Diploma in Food Science & Technology (S47) | Singapore Polytechnic

This module equips students with basic mathematical skills and knowledge in Algebra and Trigonometry to enable them to understand and solve engineering problems encountered in the course of studies. It also serves as a foundation for subsequent mathematics modules.

Provide essential knowledge in biochemistry and cell biology for the application in biomedical, food and biologics industry. Fundamental concepts in the Cell, biomolecules and energy will be introduced with real-world contexts to illustrate concepts taught and their applications.

This module aims to provide learners with knowledge and skills on risk assessment, handling of biohazardous materials and chemicals, decontamination, storage and disposal of biohazardous waste and chemical waste. Laboratory design, standard safe practices, containment equipment and personal protective equipment appropriate for each biosafety level and routes of transmission of biological agents in laboratories are covered.

This module aims to provide students with an overview as well as insights into the applications of chemistry in day-to-day life, covering products and applications related to perfumery, cosmetics and material sciences with an overview of sustainability issues. Designed as an active learning module, students will explore and relate fundamental scientific principles to practices in the various industries.

Upon completion of this module, students will develop an in-depth understanding of the electronic structure of atoms and its basis for the study of chemical bonding. Students will learn to apply the VSEPR model to visualise three dimensional structure of molecules and determine the possible types of interactions to explain the physical and chemical properties of matter. They will also learn the structure and bonding of matter and be able to predict trends in the properties of matter and its reaction. This will enable students to apply the fundamental ideas of conservations of matter and energy in stoichiometry and thermochemistry. The module also aims to equip students with the analytical and observation skills and techniques critical for working in a chemical laboratory by exposing them to a range of experimental techniques in the areas of titration, thermochemistry and qualitative inorganic analysis.

Upon completion of this module, students will develop a basic understanding that changes in matter involved the study of its feasibility due to kinetics and thermodynamics consideration and extent of change. The qualitative and quantitative aspects of chemical kinetics are introduced to students and this will form the basis for the study of chemical equilibrium, including chemical equilibria in aqueous media involving acids and bases. Topics in organic chemistry will introduce students to basic concepts on how simple molecules can be constructed and applied to organic reaction transformations and functional group interconversion. This provides students the opportunity to apply their knowledge on structure and bonding to understand the structure and reactivity of organic molecules. The module also aims to equip students with the analytical and observation skills critical for working in a chemical laboratory by exposing them to a range of experimental skills and techniques in the areas of reaction kinetics, simple organic synthesis and purification and qualitative organic analysis.

Find out what goes into a healthy and productive team where ideas, insights, and responsibilities are shared meaningfully. Sharpen your interpersonal and communication skills to collaborate effectively in a digital environment.

This module aims to help students discover their strengths, values and interests. It also supports students in making informed educational and career choices to achieve their career aspirations.

Acquire the skills needed to write in clear and concise English to effectively communicate an intended message to your target audience. Apply these skills when writing for specific contexts, such as scenarios related to the SDGs.

Please refer to Elective Modules Framework for more information.

This module equips students with the necessary mathematical knowledge and skills to solve problems encountered in their course of study. Among the topics covered are Determinants and Matrices, Complex Numbers and Calculus.

Provides basic practical laboratory skills and theoretical knowledge to analyse the contents of chemical compounds using various forms of spectroscopy and chromatography. Sampling and solvent extraction used in analyses are also covered in this module.

This module aims to provide students with an overview to the role of food science and technology in providing safe, sustainable and quality food products, from farm to fork, locally and globally. Students will examine various foods and their technologies, such as cereal science, beverage science, meat science and dairy science. Upon completion of this module, students will also be able to understand and apply basic processing principles such as unit conversions, material balance and liquid transport for the design and management of various stages of processing relating to these food science topics.

Provide essential knowledge of microbiology and genetics for the applications in biomedical, food and biologics industry. Fundamental concepts in Microbiology, genetics, evolution and inheritance will be introduced with hands on session to illustrate concepts taught and their applications.

Develop data visualisation skills and apply narrative elements and persuasive delivery techniques to communicate data effectively. Learn to craft compelling narratives, based on hard facts and data, to call stakeholders into taking action to tackle the SDGs.

Develop critical and analytical thinking skills, along with the ability to present your point of view with credible and relevant evidence. Enhance your knowledge and appreciation of local and global issues covered in the 17 SDGs, with a focus on the former.

Learn the broad overview of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its societal and ethical impact on modern society. Build a simple AI model with a drag-and-drop tool and consider how the use of AI can address a chosen SDG.

Provides students with the fundamentals of organic synthesis and reaction mechanisms. Topics include stereochemistry, chemical kinetics, substitution, addition and elimination reactions.

