FDSC 4220 - Foods, Dietary Supplements, and Health

Spring. 2 credits. Letter grades only (no audit).

Prerequisite: basic biochemistry course or permission of instructor. Co-meets with FDSC 6220.

R.H. Liu.

Covers functional foods and nutraceuticals, bioactive compounds, antioxidants and dietary supplements, micronutrient fortification, botanicals, and herbs in disease prevention and health promotion. Emphasizes the mechanisms of action and scientific evidence of efficacy. Biomarkers, safety and efficacy testing, and regulations for functional foods and nutraceuticals are discussed.

Outcome 1: Apply the scientific principles necessary to evaluate the benefits and risk of foods and dietary supplements.

Outcome 2: Evaluate the latest information on the rapidly growing field of foods and dietary supplements.

Outcome 3: Integrate and apply core competencies in Food Chemistry and Nutrition to solve/explain practical product development in foods and dietary supplements.

Outcome 4: Explain the roles of nutrients and bioactive compounds in foods and dietary supplements that impact human health.

Outcome 5: Confidently apply the problem solving and systems analysis skills described above to new situations. Students who take the graduate level course, FDSC 6220, will be required to write a comprehensive literature review in addition to the work in FDSC 4220.