Food Ingredient Functionality

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 the mechanism of action of techno-functional ingredients
• Argue why ingredients with similar chemical structures can have different techno-functionalities
• Analyse how ingredient functionality can be influenced by processing
• Argue the effect of interactions between different food ingredients under different conditions

We explore various aspects of food ingredient functionality, including an overview of polysaccharide and protein ingredients and their applications, the interchangeability of components, structure-function relationships and the behaviour of elements in food systems. We also cover the effect of polysaccharide and protein ingredient modification and the effect on functionality. By the end of this course, you'll have a solid understanding of how these ingredients function and how they can be optimised for various purposes.

The activities during this course comprise knowledge clips, self-study of the reader, case studies and exercises.. The knowledge clips and reader provide the theoretical background of the different topics. This will be complemented with practicing materials such as exercises.

Combining courses
When you want to learn more about ingredient functionality, other courses are interesting for you too! You can deepen your knowledge in a specific career field, without following a complete 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 February 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,-.