Overview

Overview

Since winter semester 2007/08 students have been able to enrol in the Bachelor's course in Food Chemistry at Justus-Liebig-University Gießen. In the winter semester 2010/11 a consecutive Master's course was started. As a result JLU Gießen is the only tertiary institution in Hesse at which degree programmes in the area of food chemistry are offered, thus ensuring that the training to become a food chemist, which is absolutely necessary for consumer protection in Hesse, is in place.

The Master's degree course Food Chemistry is remarkable for its emphasis on interdisciplinary aspects as many classes from different departments and faculties are part of the study plan.
The degree course imparts deeper knowledge of all the important areas of nutrition chemistry.

This  implies a solid knowledge of food chemistry, the chemistry and analysis of drinking water and waste water, food toxicology, food technology, quality management, food safety and food law. Apart from that, the subjects of study include: environmental analysis, articles of daily use and cosmetics and animal  feed. Current developments in food chemistry are covered by classes on immunological and molecular processes in food analytics (e.g. allergens, genetically modified food), through to molecular sensory analysis (odorous and flavouring substances, flavour enhancers).

The final Master's thesis gives the students access to a complex set of food chemistry questions and problems to be answered/solved in a structured way, teaching, at the same time, typical skills for problem solving in practice and research.

The Giessen degree courses are characterized by the careful attention they give to current developments and problem areas in food chemistry today. In these the emphasis is placed on the study and legal analysis of our most important food – drinking water – and also animal feed. With the reliable detection and quantification of contamination, the presence of allergens, genetically modified food or food ingredients, the requirements of German food and feed code are taken into account. A specialization in food biotechnology is possible within the framework of the elective module and in-depth placements.