Credit Hours - 3

UGRC 150: Critical Thinking and Practical Reasoning An essential element in the training of social studies and humanities students is providing a corrective and diagnostic skill set that enables students to discriminate logically between: rhetorical ploys that give motives vs. arguments providing good logical reasons for believing an assertion. Students need to recognise the contrast between inductive and deductive reasoning and the different types of support yielded by each, to evaluate the quality of evidence confirming an empirical hypothesis about human conduct, to maintain individual professional and scholarly discretion in the face of peer pressure and mob mentality. Those enrolled in this course will be provided the vocabulary and techniques to employ critical thought and practice within the academic arena and beyond.

Credit Hours - 3

The main objective of Academic Writing I is to equip students with the language skills that will enable them to read and write effectively. Students will be taken initially through fundamental issues in grammar and composition in order to consolidate their language skills in these areas. Subsequently, reading and writing skills relevant to university work will be introduced. These will include the structure of the essay, unity, completeness and coherence in essay writing; summarizing as a skill basic to exposition, writing from sources, referencing skills and avoiding plagiarism. The course will be taught in small groups and class activities are characterised by group work, oral presentations and extensive practical assignments.

Credit Hours - 3

Course Description: 
Course discussions cover contracts (formation, performance, breach, and termination), corporations and partnerships, insurance, professional liability, risk management, environmental law, torts, property law, evidence and dispute resolution.  The course emphasizes those principles necessary to provide engineers with the ability to recognize issues which are likely to arise in the engineering profession and introduces them to the complexities and vagaries of the legal profession.

Credit Hours - 3

Objective: 
This course introduces students to the concept of probability and statistics for engineering application.

Description: 
Topics include probability functions axioms and rules, counting techniques, conditional probability, independence, and mutually exclusive events. Discrete Random Variable: Expectation and variance, Binomial distribution, Hypergeometric distribution, Poisson distribution, the relationship between Poisson and Binomial. Continuous Random Variable: Percentiles and cumulative distribution function, expectation and variance, uniform distribution, normal distribution, exponential distribution, and other distributions. Joint Distributions. Covariance and Correlation. Sampling Distributions: Distributions of statistics, central limit theorem, samples from normal distribution (t-distribution, X2 distribution, and F-distributions). Estimation: Common point estimators, interval estimators. Hypothesis Testing. Introduction to Regression Analysis. Engineering applications in quality control, process control, communication systems and speech recognition.

Credit Hours - 3

Objective: 
This course offers an excellent introductory programming class for engineering students. The course mainly deals with the applicative aspects of programming, and students will acquire necessary programming skills.

Description: 
It leverages computational methods that permeate the sciences and engineering through the use of the Python programming language and its extensive libraries for data manipulation, scientific computing, and visualization. Topics to be treated include Python concepts: expressions, values, types, variables, programs and algorithms, control flow, file I/O, Python execution model, data structures: Lists, set, dictionary (mapping), tuples, graph, list slicing, list-comprehension, mutable and immutable data structures, functions, data abstraction, testing and debugging.

Credit Hours - 3

Course Description: 
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the definition of management and the evolution and perspectives of management: classical human relations and management science. The hierarchy of management, managerial roles and management styles will be introduced to students. Inside and outside an organization: adapting to change and understanding the environment. Management functions: Planning and decision making, organizing, leading and communicating. The entrepreneurial process and types of business, creating new products/services and business plans.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 
To provide students with a fundamental understanding of economic concepts and principles applicable to engineering.

Description: 
Topics to be covered include an introduction to making economic decisions, supply, demand, and equilibrium in economics. Concept of engineering economics: economic efficiency, engineering efficiency, marginal costs and revenues, opportunity and sunk costs, break-even analysis, economic analysis involving material. Decision making and value engineering: value engineering procedure, interest formula, and applications in time value of money. Evaluation of alternatives and methods: present and future worth methods, an annual equivalent method, and rate of return method. Sensitivity analysis. Computer-aided engineering economics using spreadsheets.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 
This course provides students with the mathematical analysis techniques required for solving numerical problems encountered in the field of engineering. It promotes the use of MATLAB for solving mathematical problems that require numerical solutions.

