| Unit name | Biochemistry and Meat Quality |
|---|---|
| Unit code | VETSM0024 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Mr. Brown |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
Core skills 1 unit |
| Co-requisites |
Other units required for completion of PgC (3 units, 20 credits), PgD (6 units, 20 credits) and MSc (6 units + Core Skills 2 + Research Project). Animal production unit Animal welfare Poultry processing Meat hygiene and public health Meat processing |
| School/department | Bristol Veterinary School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health Sciences |
The unit describes the structure and biochemistry of living muscle and the changes that occur in its conversion to meat. It also examines the characteristics associated with the composition, appearance, technological properties and eating quality of meat, how these can be measured and the ante and post-mortem factors that influence them.
Students will be able to demonstrate a systematic knowledge and understanding of:
Students will also be able to:
The unit has 24 hours of lectures and includes student-led oral presentations. It also includes a 4 hour practical class measuring the colour, pH, water holding capacity (drip and Grau Hamm) and texture of beef, pork, lamb, and poultry. For most lectures, students receive printed copies of powerpoint slides and comprehensive course notes including references for further reading.
The unit has a separate Blackboard site that hosts all the lectured material and includes online multiple choice questions for formative assessment. Each lecture has a set of powerpoint slides, written notes (with references for further reading), and an audio presentation. The site also includes full details of coursework requirements, and past exam papers. Coursework is submitted electronically and checked for plagiarism.
Knowledge, understanding and other M level skills are assessed by a combination of coursework (50% of available marks) and a 3 hour written examination (50% of available marks).
Coursework consists of a fully referenced essay (~2500 words) (50% of coursework marks) and a practical that will be written up in the form of a brief research paper (50%).
Students can select an essay from a list of titles, allowing individuals to develop an area of particular interest. Students must review the available literature on the topic using appropriate electronic resources, present a summary of the main findings in 2500 words (excluding tables, references and figures), and demonstrate a critical awareness of current issues. The essays are submitted electronically through Blackboard and checked for plagiarism.
The practical includes prescribed questions about the measurement of meat colour, pH, water holding and texture.
The 3 hour unseen examination paper has a mandatory 5-part question designed to test breadth of knowledge, and a choice of essay-style questions (3 from 6) designed to test depth of knowledge and understanding of the subject area, including past and current research.
There is a strong reliance on original research papers from various journals (eg meat science) that can be accessed through the library or using the University’s electronic resources. The following books are also helpful.
