MASTER OF SCIENCE (FOOD SCIENCE)

Study Duration
Minimum 2 semesters (1 year)
Maximum 4 semesters (2 years)

Intake
Intake – 2 times a year (March & October)
*subjected to UKM academic calendar

STPD6024 Research Methodology
This course provides guidance in planning, implementing and succeed in a scientific research. Students are introduced to the science philosophy and ethics necessary to be adopted by researchers. Students are given exposure to determine and manage risks in scientific research. Apart from that, issues and rules related to research such as intellectual property, copyright, plagiarism etc. will be discussed. Subsequently, students are guided to plan their research and prepare a research proposal. For this, students are trained with techniques in information search both manually and on-line, identifying issues and research objectives, planning research and experimental design within their period of study. Students are required to prepare their research proposal according to the format and making sure that it is free from plagiarism by introduction of plagiarism checker system. Students are given the opportunity to present their proposal in a seminar and defend them. Students will be evaluated based on written and oral presentation of the research proposal, and final examination.

STKM6023 Protein Product Technology
This course discusses the scientific and technological aspects of plant and animal protein. Emphasis is based on animal protein technology especially meat, milk and eggs. The scientific aspects include microbial quality, chemical, biochemical and the physical properties of these proteins. Technological aspects include meat, milk and egg-based product processing technology. The production and usage of side products such as fats, leather, egg shells, whey and lactose will also be discussed.

STKM6033 The Science of Fats and Oils
This course discusses fat and oil processing to produce value added products. These include fractionation, hydrogenation, transesterification and blending to produce emulsifiers (sugar esters, DAG, MAG) and specialty fats (structured lipids, confectionary fats, shortenings). In addition, polymorphic characteristics of fats and oils and their importance in fat migration, compatibility and formation of fat bloom will also be discussed. The physico-chemical changes in fats and oils during cooking will also be explained. The role of dietary fats and oils in health and diseases (coronary heart diseases, obesity) will be explained.

STKM6043 Sugar and Chocolate Confection Technology
This course will deliberate comprehensively and scientifically on technology of sugar and chocolate confection thoroughly in theory and practice. Course scope will deliberate on specification, raw material, processing, quality control, shelf life, product development and acceptance. Discussion will also focus on several physicochemical aspects of product such as carbohydrate, sweetener, emulsifier and fat. Raw material and confection product that will be discussed are jelly and gum, cocoa products, nuts, sweetener, fat, cocoa butter alternatives, replacement fat, sweet and caramel. Thorough discussions on product processing that will be covered are on crystallization aspect, thickness, blend impact, pH impact, boiling point, food additive and storage.

STKM6113 Advanced Food Microbiology
In this course, scientific aspect of microbial contamination in food are discussed, the physiology and biochemistry of microorganisms in contaminated food, and the survival aspects of vegetative cells and microbial spores due to exposure to various food preservation techniques. Toxin production mechanisms by bacteria and its action which causes food poisoning by infection and intoxication are also discussed. Molecular epidemiology, rapid methods of bacterial sub typing and data analysis, and food borne diseases emerging issues and international legislation related to food microbiology are taught. The principles and use of predictive microbiology during food preservation to control food pathogens are introduced besides other topic such as microbial risk assessment and microbiological criteria. Recent techniques based on immunology and genetic for detecting and determining of foodborne microorganisms in food particularly pathogens are also discussed.

STKM6122 Experimental Technique in Food Science
This course will discuss the basic principles regarding the technique of conducting research in food science. Discussion will also include several methods in conducting experiments commonly practiced in the field of food science, data analysis and concluding experiment outputs along with the use of software to analyse data. This course will emphasize on hands-on practical aspects apart from the theory.

STKM6123 Advanced Food Chemistry
This course will deliberate on the chemistry of protein, carbohydrate and lipid, pertaining to the chemistry and biochemistry, giving special emphasis on appropriat instrumental analytical techniques to monitor physicochemical properties related to quality. Protein chemistry will be discussed on interaction of protein-water, protein-protein, protein-starch and protein-metal and their importance in food processing. Protein modification technology will also be discussed. Carbohydrate chemistry will cover detailed discussion on the structure-function relationship, modification and application in food industries. Lipid chemistry will cover topics such as the production of fats, classification of lipid, value added products, polymorphism, fat oxidation, structured lipid by interesterification and application of lipid in food systems. Techniques in fat and oils analysis will also be discussed.

