NUTD102 - Culinary Nutrition Science

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

Nil

Incompatible

NUTR102 Culinary Nutrition Science

Unit rationale, description and aim

In order to communicate food and nutrition concepts effectively, nutrition scientists must understand how food is transformed from its raw state to the multitude of formats available for consumers. This unit will support students to acquire knowledge about the origins and composition of food and how composition is affected by culinary processes in the home, foodservice or commercial cooking environments. Development of food preparation and cooking skills will enable students to understand how food is produced in commercial cooking environments. This unit aims to assist students develop a basis from which to build deep knowledge and skills in food identification, nutrient composition, preparation and cooking as a foundation for further learning in nutrition science. A Food Handler’s certification is included in this unit.

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.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - categorise common agricultural commodities, including livestock, aquaculture and horticulture according to their contribution to local and global dietary intakes (GA5)

LO2 - assess the effects of primary production, storage, preparation, and cooking on the nutrient composition of food (GA4, GA5)

LO3 - identify, prepare and present a range of foods using appropriate preparation and cooking techniques (GA5, GA7, GA9) 

LO4 - demonstrate ability to work efficiently and safely in a commercial kitchen environment (GA5, GA7)

Graduate attributes

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA7 - work both autonomously and collaboratively 

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

Content

Topics will include:

• Food commodities and their production
• Nutritive and non-nutritive components of commodities
• Local and global food consumption
• Introduction to nutrient composition of foods and recipes
• Calculating nutrient composition of foods and recipes (Australian Food Composition Database, FoodWorks™, Laboratory Nutrition Analysis)
• Basic sensory analysis
• Basic food identification
• Basic food preparation and cooking techniques.

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

The learning and teaching strategy adopted aligns with the sequencing of the learning outcomes and consists of three phases that are designed to provide students with an integrated learning experience. The unit is underpinned with approaches designed to support acquisition of knowledge needed to develop a deep understanding of key concepts related to culinary nutrition science: food commodities, food production methods and effects of food production on the nutrient composition of food. The approaches used to facilitate students’ deep understanding of culinary nutrition science include face-to-face lectures, tutorials and readings. Activities to inform and support skill development related to commercial food preparation and production follows this theoretical understanding. These activities will take the form of practical classes delivered by qualified chef instructors in a commercial/teaching cooking environment. 

Overall, the approaches used in this unit 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 stage. As an overarching strategy, this is expected to engender high levels of engagement, efficiency and effectiveness in students’ study behaviours, and to maximise their learning achievements. This strategy and approaches will allow students to meet the aim, learning outcomes and graduate attributes of the unit. 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. 

Further to this, to ensure students are ready to transition from the Diploma and articulate into the second year of undergraduate study, transition pedagogies will be incorporated into the unit as the key point of differentiation from the standard unit. This focuses on an active and engaging approach to learning and teaching practices, and a scaffolded approach to the delivery of curriculum to enhance student learning in a supportive environment. This will ensure that students develop foundation level discipline-based knowledge, skills and attributes, and simultaneously the academic competencies required of students to succeed in this unit.

Assessment strategy and rationale

A range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. In order to successfully complete this unit, students need to complete and submit three graded assessment tasks. In addition to this, students must obtain an aggregate mark of greater than 50% over these three assessment tasks.

In this unit, three assessment tasks are planned to progressively support students learning in alignment with the learning and teaching strategy. The first, involves on online test (mixed MCQ and short answer questions) within semester which will allow students to demonstrate achievement of learning outcomes 1 and 2 and theory related to learning outcome 3. In addition to this summative online test, formative online tests will allow students to assess their progress in the unit as they proceed through the content. These formative online tests allow students to engage in no-impact assessment with feedback, and to assist them to stay up-to-date with the unit content. Second, students will complete a practical manual which will provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate how they have linked their understanding of the theory of culinary nutrition science with practical application. Finally, students will undertake a practical exam in order to extend their learning and demonstrate integration of culinary nutrition science knowledge and skill related to learning outcomes 2, 3 and 4, in preparation for further studies in nutrition science. The assessment tasks will allow unit coordinators to assess students’ demonstration of the learning outcomes and attainment of graduate attributes.

Strategies aligned with transition pedagogies will be utilised to facilitate successful completion of the unit assessment tasks. For each assessment, there will be the incorporation of developmentally staged tasks with a focus on a progressive approach to learning. This will be achieved through activities, including regular feedback, particularly early in the unit of study to support their learning; strategies to develop and understand discipline-specific concepts and terminology; in-class practice tasks with integrated feedback; and greater peer-to-peer collaboration.

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Berners-Lee, M. Kennelly, C. Watson, R. Heweitt, C. N. (2018). Current global food production is sufficient to meet human nutritional needs in 2050 provided there is radical societal adaptation. Elem Sci Anth, 6:52 http://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.310

Croxford, S. & Stirling , E. (2017). Understanding the Science of Food. Allen & Unwin

EuroFIR resources: 

EuroFIR. (2019). Transforming quality food data into tools and products. Retrieved from http://www.eurofir.org/food-information/

EuroFIR. (2015). EuroFIR Recipe Guideline. Retrieved from http://www.eurofir.org/2015/12/16/eurofir-recipe-guideline/

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) resources:

FAO. (2019). Commodities which are aggregated or standardized to their primary equivalent in commodity balances demand and food balance sheets. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/economic/the-statistics-division-ess/publications-studies/publications/list-of-commodities/commodities-which-are-aggregated-or-standardized-to-their-primary-equivalent-in-commodity-balances-demand-and-food-balance-sheets/en/

FAO. (2019). Global agriculture towards 2050. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/wsfs/docs/Issues_papers/HLEF2050_Global_Agriculture.pdf

Linehan, V, et al. (2013). Global food production and prices to 2050: scenario analysis under policy assumptions. Presented at the 43rd ABARES Outlook Conference, Canberra, Australia. Retrieved from http://www.agriculture.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/abares/publications/globeFoodProd2050_v1.0.1.pdf

Machackova, M., Giertlova, A. Proubska, J., Rose, M., Ramos, C. & Ginglas, P. (2018). EuroFIR Guideline on calculation of nutrient content of foods for food business operators. Food Chemistry, 238, 35-41 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.03.103

Mandatory Menu Board Labelling Schemes (state based). Victoria https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/food-safety/food-safety-laws-local-government-and-auditors/food-safety-laws-and-regulations/kilojoule-labelling-scheme/businesses-kilojoule-labelling

Smith, N.W. (2016). Food and Agriculture Management and Trade. Reference Module in Food Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100596-5.03427-2