Description: 
The course involves matrices, linear homogeneous systems, and eigenvectors and values. Numerical methods and errors, stability, and convergence. Solving systems of linear equations: Gaussian elimination, Gauss-Jordan, LU decomposition methods. Solving nonlinear equations: Fixed point iteration, bisection method, false position method, secant, and Newton Raphson method. Curve-fitting and interpolation: Lagrange and Newton’s polynomial.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 
This course is designed to introduce students to the fundamental concepts of thermodynamics. The course provides an appreciation of energy conversion processes in the context of engineering applications and to introduce the laws of thermodynamics, analyze and solve problems in a methodical fashion.

Description: 
It will treat the first law of thermodynamics and apply the law to simple systems involving solids, liquids, and gases. The second law of thermodynamics will also be introduced, including Carnot, gas, vapor, and Rankine power cycles. Practical application of thermodynamics in different fields of engineering will be considered.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives:
This course is designed to introduce students to the theory and application of engineering mechanics as it relates to statically determinant and indeterminate structural systems; that involves determination of stresses, deformations, and strains. The course includes the use of computational software to solve practical engineering problems numerically.

Description: 
The course will cover internal resultant loadings in simple plane trusses and beams, elastic properties of solids under tensile and torsional loads, stress, strain, and deformation due to axial, torsional, bending, transverse loads, and simple combined loading will be studied. Also, transformation of stress and stresses in thin-walled pressure vessels will be covered.

Credit Hours - 4

Objectives: 
This course introduces students to single variable functions, polynomial functions, other functions, algebra of complex numbers, vectors, matrices, and linear transformations.

Description: 
The course covers the concept of a function of a single variable, graphs of functions - linear, quadratic, and higher degree polynomial functions, rational functions, inequalities in one and two variables, binomial theorem, circular measure, trigonometric functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, hyperbolic functions. Algebra of complex numbers. Vectors and matrices, the solution of linear systems of equations, vector spaces and subspaces, orthogonality, determinants, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, linear transformations.

Credit Hours - 3

Objective: 
The main purpose of the course is to give students a foundation on how physical phenomena from nature (real life) are modelled (into mathematics) for engineering applications.

Description: 
The course introduces students to theories of vibrations and waves, electricity and magnetism and modern physics. The course provides students with a foundation on how to model real-life scenario for engineering designs. For vibrations and waves, the focus is on generation and propagation. For electricity and magnetism, the course concentrates on the relationship between electric fields and magnetic flux and discusses some of its applications including; cranes for lifting huge loads in industries and magnetic levitation for fast-moving trains in transportation. Finally, for modern physics, much attention is paid to quantum theories because of the breakthrough in electronics.

Credit Hours - 3

Objective: 
The objective of this course is to equip students with the necessary knowledge, tools, and skills to analyze and understand basic analog and digital electronic components and circuits.

Description: 
History of electronics from vacuum tubes to Large Scale (LS) through to Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI) systems. Semiconductivity. Diodes and Diode circuits: Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJT), the physical structure of the BJT, circuit analysis. Field-Effect Transistors and Circuits: MOSFET characteristics and model, biasing techniques, analog MOSFET amplifier. Digital electronics and logic gates analysis.

Credit Hours - 3

Objective: 
This course introduces students to the workings of basic electrical circuits leading to the generation of electricity. It presents the definition and modelling of circuit components.

Description: 
Electricity supply types: definition and characteristics of AC and DC voltages and currents, instantaneous, average and RMS values, energy and power, and simple billing calculations of household appliances. AC power: active, reactive, and apparent power, power factor and correction methods. Introduction to electricity generation and sources. AC transmission and distribution for 1-phase, 2-phase, and 3-phase. Introduction to transformers and operations. Introduction to motors. Electrical safety.

Credit Hours - 4

Objectives: 
The laws of nature are expressed as differential equations. It is therefore imperative for scientists and engineers to know how to model phenomena using differential equations. This course is therefore designed to introduce students to differential equations and the applications of differential equations in solving and modeling of scientific and engineering problems.

Description: 
The course covers differential equations (first and second order ordinary differential equations, series solutions, and system of ordinary differential equations), Initial-value problems (Laplace transforms, partial differential equations, boundary-value problems, Fourier series and transforms), and applications.

Credit Hours - 3

Objective: 
This course introduces students to MS Excel and MATLAB in solving engineering problems. It presents in-depth knowledge of the above computational tools for use in engineering.

