1. Incorporating Sustainability Concepts into a Food Science Course
Leonard N. Bell, Ph.D.
Professor and Food Science Program Coordinator
Department of Poultry Science
Auburn University

2. FDSC 1000: Introductory Food Science
Three hour lecture course
Description
Overview of food science discipline including food selection, food composition, food safety and sanitation, food processing, packaging, commodity types, and food laws.
Student Demographics
Food Science majors
Poultry Science majors
Others take as an elective

3. The Modern Food System Production Processing Distribution Consumption
- growing plants
- raising animals
Processing
- transforming
- packaging
Distribution
- transporting
- storing
- marketing
Consumption
- purchasing
- preparing
- eating

4. Step 1 - Need Foundational Concepts

5. Step 1 - Need Foundational Concepts

6. Step 2 – Identify Relevant Sustainability Topics
Production
- growing plants
- raising animals
Processing
- transforming
- packaging
Distribution
- transporting
- storing
- marketing
Consumption
- purchasing
- preparing
- eating
Soil loss
Water usage
Fertilizer use
Gas tractors
Labor equity
Post-harvest food loss
Non-renewable energy
Water usage
Waste/Pollution (solid, liquid, gas)
Gas transportation
Employee well-being
Equity
Healthfulness
Food waste
Packaging waste

7. Summary of Sustainability Topics Covered (about 12% of course content)
Feeding the growing global population
Organic food, local food, GMO
Food insecurity and food deserts
Sustaining health through healthy food choices
Obesity
Food Diary assignment
Packaging
Reasons for use, strategies for lessening impact

8. Example with Triple Bottom Line

9. Some Topics Are Controversialb

10. Some Topics Are Eye-Openingb

11. Food Diary Project Three day food and beverage recall
Evaluate healthfulness
Identify needed changes
Typical findings

12. Challenges Need to cover existing base course material
Additions requiring removal of base course material
Sustainability content
Aspects of the Writing Plan
ePortfolio Project
University Common Book
What do I eliminate? (Step 3)
Examine curriculum for overlapping topics
Internet and social media “information”

13. Benefits
Students gain a broader perspective of their field of study within a sustainability context.
In FDSC 1000, students became more aware of:
Challenges associated with sufficient food production
Their patterns of food consumption
Post-harvest food waste
Packaging issues