June 2017

Mastering the science behind fish fingers and mayo: year 10 students get stuck in at UCB's Food Science Week

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Students from six local secondary schools got to grips with the fascinating science behind some of our favourite food with a packed programme of food and science workshops at UCB last week.

Specially designed around the GCSE curriculum for Food & Nutrition, the year 10 students enjoyed 3 fun-filled hours of practical sessions that gave them a fresh perspective on their school syllabus, the chance to work with state-of-the-art facilities, and a whistle stop tour of UCB’s College of Food. The timetable included an investigative workshop on fats and oils, a chat about courses and careers as well as a session putting students right in the heart of the kitchen - making fish goujons and mayonnaise.

On top of delivering in-depth, applied lessons on food science and nutrition, UCB’s Food Science week is also a chance for pupils to think about whether a career in the food industry could be the one for them – and if so, what their next steps should be to get there.

 “The food industry offers a diverse range of rewarding careers; from identifying and developing new food products, ensuring they meet quality standards though to getting them into the supermarkets and promoting their benefits to consumers.  Studying food post-16 can open doors to lots of fantastic opportunities – on top of being able to taste everything you create along the way” said Mandy Lloyd, Lecturer at UCB’s College of Food.

Food science, nutrition and product development are subject areas often overlooked by students at further education level, despite the fact they can lead to endless career opportunities within a diverse, constantly changing industry. With a guided tour of the facilities, lessons delivered by the University’s specialist Lecturers, and Student Ambassadors on hand at all times to answer any questions, Food Science Week gave the students real-life experience UCB and a good idea of exactly where a post-16 qualification from any of the University’s College of Food courses could take them next.

Michael Edwards, a Chef Lecturer at UCB who led some of Food Science Week’s practical sessions, added: “We hope that activity days like this give students something really memorable to take away from the experience and act as motivation to look at their options post-GCSEs. We always have a great time and it’s brilliant to see students enjoying themselves too.”

Learn about the courses offered by UCB’s College of Food.

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