Description: 
Computing Systems: Hardware/software components & organization, types of software, types of computer languages and concepts for executing a program. Engineering problem-solving methodology. Introduction to software tools for solving engineering problems, spreadsheets for engineers – MS Excel for Windows. Technical use of MS Excel: Characteristics of spreadsheets, Arithmetic operations, Common engineering functions and operations, logic operations, plotting, and simple engineering applications. Introduction to MATLAB for engineering problem-solving.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 
This course develops basic understanding of chemistry which is useful for engineering application.

Description: 
The course covers discussion on atoms to molecules, introduction to the chemistry of organic compounds and biochemistry, chemical kinetics and equilibrium, thermochemistry, redox reactions, and acids and bases. Students will be able to explain simple chemical models which has application in engineering related fields, gain insight into the physical origins of chemical behavior, guide in the design of materials with specific chemical properties, predict a materials response under some chemical conditions, and describe some biochemical processes that occurs in human body.

Credit Hours - 2

Objectives: 
This course includes lectures, seminars, and activities to introduce engineering students to various engineering practices, historical developments in various field of engineering and current industrial practices delivered by researchers on campus and practicing engineers.

Description: 
The course will introduce students to emerging technologies and trends, engineering ethics, engineering communication tools, and metrology. Also, students will be introduced to and be able to apply the principles of the engineering design process to a case study or project. Moreover, students shall be provided with group advisement regarding specific fields of engineering.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

This is an introductory course in computer aided graphics and design for engineers. This course will introduce students to modeling techniques for engineering parts and assemblies, and its application to real life engineering problems using a computer aided design (CAD) software. It will familiarize students with 3-D solid modeling and conventions of 2-D graphical representation of engineering components. As part of the course, there will be a group design project that will produce a drawing package of an appealing, functional, and marketable mechanism or device.

Description: 

The course will cover: Introduction to Engineering Graphics (graphics communication, traditional and CAD approaches and tools, evolution of CAD (wireframe modeling, surface modeling, solid modeling, primitive modeling, constructive solid geometry (CSG) modeling, feature based modeling, etc.); Sketch Tools (lines, arcs, circle, rectangle, fillet, chamfer,  sketch relations, smart dimension, pattern, mirror, offset entity, trim, etc.); Parts Modeling Techniques (extrusion, revolve, sweep, loft, shell, hole wizard, pattern, rib, mirror, fillet, chamfer, etc.); Detailed Part Drawing (Projection theory and types: perspective, parallel, orthogonal, axonometric, isometric, dimetric, trimetric, Multiview, line types and conventions, types of projection, sheet format: title block and border line, scale, section view, detailed view, dimensioning and tolerancing: ANSI and ISO drafting standards, size and geometry tolerancing (limit, unilateral, bilateral, general tolerance, etc.); Assembly Modeling (standard mating techniques and exploded views); Detailed Assembly Drawing (balloons, BOM, exploded view, reference dimensioning, sheet format).

Credit Hours - 4

Objectives: 

This course covers differentiation and integration of functions of multiple variables and their applications in engineering. These mathematical tools and methods are used extensively in the physical sciences, engineering, economics, and computer graphics.

Description: 

The course involves Introduction to Multivariable Calculus, Derivatives of Multivariable Functions (partial derivatives, gradient and directional derivatives, divergence, curl, multivariable chain rule, Laplacian, Jacobian, applications, etc.), Integrating Multivariable Functions (line integrals for scalar functions, line integrals in vector fields, double integrals, triple integrals, change of variables, polar, spherical, and cylindrical coordinates, surface integrals, flux in 3D, and applications, etc.), Green's, Stokes', and the divergence theorems.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

This course is aimed at enabling students to attain an understanding of the fundamental principles of the dynamics of particles and rigid bodies. Students will be able to identify, formulate and solve engineering problems under dynamic conditions. The course includes the use of computational software to solve numerical problems.

Description: 

The course covers the motions of particles and rigid bodies, and the forces that accompany or cause those motions. It will involve Newton's laws, the work and energy principle, and the impulse and momentum principle.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives:

This course is designed to provide students with understanding of engineering mechanics of statics of particles and rigid bodies. Students will be able to identify, formulate and solve engineering problems under static conditions. The course includes the use of computational software to solve numerical problems.