Develop data fluency skills such as formulating questions, processing and analysing data to articulate numerical and graphical summaries. Build a simple data dashboard to generate insights and support a solution for a chosen SDG.

Please refer to Elective Modules Framework for more information.

Provides a unified picture of food from a chemical standpoint. The primary emphasis is on the composition of foods and the changes when they are subjected to processing. At the end of the module, the students will have competence to comprehension level in basic food biochemistry viz. water, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and enzymes sufficient for them to tackle other subjects in Food Science and Technology in the subsequent modules.

To feed an ever growing world population, food need to be mass produced in manufacturing facilities. In order to preserve their sensory appeals, specific food ingredients or additives must be included. Students will learn about the knowledge and functions of various ingredients used in processed foods. They will also learn the technique of applying these ingredients in the laboratory setting.

Aims to reinforce the students' understanding of the microbial world. This module will emphasise on the students' practical skills in the areas of new foodborne pathogenic microorganisms. The students will be taught on the improved methods for detecting and enumerating foodborne microorganisms and spoilage microorganisms. This will enable them to acquire and develop a full appreciation of the microbiological techniques which will enable them to take on responsibility in maintaining the quality and safety of our foods.

Food is susceptible to deterioration and spoilage due to the deleterious effects of natural enzymes, microorganisms, pests and the environment (e.g. temperature, air and humidity). Food spoilage can be reduced or prevented by employing certain preservation methods to stabilise and preserve its quality and safety. It is therefore the aim of this module to provide students with the knowledge and understanding of how foods can be preserved through these means. Students will learn the basic hands-on skills to operate commonly used food preservation equipment. Students will also learn to be safety conscious when working with the various food processing equipment.

Aims to prepare students for the large scale production of foods in order to extend the shelf life and add value to raw materials. Students will learn the fundamental principles and engineering concepts needed in the separation and purification operations in the food processing industry. This module builds on the earlier Food Processing knowledge and provides the foundation for Process Design and Implementation in which separation and purification processes are needed in the production process design of any given food product.

This module aims to develop students’ expertise in designing, developing and evaluating new food products with the adoption of design thinking. Students will learn various affective methods of assessing sensory properties of food and use statistical method to analyse the sensory data. Different packaging materials and techniques will also be covered. With a sound understanding in food product development, sensory analysis and packaging technologies, students will apply their knowledge and skills to develop food products for consumer acceptability.

When food is processed on a large scale, there are many instances where safety may be compromised and consequently their consumption may adversely affect the health and safety of the consumer. The knowledge and understanding of food safety, quality and quality systems as well as legislation thus become important to anyone working in food processing and production. At the end of the module, students will would have a good overview of the standards and legislations relating to the quality and safety of the ingredients, processing systems and equipment as well as the packaging and sale of the food product to ensure safe consumption and customer satisfaction.

This module provides students with a basic understanding of the science of nutrition and the importance of nutritional adequacy and balance for health and optimal growth for different stages of life. The essential nutrients including their digestion, absorption and function in the human body will be covered. Students will learn about dietary sources of nutrients and the implications of inadequate and excessive intake on health and also on food labelling. They will be able to design balanced meals and perform indirect nutrient analysis using on-line food databases. Students will be able to apply healthy eating to their daily living and relate nutrition’s growing importance in the food industry.

The aim of this module is to introduce students to elementary probability theory, as well as basic statistical principles, concepts and methods that are required in applied research. The topics cover both descriptive and inferential statistics; including summary statistics and graphs, probability distributions, sampling distribution, estimation, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance and simple linear regression.

Work in multi-disciplinary groups to apply design thinking methods, backed by research and qualitative data, to tackle local sustainable issues mapped to the SDGs. Tap into knowledge and skills learnt in CCC modules to create innovative prototypes for real-life issues faced by local communities.

Please refer to Elective Modules Framework for more information.

Internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. The internship aims to give students the opportunities to apply the knowledge, skills and competencies related to food science and technology. It enables students to develop technical skills and gain working experience in the industries/ companies. In addition, students will also develop values and attitudes in the aspects of work performance, communication, problem solving skills, and responsibility, work and time management.

Get a head start in your career with the necessary skill sets, knowledge and tools to create your very own personal brand. Learn effective strategies to set yourself apart from the competition, and put it to good use and create awareness about the SDGs.

This modules enables the application and integration of the knowledge and skills acquired throughout the course to solve practical problems involving food product design and development, shelf life study, food analysis, packaging and food processing. Students work in small groups under the supervision of a lecturer. Student will be assessed on their ability to carry out a research project and interpersonal skills.