Handbook

These days everyone has an opinion on food - its health effects, its quality and taste, its environmental impact. In this course you will examine the development, the science, and the place of food in society so you can engage in these contemporary debates about the future of food.

Society’s attitudes and understanding of the role that food plays in our health has been rapidly changing in the last decade. Existing food hierarchies have been overturned and diet orthodoxies disrupted. We are learning more and more how changes to diet can promote or discourage chronic disease like diabetes, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s. At the same time, we are increasingly aware of the way that food production, packaging, and distribution is impacting the environment and contributing to climate change. This leads many to consider the ethics of food creation and consumption.

This course will give you insights into the breadth and depth of food science - a rapidly evolving discipline. The course will introduce you to some of the common scientific principles, practices, and challenges related to our food systems. You will examine the interactions between the food industry and consumer ethics, health, and behaviour. Finally, you will consider the arguments around food packaging and the role of innovation in food product development, food waste and sustainability.