Description: 

This course covers basic vector concepts of force, moment of a force, conditions of equilibrium of machine members such as beams, trusses, and frames under static loads, friction, distributed forces, determination of centroid and center of mass, area moment of inertia, and mass moment of inertia.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To introduce students to the fundamentals of engineering design. 

Description: 

This course develops a basic understanding of the key considerations for successful design of food processes and food processing plants. It entails discussions around the design and selection of food processing equipment, identification of food processing problems and application of design principles as well as a supervised design project. It also covers hygienic design of food processing equipment sizing and costing of equipment, evaluation of economics and other operational concerns of specific process.

Credit Hours - 2

Objectives: 

To enable students to acquire the knowledge of occupational, safety and health in process operations and the compliance to safety and health law and regulations.

Description: 

Students will be exposed to several methods in identifying hazard and risks in process industries. Safety principles in food plant design and operations. Personal Safety and Personal Protective equipment. Hazard evaluation procedures. Process Safety Management (PSM) and the food industry. Safe Design and operation of plants: Design control for safety, Principles of Inherently Safer Designs (ISD). Laws and regulations on plant safety. Field evaluation of safety in the Ghanaian Food Industry.

Credit Hours - 1

Objectives: 

To guide students in defining career goals and objectives, and to introduce them to the code of ethics in engineering.

Description: 

The course teaches students about their responsibilities towards employer, colleagues, subordinates, the community, and local businesses. Emphasis is on skills development and continuing education, leadership, teamwork, and trust. It exposes students to methods of developing professional profile (Curriculum vitae, etc.), interviewing, negotiation, and job appraisal. It provides an understanding of the food industry and career options including consulting and setting up professional practice.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To introduce students to various control systems and techniques and to learn about the concept of quality control and management and various quality control frameworks with regards to the food industry through the application of statistics.

Description: 

This course explores the underlying concepts and statistical techniques used to monitor and control process and quality variations.  It introduces students to basic principles and tools for quality management in the food industry. It also provides an overview of statistical quality control techniques and their application to improve the quality and productivity of a process. The course also covers topics such as Total Quality Management, process monitoring charts for variables and attributes, process capability analysis, development of grades and standards of quality, acceptance sampling, process improvement with designed experiments- response surface methodology, and Six-Sigma processes.

Credit Hours - 2

Objectives: 

To introduce students to plant-based food commodities and their conversion to value-added products.

Description: 

The course covers cereals processing in which discussions include basic cereal chemistry, wheat milling processes, dough testing, etc. Roots and tubers processing and preservation methods are also discussed.  Students are also made to appreciate the processing of legumes and oilseeds, especially oil extraction and refining. Students are also familiarized with fruits and vegetables processing and preservation as well as spices and herbs: essential oils and essences, chemistry and processing. The course emphasizes the design of processes for industrial production.

Credit Hours - 3

Objective: 

To improve understanding of engineering design systems, food processes and packaging options, using raw materials from animal origins.

Description: 

In this course, students study characteristics of food raw materials and commodities from animal origins and their conversion to value-added products. Topics included in the discussions cover Fish and fish products processing and preservation, Milk and milk products processing, Meat and poultry processing, and Eggs processing and preservation. Industrial and traditional technologies for processing and preservation of fish and meat are also highlighted. Students are also introduced to the efficient applications of low temperature processing and storage, smoking, packaging, dehydration, etc. to processing of animal products. Additionally, the design of processes for industrial production is explored.

Credit Hours - 2

Objective: 

To introduce students to the application of key concepts of control and instrumentation within the food processing industry.

Description:  

This course discusses the basic principles & relevance of process control and the requisite instrumentation to ensure adequate control in industrial process plants. Key topics that are covered include basics of monitoring and control (objectives and types of control, social & economic issues of automation, applications in food processing) and instrumentation in the food industry (instrumentation, and monitoring, measurement devices/sensors and their selection. Additionally, students are introduced to data capture (data loggers, data historians, data visualization), dynamic modelling, and automatic control (feedback and feed forward control, controller tuning).  The practical application to batch and continuous food processing is emphasised.

Credit Hours - 6

Objective:  

To encourage students to think critically to solve identified challenges within the food industry. To develop skills in research, problem solving, project planning, and communication.

