Unit rationale, description and aim

Special diets are not a new phenomenon yet in recent years the perceived and real need for foods for special diets has increased dramatically. Through a contemporary analysis of the place of special diets within our modern foodscape, this microcredential builds on UNMC595 Food for Special Diets in Practice - Theory and facilitates students’ application of evidence-based diets for the maintenance of health and treatment of disease. Students will be expected to apply advanced food/ingredient and menu knowledge, critical understanding of special diet food regulations and food service standards and utilise their highly advanced food planning, preparation, and cooking skills to prepare a range of foods to meet the requirements of specific diets. 

This microcredential aims to assist students to use practical elements of contemporary diets to support meaningful messages and communicate this to audiences in highly engaging and influential formats.  

2025 5

Campus offering

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  • Term Mode
  • Professional Term 5Online Unscheduled

Prerequisites

UNMC595 Foods for Special Diets in Practice - Theory or submission of a statement to demonstrate evidence of prior learning equivalent to UNMC595 Foods for Special Diets in Practice - Theory Microcredential.

Incompatible

NUTR504 Foods for Special Diets in Practice , UNMC596 Foods for Special Diets in Practice - Practical

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.

Illustrate expert planning, preparation, and cooki...

Learning Outcome 01

Illustrate expert planning, preparation, and cooking techniques through the preparation and presentation of a range of foods/meals for special diets
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC5, GC7, GC8, GC12

Practically apply the scientific evidence related ...

Learning Outcome 02

Practically apply the scientific evidence related to foods and diets designed for specific purposes while demonstrating how highly efficient collaborative workflow planning, actions, and management in a kitchen environment with a focus on special diet requirements, contributes to a successful culinary nutrition operation
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC3, GC4, GC7

Present evidence-based practical examples of foods...

Learning Outcome 03

Present evidence-based practical examples of foods for special diets in highly meaningful engaging formats for a range of audiences
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC9, GC10, GC11

Content

Topics will include:

Practical bases of modified texture, energy and protein diets and foods

Practical bases of modified macronutrient diets and foods, limited examples provided below

           Gluten-free

           Wheat-free

Modified lactose

Modified fibre

           Low, no-carbohydrate

           Low, no sugar

Modified sweetener

           Modified fat

           Low FODMAPs

           Vegetarian and veganism

           Carbohydrate counting

           Portion control

           Ketogenic diet

Paleo diet

Practical bases of modified micronutrient/other bioactive components of diets and foods, limited examples below

           Sodium

           Antioxidants

Practical based of modified other

           Specific food inclusions or exclusions

           Allergens and intolerances

           Elimination Diets

           Menu planning principles for pregnancy and aged care

Advanced food preparation and cooking techniques

Workflow planning

Practical food and nutrition writing for multimedia

Assessment strategy and rationale

In this microcredential, two assessment tasks are sequenced to progressively support students learning in alignment with the learning and teaching strategy.

The first assessment task requires students to demonstrate practical application of the knowledge and skills required to prepare foods for special diets that meet regulatory requirements (where appropriate). This task provides students with practical-by-practical assessment and feedback on their ability to prepare and cook specific foods/meals.

The second assessment task allows students to bring together their theoretical and practical knowledge, understanding and skills of food for special diets and communication for popular media in a written task that requires critical writing skills pitched at diverse audiences.

Combined, these assessment tasks will allow microcredential coordinators to assess students’ demonstration of the learning outcomes. Students demonstrate achievement of every learning outcome and a minimum mark of 50% for each assessment task to pass the microcredential.

Overview of assessments

Practical assessment: Enables students to demons...

Practical assessment:

Enables students to demonstrate their develop of advanced culinary skills for special diets and efficient work practice in a commercial kitchen environment

Weighting

40%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC5, GC7, GC8, GC12

Written assessment task:  Enables students to cre...

Written assessment task: 

Enables students to create elements in a media portfolio suitable for publication across popular media formats that uses scientific and practical evidence to refute/support a contemporary diet approach

Weighting

60%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC3, GC4, GC5, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10, GC11, GC12

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

The microcredential content will be completed over the teaching period and at students' own pace in their own kitchens. Students will be assisted to share their work and create a collaborative learning environment through online forums and sharing platforms with high visual impact. The microcredential begins by building on the theoretical knowledge gained in UNMC95 Food for Special Diets in practice - Theory and assists students apply their learning through practical skills development in the kitchen and communication of outputs through meaningful messaging of foods for special diets.

The approaches used in this microcredential have a constructively aligned developmental sequence designed to progressively, and logically, support students’ learning in ways that maximise the perceived (and actual) relevance and value of each activity. It is expected to engender high levels of engagement, efficiency, and effectiveness in students’ study behaviours, and to maximise their learning achievements. This strategy and these approaches will allow students to meet the aim and learning outcomes of the microcredential. Learning and teaching approaches will reflect respect for the individual as an independent learner. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and to participate actively in learning activities.

Representative texts and references

Representative texts and references

Agency for Clinical Innovation. (2011). Therapeutic Diet Specifications: For Adult Inpatients. Retrieved from https://www.aci.health.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/160557/ACI_AdultDietSpecs-march2017.pdf Note: this document is under constant revision and updates must be retrieved from https://www.aci.health.nsw.gov.au/resources/nutrition/nutrition-food-in-hospitals/nutrition-standards-diets 

Chendard, C.A., Rubenstein, L.M. Snetselaar, L.G. & Wahls, T. L. (2019). Nutrient Composition Comparison between a Modified Paleolithic Diet for Multiple Sclerosis and the Recommended Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern. Nutrients, 11(3), 537, https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11030537

Coeliac Australia. (2023). Food Service. Retrieved from https://coeliac.org.au/for-business/resources/

Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ). 2019. Food Standards Code. Retrieved from http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/Pages/default.aspx  

Healthy Eating Advisory Service. Healthy Choices Guidelines: http://heas.health.vic.gov.au/healthy-choices/guidelines

History of Nutritional Science – in 4 parts

Carpenter, K. J. (2003). A Short History of Nutritional Science: Part I (1785-1885). The Journal of Nutrition, 133(3), 638-45, https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/133.3.638

Carpenter, K. J. (2003). A Short History of Nutritional Science: Part 2 (1885-1912). The Journal of Nutrition, 133(4), 975-84, https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/133.4.975

Carpenter, K. J. (2003). A Short History of Nutritional Science: Part 3 (1912-1944). The Journal of Nutrition, 133(10), 3023-32, https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/133.10.3023

Carpenter, K. J. (2003). A Short History of Nutritional Science: Part 4 (1945-1985). The Journal of Nutrition, 133(11), 3331-42, https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/133.11.3331

Menu Planning Guidelines for Long Day care http://heas.health.vic.gov.au/early-childhood-services/menu-planning/long-day-care/guidelines

Mozaffarian, D., Rosenberg, I. & Uauy, R. (2018). History of modern nutrition science—implications for current research, dietary guidelines, and food policy. BMJ, 361:k2392, doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k2392

VITAL http://allergenbureau.net/vital/

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