FB3NPD: New Product Development

Module code: FB3NPD

Module provider: Food and Nutritional Sciences; School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Dr Maria Oruna-Concha, email: m.j.oruna-concha@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Stephanie Bull, email: stephanie.bull@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module you will design, develop and evaluate food products meeting current consumer needs. You will integrate knowledge and skills from across the programmes, as it prepares you for the global workplace, collaborating as teams to develop your new product. On completion of this module, you will be able to provide detailed consideration of the stages and processes in new food product development.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Collaboratively plan, design and execute a strategy for creating a new food product
2. Evaluate the progression of a new food product from the development stage to commercial production considering product lifecycle and environmental impact
3. Prepare a defined product specification
4. Disseminate and communicate professionally to food industry stakeholders

Module content

The module starts with lectures and workshops covering the key skills that will be needed to develop a new food product: innovation funnel, current briefs, market credibility & research, project planning, quality, reformulation, eco-innovation, business planning, nutrition, sensory.

Students will then work in groups across both semesters to develop these elements of their product following the innovation funnel, guided by lecturers and industry experts through workshops and tutorials.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

There will be some introductory lectures involving food specialists. Then, students, working in groups, will be given a product concept and will be required to consider all aspects of the development of a product meeting the concept brief. Students will have access to the food processing plant and other preparation areas to prepare samples and develop their ideas. Each student will be required to make their individual contribution to a written group report on the product and will be required to contribute to a group presentation at the final product showcase.

Study hours

At least 25 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Discussion board reflecting on learnings from food fair visit

Group presentation of project ideas

Reassessment

Additional costs