Advanced Biochemical Analysis of Foods: Product Composition

To be able to participate in the course, you are expected to have at least a BSc level of education in Food Science and Technology or a related field, such as Chemical Engineering or Biotechnology.

The language of instruction of this course is in English. Admission to the course requires a level of English as described at the webpage linked in the right-hand column.

• Explain which analytical techniques are applied to analyse food composition.
• Describe the basic principles of these analytical methods.
• Select these analytical techniques.
• Interpret results from these analytical methods.
• Identify errors in results from these analytical methods.

This course will equip you with diverse techniques for analysing ingredient composition in food products. From the basics of these techniques to their real-world applications and industrial use, you will gain invaluable insights into quality assurance, quality control, and academic research.
Explore fascinating topics such as near-infra-red, Dumas, total sugar content, total phenolics, gas/liquid chromatography principles and mass spectrometry. Uncover the impact of sample preparation on analysis results and delve into fascinating case studies like melamine in milk, maillard reaction products, and health claims of HMOs.

The online master's course consists of online knowledge clips and animations (e.g., mass spectrometry, chromatography). Also, it includes E-learning material (online cases covering the understanding of techniques and data analysis) and group work in the form of a research case, including the development of an experimental setup followed by data analysis of a dataset provided.
All information will be provided on Brightspace.

Combining courses
When you want to learn more about food biotechnology and processing, other courses are interesting for you too. You can deepen your knowledge in a specific career field without completing a Master's programme. You can register for any combination, but please consider our suggestions in the right-hand column.

Upon successful completion, a digital micro-credentials certificate (EduBadge) with 3 study credits (ECTS) is issued. The EduBadge certifies the learning outcomes of short-term learning experiences, marking the quality of a course.

Participation in the remote proctored exam is optional. If you decide not to participate in the exam, you do not qualify for a certificate and/or micro-credentials. The exam is included in the course price. The date of examination is 20 November 2026.

After completion of two or more courses, there is a unique opportunity to apply what you have learned. You can start a capstone project in consultation with a Wageningen expert in the field. It is a tailor-made project where you will write a short paper about your results and conclusions. During this work, you will be coached by an expert. Price: €1,230,-.