| Unit name | Meat Processing (Distance Learning) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | VETSM0032 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Sheard |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
Core Skills 1 and Biochemistry and Meat Quality. |
| Co-requisites |
Three other 20 credit units (below) for PgD (6 units) and MSc (6 units plus Core Skills 2 and Research Project). Animal Production, Animal welfare, Meat Hygiene and Public Health. |
| School/department | Bristol Veterinary School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health Sciences |
Products such as bacon and ham, sausages and ready meals form an important part of the diet in many developed countries. Many processes – curing, salting, marination, fermentation and canning– were developed to preserve meat before refrigeration and freezing were widely adopted. This unit describes the technologies used in the commercial production of the most important meat products, the multi-functional roles of the major ingredients, and the major factors affecting shelf life, safety and eating quality. Dietary and nutritional implications are also considered, along with options for reducing salt, fat and other key ingredients. The difficulties in using PSE meat or tainted pork in further processing is also considered along with some common problems eg white exudate in bacon. The legislation governing the labelling of meat products is also covered.
Students will be able to demonstrate a systematic knowledge and understanding of the technologies used in the commercial production of the most important meat products, labelling issues, the multi-functional roles of the major ingredients, and the major factors affecting shelf life, safety, eating quality and nutrition.
Students will also be able to:
A blended learning approach has been adopted, combining online delivery of course material with face to face contact, developed in accordance with the ‘principles for designing and providing distance learning at the University of Bristol’ (annex 3 in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes).
The distance learning material is hosted on a web-based platform (Blackboard) that supports written, audio and video material. Students have password-protected access to Blackboard and other electronic resources at the University of Bristol via the internet. Students can work online or download the core materials to study in their own time thus providing a highly flexible learning environment for students who combine full-time work with part-time study. Coursework is submitted electronically via Blackboard which also hosts discussion groups. Course tutors are on hand via email and telephone to support students and deal with any queries. Interaction with staff and networking with other students is encouraged with the aim of developing a community of active learners.
The online taught material is divided into 4 lecture sets which develop the subject in a logical order and includes a ‘discussion board’ at the end of each set of lectures. Usually there are 7 lectures in each lecture set. Each lecture has a set of powerpoint slides, written notes (with references for further reading), and an audio presentation. The latter are usually no longer than 20 minutes or, if longer, broken up with multiple choice questions (MCQs). There are further MCQs at the end of each lecture set that must be completed before students are able to progress to the next lecture set.
All students also have access to University of Bristol online journals, the e-book collection and electronic search engines eg Web of Science.
Attendance is required for a factory visit, the student-led oral presentations and the examination.
Knowledge, understanding and other higher level skills are assessed by a combination of coursework (50% of available marks) and a 3 hour written examination (50% of available marks).
Coursework consists of a fully referenced essay (~2500 words), an online multiple choice question (MCQ) test, and a visit report (~1500 words). The essay, online test and visit report account for 60, 30 and 10%, respectively, of the marks allocated for coursework.
Students can select an essay from a list of titles, allowing individuals to develop an area of particular interest. Students must review the available literature on the topic using appropriate electronic resources, present a summary of the main findings in 2500 words (excluding tables, references and figures), and demonstrate a critical awareness of current issues. The essays are submitted electronically through Blackboard and checked for plagiarism.
Students must produce a 1500 word report on a ready meal processor or a bacon producer that summarises and analyses what they have observed.
The 3 hour unseen examination paper has a mandatory 5-part question designed to test breadth of knowledge, and a choice of essay-style questions (3 from 6) designed to test depth of knowledge and understanding of the subject area, including past and current research.
There is a strong reliance on original research papers from various journals (eg Meat Science) that can be accessed through the library or using the University’s electronic resources. The following books are also helpful.
