Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Prerequisites
CHEM105 Foundations of Chemistry
Incompatible
CHED112 Organic and Food Chemistry
Unit rationale, description and aim
An understanding of the organic chemistry of food macromolecules, within the context of food science, is key for working within the food and nutrition industry. In this unit students will develop an understanding of the roles that major macromolecules play within foods at the chemical level. The unit is divided into two modules; organic chemistry and food chemistry, and students will learn about the physical, biological, and chemical composition of food, as well as the functions of chemicals in food. The aim of this unit is to help students develop an essential understanding of the theory and techniques employed to analyse the nutrient composition of food as it relates to food content and health claims.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| LO1 | Describe the structure of organic compounds and associated organic chemistry reaction mechanisms according to the functional groups they possess | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC7 |
| LO2 | Relate the isomerism of organic compounds to their importance in biological and medicinal contexts | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC7, GC8 |
| LO3 | Describe key concepts related to free energy and biologically relevant electrochemistry reaction spontaneity | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC7 |
| LO4 | Explain the functions of key chemical components of foods | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC7, GC8 |
| LO5 | Demonstrate competence in the practical skills and techniques used in organic and food chemistry and analysis of experimental results | GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC7, GC8 |
Content
Topics will include:
Module A: Organic Chemistry
- Fuels and hydrocarbons
- Conjugation, aromaticity and reactions of aromatic compounds
- Chemical structure and reactions between organic compounds with different functional groups
- Stereoisomerism
Module B: Food Chemistry
- Free energy and reaction spontaneity
- Physical, biological, and chemical composition of biomolecules (e.g., macromolecules) in food (carbohydrates, protein, lipids, water)
- Food composition analysis
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit uses an active learning approach with interactive lecture chats, workshops and online learning activities. The online learning activities allow students to build the foundational knowledge necessary to successfully meet the learning outcomes and (by self-evaluating their understanding) to identify areas of uncertainty prior to workshop classes. Workshops will build on the foundational knowledge acquired through these activities. This approach allows students to work at their own pace to gain familiarity with the concepts and applications, and supports revision and integration of the various topics as the unit progresses. Online learning activities allow in-depth exploration of concepts and applications relevant to the students’ future professions whilst lecture chat and workshop classes enable students to explore the structure and functions of the human body in a supported environment.
Assessment strategy and rationale
A range of assessment strategies is used in this unit to determine achievement of the intended learning outcomes.
Quizzes
These quizzes are held mid-way through each module and assess knowledge of key introductory organic and food chemistry concepts; integral to provide students with feedback as they progress through the unit.
Practical assessment
The practical assessment provides students the opportunity to demonstrate development of their practical and analytical skills relevant to food and organic chemistry, through collection and interpretation of laboratory data. Students will need to demonstrate competence in critical thinking and problem-solving, common laboratory techniques and laboratory etiquette, recording of measurements, and evaluation of experimental results.
Examinations
Final examinations assess the organic chemistry and food chemistry contents separately. These exams are conducted at the end of each module and provide students an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the relevant theoretical content taught throughout the unit.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Quizzes The quizzes assess understanding of relevant topic learning outcomes and are conducted mid-way through each module. | 10% (Module A) 10% (Module B) | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Practical Assessment Enables students to demonstrate practical application of knowledge and skills developed in the unit. | 30% | LO2, LO5 |
Examinations Enable students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of unit content. One examination will be conducted mid-semester to assess the organic chemistry content whereas the second examination will be held at the end of semester to assess the food chemistry content. | 25% (Module A) 25% (Module B) | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Representative texts and references
Belitz, H, Grosch, W and Schieberle, P 2009, Food chemistry, 4th edn. Springer-Verlag, New York.
Coultate, T 2015, Food: The chemistry of its components, 6th edn. Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge.
Croxford S & Stirling E 2017, Understanding the science of food: From molecules to mouthfeel, Allen & Unwin Academic, Crows Nest.
Vaclavik V & Christian EW 2014, Essentials of food science, 4th edn, Springer-Verlag, New York.
Velisek, J 2014 The chemistry of food, Wiley-Blackwell, Milton.