Courses / Science, Engineering & Maths

Food Science and Nutrition: From the Farm to You

Follow food’s fascinating journey from the farm to your body and explore new food technologies and nutrition around the world.

Food Science and Nutrition: From the Farm to You

Join course for free
Overview
Topics
Start dates
Requirements
Educators
More courses
Overview
Topics
Start dates
Requirements
Educators
More courses
  • Duration 2 weeks
  • Weekly study 2 hours
  • Learn Free
  • Extra benefits From $44 Find out more

Discover the science of food and understand the value of nutrition in our diets

On this course, you’ll learn how food science and nutrition helps us to understand and study the fascinating world of food.

You’ll explore the food supply chain and learn how food processing can make food healthier.

You’ll examine how new food technologies are revolutionising food production and how new products are developed.

You’ll also explore how nutritional needs vary in different countries and how policies on nutrition are developed.

Through case studies, you’ll understand the importance of micro and macronutrients and explore what happens to food whilst it’s in your body.

Download video: standard or HD

What topics will you cover?

  • The opportunities and challenges inherent in the modern food supply chain – from farm to fork.
  • The importance of food processing and novel food processing techniques, such as 3D printing.
  • How food molecules perform different important functions in your body.
  • How new food products are developed and optimised to appeal to the target consumer base.
  • The importance of nutrition and the impact of different public health initiatives from around the world.
  • The health benefits of certain foods.
  • The process of digestion and biochemical pathways of food in the body.

When would you like to start?

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

  • Explore the importance of food processing in the journey from farm to fork to understand how crops are converted into nutritious and appealing food items for consumers.
  • Evaluate the foundations of nutritional advice provided by governments by applying scientific knowledge about nutrition and considering factors that influence decision-making when it comes to food.
  • Analyse the biological pathways of digestion to discover how different nutrients travel and are absorbed by the body.
  • Apply New Product Development (NPD) principles to design a new food product that responds to a market need, which can also provide health benefits and appeal to the senses.

Who is the course for?

The course is designed for anyone interested in exploring food’s journey from the farm all the way to what happens inside our bodies.

It will be particularly useful for students who want to study food science or nutrition at university.

The course is part of the Going to University collection and completing it can help improve your university application by broadening your understanding of food science and nutrition and developing your independent learning skills.

The course can also be used as a teachers’ classroom enrichment resource.

The material could also be included in biology, chemistry, physics, or engineering classes.

Who will you learn with?

Mathew Francis

Mathew Francis

I am a Teaching Fellow in Food Science researching new methods of acoustic characterisation

Who developed the course?

University of Leeds

As one of the UK’s largest research-based universities, the University of Leeds is a member of the prestigious Russell Group and a centre of excellence for teaching.

Join this course

Start this course for free, upgrade for extra benefits, or buy Unlimited to access this course and hundreds of other short courses for a year.

Free
$0

Join free and you will get:

  • Access to this course for 4 weeks

Upgrade
$44

Upgrade this course and you will get:

  • Access to this course for as long as it’s on FutureLearn
  • Access to this course’s tests as well as a print and digital Certificate of Achievement once you’re eligible
Join and upgrade
New

Unlimited (New!)
$249 $199 for one year

Buy Unlimited and you will get:

  • Access to this course, and hundreds of other FutureLearn short courses and tests for a year
  • A printable digital Certificate of Achievement on all short courses once you’re eligible
  • The freedom to keep access to any course you've achieved a digital Certificate of Achievement on, for as long as the course exists on FutureLearn
  • The flexibility to complete your choice of short courses in your own time within the year
Find out more about upgrades or Unlimited.
Available until . T&Cs apply.

More courses you might like

Learners who joined this course have also enjoyed these courses.