Advanced Biochemical Analysis of Foods: Product Authenticity and Toxicology

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.

• Detect toxins, adulteration, and bio-functional compounds.
• Understand principles and select appropriate techniques.
• Interpret results from these analytical methods.

Unlock the secrets hidden within food materials. Discover the pivotal role of component analysis in research, quality control, and tracing the origin of food materials. We understand that analysing the complex composition of food products can be challenging. That's why we provide comprehensive knowledge and practical skills to ensure you can accurately diagnose the specific compounds you need.

Throughout the course, you will explore various cutting-edge techniques, for example, chromatography, mass spectrometry, fingerprinting, isotope analysis, chemometrics, and NMR. In addition, you will delve into biochemical analysis techniques, including bio(chemical)-assays, immune assays, and PCR.

The methods have broad applications in food research and development. But also in tracing and tracking, authenticity assessments, allergen detection, assessing bio-functionality, and ensuring chemical food safety.

Discover applications of these analysis techniques with examples such as authenticity issues with parmesan cheese, health claims, pesticides, marine biotoxins, and dioxins. We aim to provide you with the knowledge and skills to confidently apply bio-assays and chemical analysis techniques. You'll learn how to interpret results and assess their significance. Let us empower you to unlock the potential of these valuable tools.

The online master's course consists of three parts:

• Knowledge clips and animations (covering a.o. mass spectrometry, chromatography, chemometrics and biological assays)
• E-learning material (online cases covering understanding of techniques and data analysis)
• Group work in the form of a research case including the development of an experimental setup followed by data analysis of a dataset provided

Combining courses
When you want to learn more about biochemistry of food, 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 18 December 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.

This 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,-.