Acknowledgement
UBC’s Point Grey Campus is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) people. The land it is situated on has always been a place of learning for the Musqueam people, who for millennia have passed on their culture, history, and traditions from one generation to the next on this site.
| Course Title | Course Code Number | Credit Value |
| Exploring Our Food | FNH200 | 3 credits |
Students are introduced to chemical and physical properties of foods; issues pertaining to safety; nutritive value and consumer acceptability of food, food quality, and additives; food preservation techniques and transformation of agricultural commodities into food products; foods of the future.
This course is required in the Food, Nutrition and Health Program and will also be of value to students in other programs in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems, or in other disciplines including those in the life sciences, healthcare professions, human kinetics or physical education, who wish to enhance their understanding of the science of food.
This section of the course is online distance education. This course will be completed asynchronously online (i.e., at your own pace, working through the modules on CANVAS). There will be the opportunity to meet weekly for discussions, on Thursdays at 17:00 on ZOOM:
Join Zoom Meeting
There is no prerequisite for this course. Second-year standing is required.
There is no co-requisite for this course. If you are interested in taking additional courses through FNH, we suggest looking at FNH250 which focuses on nutrition.
| Course Instructor | Contact Details | Office Location | Office Hours |
| Derek Dee, PhD | derek.dee@ubc.ca | FNH 240 | Email to arrange a meeting (usually on ZOOM). |
I completed my BSc (Hons) in Food Science, and a minor in Chemistry, from the University of Saskatchewan. I did undergraduate research projects on flax oil, biodiesel, and plant phenolics. My main interest was enzymes, so I then did a MSc in Food Science and a PhD in Biophysics at the University of Guelph, studying the biophysics of protein structure and stability. I went further into biophysics as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Alberta, using optical tweezers to trap and study single molecules of protein (prion protein specifically, related to Mad Cow disease). I then moved back to Food Science at the University of Georgia, studying food protein nanofibrils, and moved my lab to UBC in 2019. We study plant and animal proteins at the nanoscale to understand their properties for food and health applications.
| Teaching Assistant | Contact Details | Office Location | Office Hours |
| Catherine Wong | Please use Canvas Inbox | n/a | Virtual meetings can be arranged. |
You are responsible to read the 13 lessons throughout the term. It is expected that you will spend about 10 hours on this course on average each week. To help you focus on important concepts in each lesson and to keep pace you will complete the lesson quizzes each week. For the majority of lessons, there are also journals which help you reflect on your learning. The course content is connected to the real-world through a term project, which is composed of several smaller assignments. The course material is examined through a midterm and final exam, both of which are administered online through Canvas. All assignments are completed online.
There is a general rhythm to this course and it is recommended that you keep the following schedule.
| Weeks | Description | Assignments Due |
|
Week 1 |
Course Orientation |
Introductory meeting (Sept 8, 17:00, ZOOM); Welcome Survey |
|
Week 2 |
Lesson 1: Food Science & the Canadian Food System |
Lockdown Browser Practice Exam |
| Week 3 |
Lesson 2: Chemical and Physical Properties of Food |
Journal 1 & Quiz 1 |
|
Week 4 |
Lesson 3: Fat Substitutes & Alternative Sweeteners, Sensory Perception of Foods |
Journal 2 & Quiz 2 |
|
Week 5 |
Lesson 4: Food Standards, Regulations, and Guides – Food Additives |
Journal 3 & Quiz 3 |
| Week 6 | Lesson 5: Rationale for Food Preservation | Journal 4 & Quiz 4 |
| Week 7 |
Lesson 6: Thermal Preservation of Foods |
Course Feedback Survey Journal 5 & Quiz 5 Term Project 1 |
| Week 8 |
Lesson 7: Preservation of Food by Low Temperatures Lesson 8: Dehydration as a Food Preservation Method |
Midterm (lesson 1-5) Journal 6 & Quiz 6 |
| Week 9 | Lesson 9: Food Preservation with Biotechnology |
Journal 7/8 Quiz 7 & Quiz 8 |
| Week 10 | Lesson 10: Preservation of Food with Ionizing Energy | Journal 9 & Quiz 9 |
| Week 11 | Lesson 11: Effects of Food Processing Operations on Nutrient Retention in Foods | Journal 10 & Quiz 10 |
| Week 12 | Lesson 12: Toxicants in Food and Foodborne Disease | Quiz 11 |
| Week 13 | Lesson 13: Foods of the Future or Trends in Foods for Nutrition and Health |
Journal 12 & Quiz 12 Term Project 2 |
| Week 14 |
Quiz 13 |
|
| Final exam (TBD) |
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
All required reading is presented in Lessons 1-13, and through the weekly summaries. There is no additional textbook for this course. Weekly summaries are found from the Home Page. They outline the material you are responsible for that week. Additionally, it provides links to additional required readings as well as optional material.
