Deakin University School of Exercise and Nutrition VCE Food Studies Program

VCE Food and Nutrition: Turning theory into practice

Deakin University’s School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences offers VCE Food Studies students the opportunity to gain an insight into topical areas of food and nutrition in a laboratory environment at our Melbourne Burwood Campus.

The program offers you, as a Food Studies teacher, a great opportunity to reinforce aspects of the VCE curriculum, using Deakin University’s first class food laboratories. Students will interact with food and nutrition scientists whilst conducting and interpreting a range of laboratory tests. The lab sessions run for 2 hours each and schools may book one or both of the laboratory sessions.

Lab 1: Food Makers

Linked to VCE Food Studies Unit 2: Food Makers.

Area of study 2: Food in the Home

In this experience, we will explore the three basic methods of sensory evaluation. Discrimination testing will be conducted to determine whether a difference exists between food samples. Descriptive testing will be conducted to determine the nature and intensity of attributes in food samples. Preference testing will be conducted to determine how well food samples are liked. How these tests relate to the science of judging and evaluating the quality of food by the use of the senses (taste, smell, sight, touch and hearing) will then be discussed. Our VCE School Visit Program provides Food Studies students with valuable, practical laboratory experiences that will illustrate and demonstrate the applications of important food industry principles.

Lab 2: Healthy and sustainable food from paddock to plate

Linked to VCE Food Studies Unit 4: Food issues, challenges and futures.

Areas of study 1: Environment and ethics; and

Area of study 2: Navigating food information

In this experience, students will have the opportunity to track fresh food items from paddock to plate, and incorporate a variety of activities addressing sustainability, food waste, packaging and labeling. Areas of focus include:

• Use of specialised laboratory equipment, similar to that used in industry, to determine food quality in considering food waste and sustainability

• Prepare and evaluate a food product using food manufacturer equipment and processes

• Evaluate the supply chain of a food product from paddock to plate

• Explore packaging techniques that could be applied to food products

• Review the labeling requirements used on food packaging.

Session information:

Dates:

Monday 30th May – Friday 3rd June, 2022

Monday 20th June – Friday 24th June, 2022

2 time slots available per laboratory per day:

10:00am - 12:00pm; 1:00pm - 3:00pm

Session duration: 2 hours

Cost per session: $250 +GST

Note: Maximum of 25 students per session

Please note that this event will be held in accordance with Victorian Government advice around COVID-19 and the event is subject to change/ cancellation at short notice based on government restrictions.

For more information please contact ens-support@deakin.edu.au or 9244 5052.

School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences - Deakin University