STKM6243 Food Safety Management
Food quality control, total quality management (TQM) and food safety management in food industry will be discussed. This course will also discuss the concept of food risk analysis and food traceability. Students will also be introduced to the development of food laws and standards and the salient features of the Food Act 1983 and Regulations 1985 as well as Malaysian Standards for various food products. The role of Codex Alimentarius Commision in the development of various standards and guidelines pertaining to food production will also be discussed. Students are also exposed to the elements of organization management which are required to develop and administer a product quality assurance system. An effective quality assurance system is required to produce a good and safe product which can meet national and international standards. Principle of food hygiene, Codes of practice, Good Manufacturing Practice, Halal food, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and ISO9000 will be discussed. The development and administration of the regulations and rules pertaining to quality and safety systems will be covered in this course.

STKM6313 Food Quality
This course will discuss in depth the aspects of quality control in several types of food, with emphasis on foods for both local consumption as well as for export. This course will introduce students to the methods of drawing up specifications, standards as well as techniques for measurement of quality characteristics in various types of food, including determination of halal food. The quality and physiological changes relating to ripening and shelf life of tropical fruits will be discussed. Sensory evaluation techniques such as descriptive and quantitative analyses as well as flavor and texture profiling will also be discussed.

STKM6322 Current Techniques in Food Microbiology
In this course, current techniques in food microbiology are exposed to the graduate student. It includes the detection, identification and characterization of different techniques in food microbiology such as nucleic acid-based diagnostic and ELISA. Students are thought the common microbial contaminant in food and risk material of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). They are also exposed to data analysis and molecular epidemiology study from DNA finger printing obtained and explained current developments in nucleic acid-based diagnostic for determination of food contents from aspects of religious (Halal issues), safety, legislation and declaration. Besides that, explanation and problem solving method in issue related to microorganism will be exposed to the students.

STKM6323 Food Processing Operation
Food processing operation involves a series of unit operations which bring about changes in the raw materials. In an effort to produce food products which are safe, nutritious and stable, knowledge of the food product as well as the combination of the processing operation units are of utmost importance. This course discusses the physical and chemical properties of food and the operation units involved in raw material preparation, size reduction, mixing, forming, thickening, heating processes, frying, micro waving, filtration and extraction. This course will also cover the use of pulsed electric field, high pressure processing and ohmic heating in food processing.

STKM6712 Food and Nutritional Toxicology
This course discusses the basic and applied concepts of food and nutritional toxicology. Emphasis will be given on the absorption, distribution, metabolism (biotransformation) and excretion of food toxicants. Several natural and environmental toxicants will also be introduced. Emphasis will be placed on the mechanism, control and elimination of food toxicity.

STKM6722 Food Packaging
This course will cover the basic aspects of food packaging. Emphasis will be placed on the types of packaging materials available, their properties such as absorbency, tensile strength and the interaction between the food product and its packaging material. Methods of packaging, the role of packaging during transportation of foods and labeling will be discussed. The importance of packaging in food preservation and protection of food from spoilage and contamination during storage and transportation will be covered too. The properties of packaging materials which come into direct contact with food, controlled or modified atmosphere packaging and water, oxygen and carbon dioxide absorption materials will also be discussed.

STKM6973 Research Project I
Students are required to conduct a research project related to food science. This project will be conducted in one consecutive semesters. Title of the project will be provided by appointed supervisor. Evaluation of research project I is based on proposal presentation, written chapter I, II and III and progress throughout the semester.

STKM6986 Research Project II
Research Project II is the continuation of Research Project I. Upon completion of the project, the students will prepare a dissertation and defend its content during result oral examination. Regulation on preparations of the dissertation are stipulated in “The UKM Style Guide”.

• Bachelor’s Degree in relevant field with minimum CGPA 2.50 or equivalent, from any institutions of higher learning  recognized by the UKM Senate; or
• Bachelor’s Degree in relevant field with minimum CGPA 2.00 – 2.49 or equivalent, with minimum of 5 years working experience or research project in relevant field. Proof of the working experience of a foreign candidate should be acknowledge by the embassy of the respective country; or
• Fulfill Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL A) for local candidates only:
  • should be more than 30 years of age in the year of application; and
  • possess at least STPM or diploma in relevant field or other equivalent qualification recognized by the Government of Malaysia and approved by the UKM Senate; and
  • possess a certificate of MQA APEL with MQF Level 7

• An international student shall obtain minimum results of either

  1. Higher Education English Test (HEET) score 7, or
  2. TOEFL iBT score 46 or
  3. IELTS band 5.5 or
  4. An international student who comes from a country where English is the official language, or
     who has obtained academic qualifications from any institution of higher learning that uses
     English as the medium of instruction may be exempted from the requirement for HEET /
     TOEFL / IELTS).

1. Food Technologist Officer
2. Lecturer
3. Research Officer
4. Quality Officer
5. Scientist