We will be using LockDown Browser for both the midterm and final exams. In order to use LockDown Browser you must have the following:
Within this course, there are several different types of activities in which you will be engaged. All activities are completed online. All represent individual work. Details on each of the below can be found in the Assessment of Learning section.
| Assessment | Final Course Grade % |
| Journals | 5 |
| Quizzes | 5 |
| Term Project | 25 |
| Midterm [tentatively, Oct 25, 17:00-18:00] | 25 |
| Final | 40 |
All the journals, quizzes, midterm, and final must be completed by the indicated deadlines. The term project assignments alone are subject to the late work course policy (see below). Extensions are only granted for short-term illness, emotional/mental challenges, family emergencies, or specially approved UBC activities (as defined by UBC policy) with proper documentation. Extensions should be asked for in advance when possible. There are no additional assignments in this course that can be done in lieu of the assignments or in addition to the assignments.
An inability to sit the final exam due to illness or special circumstances must be taken up with the LFS Student Services Office (students@landfood.ubc.ca). More information can be found here.
Late course work policy. Below is a table indicating the percentage removed from the total of late Term Project assignments.
| Hours late | > 0 - 24 hours | >24-48 hours | >48-72 hours | >72-96 hours | >96-120 hours | >120 hours |
| Amount of total mark reduced | 5% | 10% | 20% | 40% | 80% | 100% |
The purpose of the journals is to create awareness of your learning and connect the course material to your everyday world. Each journal should take about 30 mins to complete. There is a minimum of 200 words and a maximum of 500 words.
Your journal response should include a statement of opinion, which is explained in the context of personal experience and course content. It concludes with how your new knowledge could impact future actions or understanding.
The journals are graded for completeness as judged by the length (minimum 200 words and maximum 500 words), appropriate response to prompt, and punctuality. If the journal is complete, 1 mark is awarded. Late submission is NOT acceptable, even if a journal is as little as one minute late, automatically, a score of 0 is awarded. You only need to complete 8 journals on time to receive full marks. Please note that there are a total of 10 journals.
Instructors and TA's will leave limited comments on your journal discussions. Journals are due Mondays by 23:59.
The quizzes are graded and you have as many attempts as you like for each quiz until the last day of class. There are suggested deadlines for each quiz. The deadlines are to assist you in keeping pace with the course. If you don't get the quiz done before the suggested date, it will be marked as late but this does not affect your grade. All quizzes are due on the last day of class at 23:59. Afterwards, your marks will be calculated and the final grade will appear under the heading "Quizzes Grade Final."
The goal of the term project is to find real-world examples of our lessons in Food Science and bring the course material to life. By completing this project, you can apply the concepts of the course to evaluate your understanding of the rationale and processes used for food preservation.
You will be assigned to groups of 7-8 to work on this project collaboratively. For more details, please go to the “Term Project” page in the “Home" section. The term project is composed of the following steps.
Once your Project marks are out, you can access your Project and review the comments provided by your TA along with the details of the points deducted. The grade and feedback on your project will appear under the “Term Project” in the “Grades” section.
Important Note: Please review the “Project Format” section prior to writing your Project. Correct citation and format compliance are necessary. Projects without citation will not be marked. Read through the “citation” section below and follow the guidelines.
Throughout the course assignments, even in the discussion board, you will be using different sources (lessons, lecture notes, reading materials, video clips, provided links, etc.) which need to be cited individually and correctly. In your assignment, you need to have a bibliography or list of references as well as in-text citation (listing all your resources at the end is not enough for meeting the requirements.)