Description: 

The course is a supervised but independent study which affords students an opportunity to apply their accumulated knowledge to solve an identified problem within the food industry. It provides a problem-based learning experience involving food process problem identification, formulation of project proposal, project execution, and reporting.  Seminar presentations of project proposals and project outcomes as well as submission of a written project report are required.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To provide an overview of the beverage industry focusing on the principles and technologies involved in the processing, handling, storage, and transportation of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Description: 

The course will cover the entire beverage value chain spanning from ingredients, processing, packaging to finished goods distribution. It will review the types of beverages, their composition, nutritive value and safe handling practices. The basic principles of beverage processing, technologies for production of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and implications of selected technologies on product quality will be discussed. The chemistry and processing technologies of cocoa, tea, coffee and traditional beverages will be emphasised. Basic concepts of quality assurance and quality control as applied within the beverage industry will be discussed.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To introduce students to plant-based food commodities and their conversion to value-added products.

Description: 

The course covers cereals processing in which discussions include basic cereal chemistry, wheat milling processes, dough testing, etc. Roots and tubers processing and preservation methods are also discussed.  Students are also made to appreciate the processing of legumes and oilseeds, especially oil extraction and refining. Students are also familiarized with fruits and vegetables processing and preservation as well as spices and herbs: essential oils and essences, chemistry and processing. The course emphasizes the design of processes for industrial production.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To acquire knowledge and skills in designing and developing industrial scale chemical reactors.

Description: 

The course will cover topics including the concepts of rate, stoichiometry, equilibrium, and the analysis of chemical and biological systems. The students would be guided to appreciate derivation of rate expressions from reaction mechanisms and equilibrium or steady state assumptions. Also discussed are batch, plug flow and continuous stirred tank reactor designs, heterogeneous and enzymatic catalysis, heat and mass transport in reactors, including diffusion to and within catalyst particles and cells or immobilized enzymes.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To introduce students to design systems for food processing and methods of estimating costs of equipment, operations, among others for determining project profitability.

Description: 

Discussions include process simulation or modelling for optimization as applied to food processing, as well as evaluation of food processing plant systems. An overview of utilities and regulatory requirements, relevant food laws and social impact of the plant, as well as equipment design and evaluation is provided. Other key areas include process economics, investments, and capital investment, total production cost, estimation of capital investments, revenue and methods for calculating profitability, alternative investment, replacements and sensitivity analysis.

Credit Hours - 1

Objective: 

To equip students with hands-on practical experience in industry in order to enable them relate theory acquired in the lecture hall to practical industrial applications.

Description: 

Coordinated and planned work experience with cooperating industries and agencies. Students undertake at least six weeks of industrial attachment to gain practical experience. A detailed report on the training is submitted to the Department at the end of the attachment.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To introduce students to topical issues within the food industry. To identify and discuss constraints within the traditional food processing industry and explore opportunities for improvement.

Description: 

The course will introduce students to the structural organisation and scope of the food manufacturing industry in Ghana, including the formal (SMEs) and the informal or cottage food industries.  It will present an overview of the food industry and technological progression as well as highlighting current and main challenges. Interlinkages and relationships with regional and global food industries will be reviewed. Discussions will cover the application of basic food quality management systems, hygiene, sustainable food processing, product quality, consumer perceptions of processed foods, management of food waste and market competitiveness. Students will have an opportunity to identify and select a real challenge within the industry and propose innovative solutions using appropriate engineering design principles.

(IFPRI)Washington, D.C.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To study and understand the important biochemical conversion pathways of food macromolecules. To introduce students to the implication of biochemical reactions on safe and efficient food handling practices.

Description: 

The course will cover the structure, function and associated biochemical conversion pathways of food macromolecules; specifically, carbohydrates (monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides), lipids (acyl glycerides, fatty acids, waxes, complex and derived lipids) and proteins (amino acids, primary, secondary, tertiary and functional structures of protein). Additionally, it will provide an overview of the biochemical characteristics, regulation and impact of components in raw and processed foods from plant and animal origin. The presence and role of enzymes in foods particularly as related to food spoilage will be discussed. Students will be briefly introduced to the concept of Bioenergetics.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To introduce students to the principles of environmental engineering and environmental pollution control.

Description: 

In this course students are taught environmental impact assessment and industrial waste treatment and control as well as solid waste management. Students are introduced to environmentally friendly techniques for solid waste disposal as well as water, air, and solid waste treatment processes, disposal, and management. The course also discusses government legislation, rules, and regulation as related to the environment as well as waste management and environmental management systems.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: To understand the concept of mass transfer and its application in process engineering.

