| CODE | IMS1001 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Traditional Foods and the Scientific Dimension of Food Preparation | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Institute of Maltese Studies | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit aims to bridge the gap between traditional food preparation methods and the scientific principles that underpin modern food production. Focused on the Maltese context, this unit addresses the need for a deeper understanding of the scientific dimensions of food production, including technology, nutrition, food safety, and the chemico-physical transformations that occur during traditional food preparation processes. Maltese traditional foods are rooted in centuries-old practices, yet these foods are increasingly intersecting with modern food production technologies. The course will provide students with a dual perspective: on one hand, a respect for and understanding of the cultural and historical significance of traditional foods, and on the other, an exploration of the scientific methods necessary to improve, preserve, and safely produce these foods in today鈥檚 agri-food industry. Given the growing awareness of food-safety regulations, bio-security standards, and health-conscious consumption, this study-unit is designed to educate students about the scientific dimensions of food production. This knowledge is essential for the development of Malta's agri-food sector, ensuring a transition from a nonprofessional, inherited approach to food production towards a more informed, scientifically grounded process. Study-Unit Aims: The study-unit will: - Explore how advances in food technology influence traditional food production, - Addressing the industrial vs. artisanal debate. - Elicit an ability to adopt appropriate technologies to improve food quality and sustainability while maintaining the integrity of traditional Maltese foods. - Appraise the nutritional benefits and potential health risks associated with traditional Maltese foods. This will involve an understanding of macronutrient and micronutrient content and how modern food production methods might alter their nutritional profiles. - Delve into the chemical and physical transformations inherent in traditional Maltese food-production processes, including processes like fermentation, emulsification, and heat treatment impact food texture, flavour, and preservation. - Discuss bio-security and food safety issues relevant to traditional foods, focusing on microbial contamination, foodborne diseases, and hygienic practices, exploring how traditional methods of production can be adapted to meet modern hygiene standards and food safety regulations. - Investigate how traditional food-production techniques, such as curing, baking, and cheesemaking, can be enhanced through scientific methods without compromising their cultural value. This will include a discussion of methods for modernizing traditional production while adhering to regulatory standards. - Address the sustainability of traditional food production in the face of modern challenges such as climate change, globalization, and the push for environmentally friendly practices. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: Evaluate the scientific principles underlying traditional food production in Malta, including chemistry, microbiology, and food engineering. Examine how modern food technology can complement traditional Maltese food production, enabling innovation while preserving cultural authenticity. Explore the nutritional profiles of Maltese traditional foods, understanding both their health benefits and potential risks, and how modern methods can affect these factors. Investigate the key chemical and physical transformations that occur during food preparation, such as fermentation, caramelization, and denaturation, and how these impact food quality and safety. Evaluate, synthesize and apply knowledge of food safety regulations, hygiene practices, and bio-security issues relevant to traditional food production, particularly as they apply in the Maltese context. Appraise ways in which traditional Maltese food practices can be maintained and even enhanced by scientific advancements, ensuring that artisanal methods meet contemporary food safety and production standards. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: Collect data/information from different sources, and be able to recognise and discuss such information. Define acquired learning frameworks to various case studies discussed during the lectures/seminars. Relate the different ways in which scientific and technological development impacts the foods we eat. Integrate knowledge from cultural studies, chemistry, biology, physics and other relevant scientific areas. Draw connections between different fields of study. Discuss solutions related to the preservation of cultural foods which are acceptable from a sustainability and modern hygiene requirements. Persuade others through well-structured arguments and evidence Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Belasco W. (2008). Food. The key concepts. Oxford: Berg. - Leitch, A. (2012). Slow Food and the politics of 鈥渧irtuous globalization鈥�. In food and culture (pp. 423-439). Routledge. - Vaclavik, V.A & Haynes, A. (2018). Dimensions of Food. 8th edition. Routledge. - United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization: Agriculture and Consumer Protection. "Dimensions of Need - Staple foods: What do people eat?" Supplementary Readings: - Douglas, M., & Gross, J. (1981). Food and culture: Measuring the intricacy of rule systems. Social Science 福利在线免费, 20(1), 1-35. - McGee H. (2004). On food and cooking: the science and lore of the kitchen. New York: Scribner. - Mead, M. (2008). The problem of changing food habits. Food and culture: A reader, 17-27. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Fieldwork and Seminar | ||||||||
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| LECTURER/S | Paulino Schembri |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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