Systems approaches and metrics for quantifying the sustainability of food products. Course covers essential topics, technologies, and assessment tools for sustainable water, energy, and waste management in food processing while understanding the roles and interactions between policy, suppliers, and consumers.
Athena Title
Sustainable Food Systems
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, students should be able to analyze the sustainability of food products and processes using systems approaches.
On successful completion of this course, students should be able to perform environmental life-cycle analysis and impact assessment of food products and processes.
On successful completion of this course, students should be able to perform techno-economic analysis of food products and processes.
On successful completion of this course, students should be able to understand key topics, technologies, practices, and assessment tools for sustainable water, energy, and waste management in food processing.
On successful completion of this course, students should be able to understand interactions between policy, technology, suppliers, and consumers in sustainable food systems.
On successful completion of this course, students should be able to identify food waste reduction, recovery, up-cycling, and optimization opportunities during food processing.
Topical Outline
Introduction to Sustainable Food Systems Engineering
Global Significance and Interrelationship of Food, Water, and Energy
Farming Systems and the Environment
Interaction of Food Systems and Human Well-Being
Food Supply Chains
Mass and Energy Balance in Systems Analysis
Energy and Exergy Analysis with 1st- and 2nd-Law Thermodynamics
Relevant Unit Processes and Technologies in Food Processing
Food Residue Characterization, Recovery, and Conversion Technologies
Environmental Life Cycle Analysis (LCA): Methodology and Application
Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA): Methodology and Application
LCA-TEA Integration and Optimization Using Systems Engineering Techniques
Social Implications, Policy, and Stakeholder Interactions at the Food, Water, Energy Nexus
