Q&A with Functional Foods & Product Development Course Director, Daniel Granato

Daniel Granato is a University of Limerick professor who loves teaching and researching. He is currently the Scientific Editor of the Comprehensive Reviews on Food Science and Food Safety, and Food Chemistry: X and a Senior Editor of Food Chemistry, and is on the editorial board of Food Research International, Current Opinion on Food Science, and Molecules. His expertise includes Food chemistry & Functional ingredients and foods, Dairy Science and Technology, Antioxidants and analytical methods, Design of experiments & Chemometrics, Sensory analysis and Shelf-life studies. 

As the course director for the Functional Foods and Product Development programme, Daniel sheds light on questions or concerns that students have with this Q & A.
 

1.    How does the Masters programme compare to other similar programmes such as Food Science, Food Technology and Food Chemistry?

• There are many taught MSc programs in food science, technology and nutrition in the EU, while in Ireland, the focus of MSc is on business innovation, food science and dairy science. At the same time, Ireland produces many food ingredients, and food companies need expertise in product development strategies and optimization of processes. This is where UL fills this massive gap in the Irish (and EU) market: we offer a taught MSc in Functional Foods and Product Development, where the students learn how to master the statistical techniques, business strategies, and methodological approaches to optimize and improve food/beverage formulations. The course program offers a wide variety of Modules that will aid the student in designing in vitro (i.e., chemical and cell-based protocols) and in vivo (i.e. yeasts, animals, and human interventions) protocols.
   
• To have more hands-on experience, students are offered the opportunity to work on a research project in the last months of the MSc, where all the learning in previous months will be put into practice. We are the only university on the island to provide such a multi-disciplinary Programme. Through the applied research project, students will develop their scientific and technical skills on different topics, such as analytical and organic chemistry, food technologies, regulatory issues, and oral/writing abilities. The student will be able to analyse data and make inferences about the effectiveness/functionality of the ingredient and/or food models developed.

2.    What is the focus of the curriculum and how is the programme structured?

The MSc can be undertaken full-time (12 months) or part-time (24 months). All the content is divided into two (full-time) or four (part-time) semesters, where the modules are taught in the classroom (in-person lectures). For the full-time MSc, five modules are taught each semester, whereas, in the part-time MSc, two or three modules are taught, depending on the semester. The research projects need to be performed under the auspices of the two departments of biological sciences – in the laboratories.

3.    What skills or knowledge do applicants need to complete this programme?

The student should have basic mathematics, food chemistry, and human nutrition knowledge. During the modules, specific topics are required from the students, but the module leader always provides essential information. For the completion of the MSc, a thesis should be prepared based on a review of the literature (desk-based projects) or experimental-based scientific work (lab-based projects). Either way, the student has to compose a dissertation, follow specific guidelines, and present the project results to examiners, who will assess the student’s performance on the research project.

4.    What can applicants do to improve their chances of admission?

Applicants should generally have a primary degree (Level 8 - NFQ or other internationally recognized equivalent) with a minimum second-class hon, in a relevant branch of Food Science and Health Sciences (i.e., Nutrition and Pharmacy) or Food, Biosciences, Bioprocessing/Biotechnology and Chemical Engineering. Chemistry, Food Technology, Food Engineering, and Biology degrees are also accepted.

5.    Are internships a part of this Masters programme? 

No, however, students have the opportunity to have interactive experimental classes in some modules. In the last 3 months of the MSc, the student may work on their project for 12 weeks in a laboratory. This will enhance knowledge generation and put into practice the theoretical aspects of some modules.

6.    What are the career prospects upon completion of the FFPD course?
 
Students can work in any food or pharma company focused on product development, ingredient manufacture, and functional foods (e.g., clinical research sector). For those who opt to continue working in research, PhD studies in food science and technology, nutrition, biosciences, and applied chemistry, represent another prospective field.