MVI385 Food Product Development

The course is built around the following main themes:

1. Identifying new products (keys to success and failure, processing technology, food-/healthy products etc.).
2. Key requirements for successful product development (developing an innovation strategy, the PD-process, the knowledge base for PD, the consumer, tools/techniques in PD).
3. Statistical methods and data analyses in food PD
4. Technology management, sensory processes, product maintenance and nutritional aspects
5. Managing and improving PD, including case studies.

Knowledge: Students will acquire knowledge and techniques that can be used in responsible product development processes in the food industry from idea to successful product launch.

Skills: The Student will be able to acquire knowledge of the role of product development in an organization and apply, evaluate and elucidate factors of importance for successful product development. Skills emphasized are basic techniques in product development, teamwork, customer-oriented philosophy, project management and practical industrial application.

General competence: The course is divided into 5 main parts where the students will acquire competence about;

• Part 1: Examples of new foods, degree of innovation, strategy and management; - Causes of success or failure.
• Part 2: Instruments for successful product development;
  • 2.1 Innovation strategy
  • 2.2 The product development process
  • 2.3 Knowledge needs
  • 2.4 Customer orientation
• Part 3: Experimental design, data analysis, prescription- and sensory optimization.
• Part 4: Levels and management of the product development process.
• Part 5: Graduate project with a practical / theoretical task in product development where knowledge is combined with real challenges in cooperation with the Norwegian food industry (meat, fish, milk, vegetables, cereals).