Introduction to Food Engineering

Recommended Prerequisites

Physical Chemistry of Surfaces, Chemical Thermodynamics, Fluid Dynamics, Heat Transfer, Mass Transfer, and curricular units related to chemical processes fundamentals/applications  

Teaching Methods

Traditional classes presenting fundamentals, examples and case studies; problem solving homework (groups of 2-3 students); field trips to food industries.

Learning Outcomes

In addition to knowing how to relate and apply the concepts and foundations of Chemical Engineering to the processes of the food industry, the student should also acquire additional skills, both theoretical and practical, in multiple specific aspects related to Food Engineering and Technology such as: to know the main operating variables and their impact on product properties, be able to quantitatively analyse some of these processes. Be aware of some specific problems of the food industry (e.g., food safety, preservation and packaging) and to know methods to address them, to know the main food industries in the Iberia Peninsula. 

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Introduction

2. Momentum, heat and mass transfer in food processing

3. Preservation processes (sterilization, refrigeration, freezing, dehydration, freeze drying, irradiation and other non-thermal preservation processes)

4. Transformation processes (physico-chemical and biological)

5. Separation processes (extraction, membrane separation, filtration, centrifugation, crystallisation, distillation)

6. Other processes: extrusion, spray drying, mixing, dissolution, size reduction

7. Physico-chemical and sensorial properties of food

8. Development of new food products

9. Packaging and labelling concepts

10. Food safety and legistalation

11. Sustainability in the food industry  

Head Lecturer(s)

Mara Elga Medeiros Braga

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Report of a seminar or field trip: 15.0%
Resolution Problems: 25.0%
Exam: 60.0%

Bibliography

- Singh, RP, Heldman, D. Introduction to Food Engineering, 5th Ed., Academic Press, 2013.

- Berk, Z. Food Science and Technology, Academic Press, 2009.

- Rao, MA, Rizvi, SSH, Datta, AK. Engineering Properties of Foods, CRC Press, 2005.

- Mattsson, B, Sonesson, U (Eds.) Environmentally-friendly food processing, CRC Press, 2000.

- Dillon, M, Griffith, C (Eds.) Auditing in the food industry: From safety and quality to environmental and other audits, CRC Press, 2001

-Heldman, DR, Lund, DB, Sabliov, C. Handbook of Food Engineering, 3rd Ed., CRC Press, 2019.

-Meghwal, M, Goyal, MR. Food Process Engineering: Emerging Trends in Research and Their Applications, 1st Ed., Apple Academic Press, 2016.

-Anandharamakrishnan, C, Ishwarya, SP. Essentials and Applications of Food Engineering, 1^st Edition, CRC Press, 2019.