Description: The course covers applications of mass transfer including unit operations and separations. Students are introduced to fundamentals of diffusion and mass transport as well as mass transfer applications - non-equilibrium separations including gas absorption and adsorption, membrane processes and devices and crystallization. Microscopic and macroscopic issues are discussed. Students will be taught to appreciate unsteady-state mass transfer, simultaneous heat and mass transfer-hot air drying, spray drying and freeze-drying applications.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To identify and analyse processes involved in food processing in order to understand the need for specific unit operations. To study the relevance of unit operations in transforming raw food materials during processing.

Description: 

The course provides an appreciation of agglomeration, mixing and emulsification of foods, as well as irradiation processing. It also introduces students to mechanical processes including sedimentation, filtration, centrifugation, particle technology and particle size analysis. Discussions also cover size reduction and energy requirements. It explains the concepts of physical separation processes including membrane separations and evaporation (evaporators, single and multiple effects evaporator calculations). An important component is drying specifically including design of dryers, drying curves, psychometry and humidification, and applications in food systems. The concept of water activity, and models of sorption isotherms in foods are highlighted.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To understand the modes and phases of heat transfer and their application in food processing. To design and evaluate the performance of heat exchangers.

Description: 

The course introduces students to theories of heat transmission by conduction, convection and radiation. Students will appreciate steady and unsteady state heat transfer and applications in food processing.  Problems involving heat penetration, modelling and simulation of thermal processes and characterization of heat penetration data will be discussed. Other concepts involving thermal process calculations, heating processes, and heat transfer coefficients are explored. Discussions will also cover food heating equipment such as heat exchangers and their designs. Students will also appreciate Temperature Measuring Devices and analogies between heat and momentum transport. The course places emphasis on mathematical modelling, solution techniques and design.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To introduce students to the underlining principles of key biotechnological tools and techniques and the associated ethical considerations in biotechnology.

Description: 

This course explores the basic concepts of biotechnology within the context of traditional vs. modern biotechnology processes. It highlights key developments in the history of biotechnology and provides a basic understanding of common tools and techniques including recombinant methods, proteomics, and fermentation. Students are additionally introduced to current trends in biotechnology and the regulatory framework and ethical aspects of biotechnology are emphasised. Key areas of discussions include nucleic acid structure and function as well as the principles and application of genetic engineering in the food industry. The course also covers concepts on continuous fermentation, agitation, mass transfer and scale-up of fermentation systems, enzyme technology. 

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To develop an understanding of the sequential events involved in the new food product development process. To identify key challenges associated with key stages in the product development process and find feasible solutions.

Description:  

The course introduces students to the food product development process. Discussions will cover the entire process including ideation, prototype development, product optimization and validation, economics of product development, marketing issues and product launch.  An independent study on the design of a new product or improvement of an existing food product and/or the process employed for producing the product will be undertaken with the requisite supervision.

Credit Hours - 3

Objective: 

To introduce students to the basic concepts of microbiology as applied in food processing.

Description: 

The course provides and overview of the historical background and current developments in the general area of food microbiology. Key topics for discussion include the habitats, taxonomy and growth parameters, role and significance of microorganisms in foods, and the intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of foods that affect microbial growth. Microorganisms in foods - Spores and their significance. Students are introduced to techniques for determining microorganisms and/or their products in foods, including culture, microscopic and sampling methods, physical, chemical, molecular and immunological methods, bioassay and related methods. Discussions will also highlight the relevance of microorganisms in food preservation, key properties of psychrotrophs, thermophiles and radiation-resistant bacteria, the application of indicators of food safety and quality, and the role of indicator microorganisms.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To understand the different principles and concepts governing various separation processes and to show students the impact of selected separation techniques in food processing.

Description: 

In this course, students are introduced to the theory and applications of Equilibrium staged separation processes commonly encountered in industrial processes. Some key topics include gas absorption, absorption in packed towers; contact equilibrium processes, evaporation, membrane separations, distillation (batch and continuous binary).  Other processes involving solvent extraction in the food industry, including liquid-liquid extraction, solid-liquid extraction; super critical fluid extraction will be discussed. Other concepts such as leaching, fundamentals of adsorption and ion exchange as well as crystallization will be covered.

