22-S8 What’s In Your Food? The Chemistry of What Makes Food Healthy, Colorful and Delicious – Wishart, David

Ever wonder what gives bread its texture? What gives cooked bacon its aroma? How red peppers can save you from macular degeneration? This course will explore the chemistry of food and highlight some of the new discoveries that food chemists are making that are changing our ideas about food. We will learn about the compounds in food that affect texture, the molecules that affect colour, taste and aroma as well as the biology and chemistry of taste perception. We will also learn about how food is analyzed, which food chemicals are healthy (and which ones aren’t) – and why. The goal of this course is to take some of the mystery out of your food and make chemistry a bit more fun – and interesting.

 Instructor

Dr. David Wishart is a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta where he has taught since 1995. His research focuses on the nexus of chemistry, biology and nanotechnology. He has taught several ELLA courses on a variety of subjects.