Updated on 20190902

Demand for sugar and its role in the slave trade. The sugar-based dietary
culture in the West and the rise of obesity.
5. Tea – History of tea from China to the world. The biology and chemistry of
bitterness: tea production, processing and brewing. Traditional and new
producers of tea. The business of tea. World trade.
6. Chili – The New World crops: how the Americas transformed global food. The
Spice Trade. Capsaicin: evolution and effects.
7. Beer - Beer and its multiple origin stories. Beer shaping the history of disease.
What makes a beer? Chemistry and fermentation. Modern production - big
brands to craft breweries.
8. Milk and dairy - The production and properties of milk. Problems of
preservation and storage. Milk processing and products. Basics of cheese.
Rising demand in China. Ice cream – marketing luxury.
9. Pizza - Properties of dough- formulation and effects. History of the pizza
tradition, its spread. “Chinese people don’t eat cheese” – marketing pizza in
HK and China.
10. Cod – influence on the world history. Frozen, salted and dried. From staple of
the medieval diet to luxury restaurants. The tragic story of environmental
failure.

Course learning outcomes

On completing the course, students will be able to:
· Describe and explain the origin, production, and processing of a range of key
food materials and food products.
· Outline the history of global trade in selected food commodities and
products, showing an understanding of how this impacted economic
development and cultural change.
· Appreciate the massive changes in the dietary culture of a “global city” such
as Hong Kong over the past 30 years.
· Demonstrate the ability to investigate a topic within the subject matter of the
course, and apply new methodologies and paradigms to summarize and
present the results.

Assessment Tasks/Activities
Type of Assessment Tasks/ Activities Weighting in final
course grade (%)
Tutorial participation 10
Lab participation 20
Project development 20
Project outcome and presentation# 50