Credit Hours - 2

Objective:

This course is designed to introduce students to the basic principles and measurements of engineering properties of foods and equip students with the skills required for performing a range of physical analyses of foods.

Description: 

The course will introduce students to basic measurements of physical and engineering properties of foods. Laboratory activities will cover measurements of properties including physical characteristics (e.g. size, shape, density, porosity, colour, particle size), mechanical properties (e.g. rheology, deformation), thermal properties (e.g. specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity), diffusion (e.g. water activity, desorption characteristics) and electrical properties (e.g. dielectric properties). Additionally, heat transfer of foods, fluid flow behavior, and viscosity determination of liquid and pasty foods, as well as texture and microstructure will be discussed. The units of measurements and importance of precision will be emphasized. The basis of instrumental evaluation, criteria for method selection, the type of data derived, and how that data might be used in decision-making (or statistical analyses) will be reviewed.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To introduce students to Fluid Mechanics and fluid properties and their effects on fluid flow and design.

Description: 

This course introduces students to fluid mechanics and properties such as viscosity, surface tension and capillary effects. Students are taught basic concepts involving fluid statics, buoyancy and stability. Similarly, students are introduced to fluid dynamics and key concepts such as dynamic and total pressure, energy line and hydraulic grade line. Students are helped to appreciate pipe flow problems such as losses in pipe flow, pipes in series, pipes in parallel, branching pipes, siphons, multi-reservoir problems, pipe networks, unsteady flow in pipes. Students’ familiarity with differential analysis of fluid flow, conservation of mass, linear momentum is emphasized.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To introduce students to the nature of foods and the engineering opportunities for converting them into high quality, shelf-stable products and to develop an understanding of basic techniques of food analysis.

Description: 

The course provides a classification of foods, and discusses the microstructure, chemistry and physical properties of food commodities in relation to process design and quality assessment. The importance of water in foods is emphasized and the influence of proteins structure and functionality in foods examined. Similarly, other food macromolecules including carbohydrates and lipids, their structure, functionality and reactions are explored. The importance of vitamins and minerals as well as application of enzymes in food processing are discussed. The course also highlights the relevance of flavour, colour, browning reactions, thermophysical properties of foods and the role of dispersed systems in food products.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To equip students with the skills needed to analyse and understand complex process engineering problems.

Description: 

The course introduces students to complex material and energy balances and their applications in basic concepts such as Bernoulli’s equation, as well as balances involving chemical reaction, combustion, recycle and purge. Students are familiarized with process modelling and simulation, using computers in flow sheeting. Key concepts involving Calculation of Separations in Contact-Equilibrium Processes are discussed. Similarly, students are introduced to calculations involving Thermal Death Times and associated concepts such as F values, equivalent killing power at other temperatures, z value, sterilization integration.

Credit Hours - 2

Objective: 

The course will introduce students to the concept of food systems at the local, regional, and global levels and enable students to appreciate issues, processes, trends, and systems in the context of food production, processing, packaging, distribution and consumption.

Description: 

The course will cover definitions, models and the different sectors of food systems. Appropriate post-harvest technologies (for various value chain levels), including indigenous storage and preservation systems, will be explored. Students will gain knowledge on critical issues influencing food production, processing, packaging, distribution, storage, consumption, nutrition, safety, and food waste (recycling). The impact of labor and technology in farming and food processing, packaging, and distribution will be discussed.  Regulatory influences on food processing, distribution, and consumption will also be explored in this course. Students will also be briefly introduced to the concept of sustainability.

Credit Hours - 2

Objectives: 

To provide a detailed understanding of the principles and practices of the organization and management of plant operations in the food processing industry.

Description: 

The course covers a wide range of topics including plant layout and flow patterns, plant and warehouse siting and design, pilot operations and optimization, cleaning operations, use of detergents and sanitizers, water use, waste disposal and pollution control. It explains the Public Health Acts and Regulations as well as environment issues in food processing. Students are given the opportunity for two industrial visits.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To provide students with the tools required to understand the energies of systems at various states and the concept of free energy and driving forces for reactions and processes.

