FSN 483
Food Chemistry Laboratory
Fall 2011
Wednesday 1:10 – 4:00 pm
206 Hitchner
Instructor:
Dr. Denise Skonberg
Food Science & Human Nutrition
104 Hitchner
581-1639
Office hours:
Thursday 1:00 – 2:00 and by appointment
Course Objectives:
Students completing this course should be able to:
1. Work competently in the laboratory, utilizing a wide array of common scientific techniques
and instruments in a safe and efficient manner.
2. Collect scientific data and make valid conclusions from that data.
3. Write cohesive and substantiated papers and reports, using laboratory and library resources.
4. Explain the chemistry underlying the reactions of food components and how to control those
reactions.
5. Work effectively with team members.
Primary text:
Food Chemistry: A Laboratory Manual
Miller, Dennis
Evaluation:
Research reports ………….
Research papers …………..
Demonstration video
Quizzes ……………...……
Lab notebook/participation
Total ………………………
140 points
140 points
70 points
90 points
60 points
500 points
Grading:
Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
C-
Total points
 465
450-464
435-449
420-434
400-419
385-399
370-384
350-369
%
> 93
90-92
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
73-76
70-72
Laboratory Schedule:
Week
1
Date
8/31
2
9/7
3
9/14
4
5
6
9/21
9/28
10/5
7
8
9
10
10/12
10/19
10/26
11/2
11
12
11/9
11/16
13
14
11/23
11/30
12/7
Topic
Course introduction
Safety training
Chemical leavening agents: CO2 production in
a model system
Chemical leavening agents: CO2 production in
muffins
Oxidation in ground chicken
Oxidation in ground chicken (continued)
Degradation of gelatin gels
Quiz #1
Functional properties of proteins
Functional properties of proteins(continued)
Properties of sugars
Nonenzymatic browning
Quiz #2
Hydrocolloids
Enzymatic browning/blanching
Thanksgiving Break
Enzyme immobilization
Quiz #3
Student videos
Student Evaluations
Reading
Ch. 2
Ch. 2
Handout
Ch. 10
Handout
Ch. 6
Handout
Ch. 3
Ch. 4
Ch. 5
Ch. 8, Ch. 9
Handout
Laboratory Reports:
Due
Date
9/28
10/12
11/2
11/16
Assignment
Laboratory Topic
Research report
Research paper
Research paper
Research report
11/30
12/12
Research report
Research report
Chemical leavening agents
Oxidation in ground chicken
Functional properties of proteins
Properties of sugars and nonenzymatic browning
Enzymatic browning/blanching
Enzyme immobilization
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Points
35
70
70
35
35
35
Laboratory reports:
Although students will collect data and conduct experiments in groups, written laboratory reports
should be each student’s own work. All reports are due on the dates listed on the previous page.
Late reports will have 5 points deducted for each day overdue. Reports will follow two formats:
1) research reports, and 2) research papers.
Research Reports:
Research reports are a two to three page summary of the experiment. They should succinctly
describe the objectives, methods, results/discussion, and conclusions of the experiment, and
may include a table. Although the methods section may refer to the lab manual, all treatments
must be clearly described. In addition, specific experiment-related questions will be handed
out with the lab materials, which you will answer and include as an addendum to the research
report.
Research Papers:
All papers should include: 1) an introduction or background section which will include at
least two references from the current scientific literature; 2) materials and methods; 3) results
(including tables and/or figures); 4) discussion; 5) conclusions; and 6) references. Research
papers will be graded for spelling and grammar as well as content.
All papers and reports should have titles, page numbers, and each table and figure must be
labeled with a number and caption. Each table and figure should be in numerical order, and
referenced in the body of your report. Reports should be written in past tense, since they are
describing something that already occurred. The Journal of Food Science format should be
used for citations in the text, and for your reference lists. Make the purpose of the
experiments clear, and precisely describe the different experimental treatments. Do not
include lists of materials used in the experiments, and use spell-check and grammar-check.
Reports and papers should be double spaced.
Video Project:
Students will work in one of three teams to produce food chemistry demonstration videos. The
digital videos should be about some aspect of browning reactions in foods. It’s up to each team
to decide what specific browning reaction will be explained and demonstrated, but the video
should be targeted toward a middle school audience. The video should be easy to understand,
factually correct, and demonstrate the principle using readily available materials. It should be 3-4
minutes in length, and interesting and relevant to your audience. Videos will be posted on
YouTube and team members will receive a group grade for this assignment.
Quizzes:
Each of the three quizzes will be worth 30 points, and usually will be held at the beginning of the
laboratory period. The quizzes are fairly detailed and specific, and will include material from
your lab manual and handouts, as well as questions related to your experimental results.
Laboratory Participation
Students will be organized into two person lab-groups. Group members will be responsible for
carrying out experiments together, however grading will be based on individual effort.
Participation means attending each lab and being on time; being an equal partner in the activities
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of the group; and knowing what is going on each lab period! Missing a lab period will result in a
loss of 15 points.
Laboratory Notebooks (modified from lab manual):
Each student is required to purchase a notebook and label it with the name of the course. All
entries should be made in ink. When mistakes are made, draw a single line through the mistake,
and explain why the entry is wrong. I will evaluate your lab notebooks several times during the
semester.
Lab Notebooks (Continued)
Prior to the lab:
-include the title and number of the experiment
-perform any calculations that can be done in advance
-sketch a brief flow diagram that you can follow during the lab
-set up tables for recording data
During the lab:
-Carefully record all observations and data you collect
-Date the top of each page
-Clearly label all data
Laboratory Rules:
1) Each student is responsible for reading the experiment BEFORE CLASS. There is not
enough time during the class period to read, understand, and conduct the experiments.
2) Each student shall participate fully in the experimental activities.
3) Lab coats, protective eyewear, and gloves are mandatory!
4) Each student should record data in their own, bound, laboratory notebook.
5) Students are responsible for cleaning up the lab (including glassware, equipment, surfaces)
area at the end of each laboratory period.
Disabilities (ADA) Statement:
If you have a disability for which you may be requesting an accommodation, please contact Ann
Smith, Director of Disabilities Services, 121 East Annex, 581-2319, as early as possible in the
term.
Academic Integrity:
Academic dishonesty includes cheating, plagiarism and all forms of misrepresentation in
academic work, and is unacceptable at The University of Maine. As indicated in the University
of Maine’s undergraduate on-line “Student Handbook,” plagiarism (the submission of another’s
work without appropriate attribution) and cheating are violations of The University of Maine
Student Conduct Code. An instructor who has probable cause or reason to believe a student has
cheated may act upon such evidence.
Contingency Plan:
In the event of disruption of normal classroom activities due to an emergency situation, the
format for this course may be modified to enable completion of the course. In that event, you
will be provided an addendum to this syllabus that will supersede this version.
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