will be provided.

Since it is impossible to report on work if a lab is missed, no credit will be given for lab reports on missed laboratory exercises. Some provision is allowed, however, for excused absences.

Honesty Policy:

All academic work must meet the standards contained in A Culture of Honesty. (The full text of A Culture of Honesty can be found under the heading “UGA Academic Honesty Policy” at http://www.uga.edu/~vpaa). Each student is responsible for acquainting themselves with these standards before performing any academic work.

(The course syllabus is a general plan for the course;
however, deviations announced to the class by the instructor may be necessary).

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