Description: 

Students are introduced to Solution Thermodynamic Theory and Applications. The concepts of chemical potential, fugacity and activity coefficient are explored and the property of pure fluids, the PVT behavior of pure substances including ideal gas discussed. Key concepts, including viral equations, vapour–liquid equilibrium at low to moderate pressures, vapour- liquid equilibrium from equations of state, general relations for homogeneous substances are examined. The course also introduces students to phase equilibria as well as chemical reaction equilibria.

Credit Hours - 2

Objectives: 

To study the rheological behaviour of foods and fluids and to develop methods for measuring and modelling rheological behaviour. To equip students with the requisite skills to conduct sensory evaluation of food.

Description: 

The course introduces students to the rheology of foods including modelling the rheological behaviour of fluids and methods for measuring flow behaviour.  Discussions cover different types of fluids: Newtonian and non-Newtonian flows: Plastic fluids, Bingham and non-Bingham plastic fluids as well as the concept of time dependency. The course also discusses deformation of material and viscoelastic behaviour. Key concepts such as stress relaxation tests, and the use of mechanical models are explored. An important component of the course is sensory measurements and evaluation of food. Students are taught to understand sensory perception and sensory evaluation methods - discriminatory, descriptive, acceptance/preference.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

To introduce students to the field of Food Process Engineering through the application of engineering and biological principles to the development of products, processes and systems that serve the needs of society. To equip the students with the basic requisite skills for analysing and understanding process engineering data and designs.

Description: 

Students learn the concepts of flow sheeting basics, types of diagrams, Material and Energy Balances. Precision and dimensional consistency in engineering calculations are emphasized. The course also gives an overview of key food properties, introduction of concept of unit operations. Students are introduced to the use of spreadsheets and process simulation software for engineering calculations.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 
This course is to build upon the foundation of good written communication skill acquired by the student in the Academic Writing I through exercises that consolidate the student’s knowledge, skills and strategies, and prepares the student for scientific written communication needs at the higher levels.

Description: 
The course involves matrices, linear homogeneous systems, and eigenvectors and values. Numerical methods and errors, stability, and convergence. Solving systems of linear equations: Gaussian elimination, Gauss-Jordan, LU decomposition methods. Solving nonlinear equations: Fixed point iteration, bisection method, false position method, secant, and Newton Raphson method. Curve-fitting and interpolation: Lagrange and Newton’s polynomial.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 
To identify and analyse processes involved in food processing in order to understand the need for specific unit operations. To study and understand the concept of food preservation principles and unit operations. To apply sound mathematical and engineering principles in solving food preservation problems.

Description: 

The course introduces students to established approaches to solve food preservation problems. The students are taught how to analyze and solve food preservation problems using sound mathematical and engineering considerations. Discussions include analysing and selecting the appropriate preservation technology for different classes of food with specific focus on the principles and application of refrigeration and freezing in food systems. Students are provided with an overview of thermal processing of foods including aseptic processing and thermal process calculations. Discussions also cover fermentations and fermenters, as well as design and analysis of enzymatic and microbial biological reaction systems.

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: T
o broaden students’ knowledge of specific attributes of microorganisms and their role in food processing and to introduce the underlining concepts of food safety in the food processing industry.

Description: 
This course provides an understanding of the characteristics of microorganisms and how these can be applied or controlled in the production of safe foods.  It will also develop a basic understanding of the microbiology of foods, food-borne illnesses, and food spoilage.  It will further introduce students to the applications of microorganisms in the fermentative production of foods and the principles underlining the production of safe foods. Key topics for discussion include: Microbial spoilage of foods; Foodborne illnesses, Preservation: principles and methods; Physical methods of food preservation, Chemical preservatives and natural antimicrobial compounds, biologically based preservation systems. Probiotic bacteria, Prebiotics. Food fermentations, Fermented foods products (dairy, vegetables, meat, poultry, and fish). Traditional fermented foods, Cocoa and coffee, Beer and Wine. Principles of quality control and microbial criteria, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point system (HACCP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Hygiene Practice (GHP).

Credit Hours - 3

Objectives: 

This is a foundational course that plays an important role in preparing students in understanding of science, engineering, and mathematics.

Description: 

Students are introduced to concepts of limits and continuity of a function of a single variable as well as differentiation of trigonometric functions and their inverses, exponential and logarithmic functions, basic concepts on Leibnitz’s rule, trapezium and Simpson rules, Rolle’s Theorem, introduction to differentiation and integration of vector functions, systems of equations, inequalities, vectors, and matrices.