Integrated product innovation in the food industry

• Analyse a complex task assignment and plan its completion and deliverables.
• Develop and design a plausible product concept, including relevant alternatives.
• Describe advantages and disadvantages of relevant packaging materials and packaging design in relation to transport, storage and sales.
• Investigate and acquire relevant business and market information, including the end-user (consumer).
• Calculate variable and fixed costs associated with a new product.
• Identify important technological challenges and suggest solutions.
• Identify suitable analytical procedures for production control.
• Demonstrate and report overview and in-depth solutions to the task assignment with respect to both technological and commercial challenges.
• Be able to prepare a manuscript meeting a specific format defined by a journal selected for publishing. This includes proper use and citation of relevant literature.

The course is carried out as group work in teams of 3 students (optional 2 or 4 students). Each team will work on a specific product development task.
Each team will decide about the target for a novel food product to develop. The targets and the teams will be defined through brain storming sessions during the first weeks of the course. Students are advised to consider and propose ideas for novel food products to work on during the course.
Stage gate project management will be introduced and applied on the work of the project teams.
Subjects of specific relevance for food product development will be introduced by lectures given by invited experts from industry and DTU. These subjects are likely to cover sensoric analysis, consumer analysis, life cycle analysis, sustainability, process economy, packaging, food ingredients, and industrial project management.
Each team must prepare a prototype of the food product and the team prepares a report describing the key issues for the product. The key issues will include: target market, consumer acceptability, production process, product quality, cost calculation, product pricing, way of distribution etc.
The report will be prepared in the format of a manuscript for a scientific food journal or a conference proceeding.
The progress during the course will be monitored through two stage/gate meetings.
The final assessment is based on the report, an oral group presentation, and an individual oral exam.

Food technology, chemistry and microbiology on a bachelor level.

Project work (theoretical as well as experimental) with frequent status discussions and some lectures, also with contributions from guest lectures from the food industry.

Minimum: 6.

Please be aware that this course will only be held if the required minimum number of participants is met. You will be informed 8 days before the start of the course, whether the course will be held.