Please use APA style for citation. Review the following links to learn about APA style.
https://help.library.ubc.ca/evaluating-and-citing-sources/how-to-cite/
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/949/01/
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html
The midterm is a limited-open-book exam which will cover lessons 1-5. It will incorporate a variety of question formats (true/false, matching terms to definitions, multiple-choice, and short answer). The midterm will be conducted online using Canvas and Respondus LockDown Browser. You will be given a window of time on a specific day on which you can take the midterm. Once you begin the midterm there is a set time limit in which to complete it.
If you are unfamiliar with LockDown Browser, it is important that you try the practice exam prior to the midterm so that you ensure you meet the technical requirements. Please read all the instructions prior to the exam.
The final examination will cover material from lesson 1-13. The final exam will be a limited-open-book exam. You will not need to come to campus to take the final exam. Similar to the midterm, it will be conducted online using Canvas and Respondus LockDown Browser. The exam will consist of a combination of multiple-choice, fill in the blank, matching and short answer questions. The final examination will be scheduled by the Registrar's office and will be held during the final examination period.
UBC provides resources to support student learning and to maintain healthy lifestyles but recognizes that sometimes crises arise and so there are additional resources to access including those for survivors of sexual violence. UBC values respect for the person and ideas of all members of the academic community. Harassment and discrimination are not tolerated nor is suppression of academic freedom. UBC provides appropriate accommodation for students with disabilities and for religious observances. UBC values academic honesty and students are expected to acknowledge the ideas generated by others and to uphold the highest academic standards in all of their actions.
Details of the policies and how to access support are available on the UBC Senate website.
A condensed list of policies and support.
The academic enterprise is founded on honesty, civility, and integrity. As members of this enterprise, all students are expected to know, understand, and follow the codes of conduct regarding academic integrity. At the most basic level, this means submitting only original work done by you and acknowledging all sources of information or ideas and attributing them to others as required. This also means you should not cheat, copy, or mislead others about what is your work. Violations of academic integrity (i.e., misconduct) lead to the breakdown of the academic enterprise, and therefore serious consequences arise and harsh sanctions are imposed. For example, incidences of plagiarism or cheating may result in a mark of zero on the assignment or exam and more serious consequences may apply if the matter is referred to the President’s Advisory Committee on Student Discipline. Careful records are kept in order to monitor and prevent recurrences.
A more detailed description of academic integrity, including the University’s policies and procedures, may be found in the Academic Calendar at http://calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=3,54,111,0.
Learning analytics includes the collection and analysis of data about learners to improve teaching and learning. This course will be using the following learning technologies: Canvas and Respondus LockDown Browser. Many of these tools capture data about your activity and provide information that can be used to improve the quality of teaching and learning. In this course, I plan to use analytics data to:
Faculty of Land and Food Systems - Student Services - provides you with help regarding registration in the course as well as degree requirements. You can contact them by email at: students@landfood.ubc.ca.
There are many other resources for you as a UBC student.
There are also many student clubs which you may be interested in. Check them out here.
University students often encounter setbacks from time to time that can impact academic performance. If you encounter difficulties and need assistance, I encourage you to contact me at any time by e-mail. We can also arrange a time to meet virtually. I will do my best to support your success during this term. This includes identifying concerns I may have about your academic progress or well-being through Early Alert. With Early Alert, faculty members can connect you with advisors who offer support and assistance to help students get back on track to success. Only specialized UBC advisors would be able to access any concerns I may identify, and Early Alert does not affect your academic record. For more information, visit the program website: www.earlyalert.ubc.ca. For information about addressing mental or physical health concerns, including seeing a UBC counsellor or doctor visit: http://students.ubc.ca/livewell.
All materials of this course (course handouts, lecture slides, assessments, course readings, etc.) are the intellectual property of the Course Instructor or licensed to be used in this course by the copyright owner. Redistribution of these materials by any means without the permission of the copyright holder(s) constitutes a breach of copyright and may lead to academic discipline.
Version: Sep 4, 2022