Food Quality and Innovation MSc

Never before has the quality of food been more important in our society. Governments across the world are putting pressure on the food industry to ensure products are safe and made to a high standard. That’s why the demand for qualified experts in this field is ever-growing — and the career opportunities are vast.

The Food Quality and Innovation MSc is designed around the entire process of food product development — from concept to launch. We focus on consumer-led product development, where consumers play a key role during the whole development process. You’ll develop the in-depth specialist knowledge needed to ensure that newly developed food products meet the necessary processing requirements for ensuring the quality and safety of food. Alongside this, you’ll gain a broad understanding of legislation and how this impacts the industry.

It’s this combination of scientific acumen, awareness of international requirements and the industry-relevant skill set in areas, like sensory evaluation and product design, that’ll attract employers in the industry.

Studying an MSc in the School of Food Science and Nutrition at Leeds will also give you access to specialist facilities that’ll prepare you for working in the field and a programme team consisting of academics and researchers who work within the School’s research institutes and groups.

Accreditation

This degree is accredited by the Institute of Food Science and Technology.

This accreditation signifies that Leeds offers the best possible food-related education, giving students the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to enter into employment in the food industry, research, education and the public sector.

Learning and teaching

Teaching is through a combination of lectures, practical classes, tutorials, seminars and supervised research projects. Extensive use is made of IT and a wide range of materials are available to enable you to study at your own pace and in your own time, to enhance and extend the material taught formally.

Specialist facilities

You’ll have access to excellent teaching and laboratory facilities, supplemented by extensive computing equipment. Our specialist facilities have the latest instrumental equipment for the characterisation of food components, including HPLC and GC-MS and a sensory testing facility.

Our Virtual Learning Environment will help to support your studies: it’s a central place where you can find all the information and resources for the School, your programme and modules.

You can also benefit from support to develop your academic skills, within the curriculum and through online resources, workshops, one-to-one appointments and drop-in sessions.

Programme team

Dr Peter Ho is Programme Leader for Food Quality and Innovation. His primary research interests are in sensory science, food choice and measurement. He is interested in the application of statistical modelling, experimental design and multivariate analysis techniques in food product development, product quality design, process and product optimisation and process monitoring.

The wider programme team is made up of academics and researchers from across the School of Food Science and Nutrition who work within the School’s research institutes and groups.

In this course, you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

We bring together experts in computer science, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, physics and astronomy to deliver outstanding student education and research within the following schools.

Our schools

• Chemical and Process Engineering
• Chemistry
• Civil Engineering
• Computing
• Electronic and Electrical Engineering
• Mathematics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Physics and Astronomy

Research and innovation

The range and scope of our research are extensive and cover all of the major engineering disciplines, mathematics and physical sciences, integrating fundamental science and mathematical modelling with the development of processes, devices and technologies that can address challenges of national and global importance.

Research areas

• Explore our multidisciplinary research areas which bring together engineers and scientists to work on challenges of global importance.
• Robotics - An interdisciplinary network driving innovation in robotics research.
• Materials - The Bragg Centre aims to discover, create and design new materials.
• Data Analytics - The Leeds Institute for Data Analytics ensures a new understanding of health and behaviour from vast data collections
• Fluid dynamics - The Leeds Institute for Fluid Dynamics brings together cross-disciplinary expertise to maximise the impact of fluids research
• Medical technologies - The Medical Technologies IKC develops innovative technological solutions for improving health and restoring body function
• Functional surfaces - Scientific and engineering expertise in tribology, corrosion and surface engineering