This module will provide the learner with an understanding of the principles of nutrition in foods and an ability to apply the principles to creative menu planning for current dietary needs.
Food Choice
Influential factors: Cultural & social habits, psychological and physiological attitudes, nutritional knowledge, economic circumstances, availability of food, marketing methods.
Nutrition
Nutrients: Structure, function, food source & quality, water.Energy: Values, expenditure.Loss of nutritional value, nutritional stability in the food cycle & its control.The diet: balanced diet, ‘eat well plate’, dietary habits, ‘we are what we eat’. current dietary trends, dietary guidelines & recommendations, portion size.Diet & disease: obesity, heart disease, cancer etc.Carcinogens and food.Food intolerance’s and food allergies.Dietary needs: vegetarians, diabetics, celiac, low calorie diets, low-fat, low-cholesterol, low-salt, high fibre.Pre-packaged foods: Ingredients and nutritional implications of ingredients used.
Foods of the Future and Nutritional implications
Genetic modification of foods.Irradiated foods.Functional foods and neutraceuticals.Organic foods.Biodynamic foods.Whole foods.
Menu Analysis
Menus: history, function, structure, types,styles, menu writing ethics, influences and trends.Planning of creative menus to meet customer needs.
Legislation
Nutritional labelling: nutrition and health claims, legal requirements, international trends.Salt reduction targets and their implementation.Labelling of GM foods, irradiated foods, organic food, allergens, beef, fish, meat products, preserves, functional foods, fortified foods.
Practical application of theory to health, explored through a journal template for each subject area
Using commercial food products to explore and evaluate nutrition and health in consumer foods
Exploring restaurant menus for best practice in menu design and writing
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Formal Examination | 50 |
| Other Assessment(s) | 50 |