Food Science

Dr Mike Hornsey

Dr Sue Reeves

• Current concern in food science – 2000 words (50%)

• Submission date 3 February

Ideas:

• Current Concerns

• Contemporary Aspects

• Controversial

Essay Topics• Functional foods (Nutraceuticals) e.g. Probiotics, Sterols, Stanols,

Fortified products• Superfoods• Organic Food• Genetically Modified Food• Food Legislation including labelling• Additives and E numbers• Food preservation and storage• Food safety• Plants and human health• Omega 3• Seeds/Berries/Cereals/Soya/Cassava/Quorn etc.• BSE/Foot and mouth/Bird flu• Sensory analysis• Non-nutritional ingredients in food e.g. preservatives, gelling agents,

humectants, colloidal stabilisers

What is a literature review?

• A literature review is a form of specialised essay which summarises and reviews, compares and contrasts the evidence concerning a particular area of research.

According to Lie (2008) of Queen Mary University

• A ‘good’ literature review…..

• ….. is a synthesis of available research….. is a critical evaluation….. has appropriate breadth and depth….. has clarity and conciseness….. uses rigorous and consistent methods

• A ‘poor’ literature review is…..

• …..an annotated bibliography….. confined to description….. narrow and shallow….. confusing and longwinded….. constructed in an arbitrary way

How do I start?

• Start by searching for literature, read and try to analyse the papers.

• Use current journals• Then evaluate the papers – were there things

that could be done differently, how could the study be improved.

• Try to compare across studies - make a table if this helps, do they have similar or conflicting findings.

Getting started cont….

• Avoid describing one paper, then moving on to describe the next (avoid lists)

• Which papers have the same arguments• Which papers contradict the findings

• Try to organise the content• Make a plan – perhaps paragraph headings

Write!

• The hardest thing is getting started. Once you have written something it is easy to go back and improve it.

Referencing

A reminder!

Referencing• Use in the text

• The developed world has experienced an epidemic of childhood obesity in recent years Reilly & Dorosty, 1999; Strauss & Pollack, 2001), and rapid increases in obesity prevalence have also been observed in some developing countries (Martorell et al., 2000). The epidemic is of great concern because of its likely clinical and public health impact (Gregory et al., 2003), and there is increasing recognition of the problem. According to Dorostry (2001) at least eighteen editorials or position statements have been published in paediatric, nutrition and general medical journals since 1998. According to the Association for the Study of Obesity (ASO, 2008).............

Reference List• References not bibliography• List in alphabetical order• Full details e.g.

Association for the Study of Obesity (2008) Facts and Figures. www.aso.org.uk. Accessed 13/6/09

Gregory JR, Collins DL, Davies PSW, Hughes JM & Clarke PC (1995) National Diet and Nutrition Survey: Children Aged 1·5 to 4·5 Years. vol. 1, Report of the Diet and Nutrition Survey. London: H. M. Stationery Office.

Reilly JJ & Dorosty AR (1999) Epidemic of obesity in UK children. Lancet 354, 1874–1875

Other things to remember

• Your reference list should match those references used within the text

• Don’t rely too heavily on one key text

• Journals preferred to books and internet sites

For more information

• Please contact:

• Dr Sue Reevess.reeves@roehampton.ac.uk

• Dr Mike Hornseymichael.hornsey@roehampton.ac.uk