Food Science and Engineering

Master’s Degree Cultivation Program for Study Abroad in China

The discipline of food science and engineering originated from the first specialty of “Food engineering” in Henan Province in 1980. In 2000, it obtained the master’s degree authorization point of “Food Science”, in 2010, it obtained the master’s degree authorization point of “Food Science and Engineering”, in 2021, it obtained the doctoral degree authorization point of “Food Science and Engineering”, and in 2023, it obtained the post-doctoral research station. The discipline is now the advantageous and characteristic disciplines (group) of Henan Province, the characteristic backbone disciplines (group) of Henan Province and the ninth batch of key disciplines of Henan Province, with the result of the fifth round of discipline evaluation of the country as B-, and the global ranking of agricultural science ESI in the top 5‰. It has scientific research and experimental platforms such as National &Local Joint Engineering Research Center forCereal-BasedFoods and Key Laboratory of Cold Chain Food Processing and Safety Control, Ministry of Education(Cultivation). It has distinctive features and advantages in cold chain food processing and safety control, food physical field processing, food nutrition, food biotechnology, quick-frozen and meat processing, fruit and vegetable processing, brewery engineering, biomass and bioenergy, etc.

I. Cultivation Objectives

[1] Tobecome familiar with China’s history, geography, society, economy and other basic knowledge of China’s national conditions and culture, to understand China’s political system and foreign policy, tounderstand thebasic values of Chinese society and public morality, and to form a good concept of the rule of law and moral consciousness.

[2]To cultivate high-level specialists who have mastered the development of food science andtechnology,whohave international thinking and vision,whohave a strong sense of innovation and innovation ability,whohave mastered the solid basic theories and technological foundations of the field of food science andtechnology, and who have the ability to practice the Healthy China Initiative and the concept of “Big Food Concept”, andwho canindependently and innovatively engage in the scientific research, teaching, production, development and management of food-related fields.

[3] Be physically and mentally healthy, with strong physical fitness and good psychological quality.

II. Research Direction

[1] Food Science

Research on low-temperature preservation of raw meat, meat processing and quality control theory and technology, the development and application of traditional meat processing technology, meat non-thermal sterilization technology development and application and gel meat processing theory and product development, etc.; research on various types of grains, vegetables, oilseed crops in the processing of proteins and fats and technology development, etc.; the study of frozen convenience foods, frozen seasoned food and other frozen product processing technology, safety monitoring, storage and preservation, ice crystal change and control technology, etc.

[2] Food Nutrition

Research on the extraction, separation and identification of food functional components,thenutritional efficacy and molecular mechanism of food functional factors, the relationship between food functional factors and human health and the processing technology and development of new functional foods.

[3] Food Safety

Research on food processing quality and safety control, processing hazards in the mechanism and typical hazards in the detection and control of basic theoretical research and applied basic research; food processing quality and safety of the whole traceability system research and development and application; food quality and safety of rapid detection technology, including chemical safety, biological safety and food risk of rapid detection methods.

[4] Processing and Storage of Agricultural Products

Research on the theory and technology of non-thermal processing of fruits and vegetables, research on the theory and technology of biotechnological processing of fruits and vegetables, research on the theory and technology of quality and safety control of fruits and vegetables, post-harvest physiology of agricultural products and storage technology, and testing of agricultural products quality.

III.Cultivation Mode and Study Duration

The duration of full-time master’s degreeprogrammes for students studying in China is 3 years, and the maximum study period generally does not exceed 5 years.

Credits: The total number of credits requiredis 31, of which not less than 18 credits arefordegree courses, not less than 7 credits arefornon-degree courses, and 5 credits are required for compulsory courses.

IV. Curriculum and Credit Requirements

Curriculum, Required Sessions and Allocation of Credit Hours and Credits

V. Compulsory Sessions

[1] Thesis Report

The cultivation of master’s students studying in China implements the combination oftheresponsibilityof the supervisorandthecollective cultivation of the supervisory group. Under the guidance of the supervisor and the supervisory group, the master students should read andcomprehend the authoritative Chinese and English literature at home and abroad, read at least 60 pieces of research literature (no less than 50% of the literature in thepast three years), of which more than 50% should be in foreign languages, understand the current situation of the researchin the discipline, write a professional literature review, determine the direction of the subject as early as possible, and complete theproposal and confirmationseminaraftercompleting the courses stipulated in the cultivation plan andqualifying in the examination. The dissertation topicis started in the third semester. The confirmation seminar for master students takes place in the third semester, and 1 credit is counted after passing the confirmation report.

[2] Mid-term Examination

The period from passing the confirmation report to applying for the dissertation defense shall not be less than one year. In the fifth semester, an inspection team composed of the supervisors of the postgraduates shall conduct a mid-term examination of the dissertation based on the cultivation plan of the postgraduates, which includes the mastery of basic theories, professional knowledge and scientific research ability, the progress of the dissertation work, problems, problems to be solved, and gaps between the dissertation work and the expected goals, and so on. After passing the mid-term examination of the dissertation, 1 credit is counted.

[3] Research Exploration and Practice (Professional Practice)

Maste’s students must complete learning practice (scientific research). The practice of master’s students includes teaching practice, production practice, social investigation and extracurricular academic, scientific and technological competition activities. The content and specific requirements of the practice are determined by the Faculty. The cumulative time for participation in the practice activities during the study period is generally required to be not less than 2 weeks, which should be completed in the second year after the admission, and the teaching (scientific research) practice assessment form should be submitted, and the supervisor should be responsible for the evaluation and recognition, and the pass is counted as 1 credit.

[4] Academic Reports

Academic activities include academic lectures, academic seminars and visiting lectures. Master’s students should participate in certain academic activities. Master’s students should participate in more than 6 academic activities during their studies. Each academic activity shall be summarized in a report, and the relevant written materials should be submitted to the supervising teacher for signature and approval. The college assesses the academic performance of master’s students and their reports, and those who pass the grade are awarded 1 credit.

[5] Graduation Defense

All the dissertations are subjected to a blind examination organized by the University, and the dissertation cannot be defended until the results of the blind examination are qualified. The defense committee is composed of 5 or 7 professors, associate professors or master supervisors with equivalent titles, with at least 2 experts from outside the College or University. The defense committee votes by secret, and by a majority of at least 2/3 of its members, shall recommend the award of the master’s degree and submit it to the College Degree Evaluation Sub-Committee for consideration and to the University Degree Evaluation Committee for review and approval. If the defense committee is of the opinion that the dissertation has not reached the level of a Master’s requirements and considers that it can be considered for further modification, it shall vote by secret ballot with the approval of the majority of all members and may decide to modify the dissertation and repeat the defense within one year. If the Defense Committee has not made a decision to revise the dissertation, no one has the right to agree to revise the dissertation and reschedule the defense. Specific requirements are set out in the relevant School Regulations.

VI.Dissertation

The dissertation of international students can be written in English with the consent of the supervisor and the discipline, but it must be accompanied by an abstract in Chinese. The dissertation mast be written with reference to the relevant instructions and standards of the supervisors and the University.

[1] Requirements on Selection of Topics

The dissertation should generally be derived from the basic research or applied basic research of the discipline and select the topics that have important scientific value in the field of the discipline and important application value for the construction of national economy, social development and national security.

[2] Normative Requirements

The master’s thesis of this discipline should be written in accordance with the national norms for the publication of related academic works. The master’s thesis should be well structured, clear and fluent in language; the principles should be correctly explained; the experimental methods should be reasonable, and the experimental data should be credible; the citations should be reasonable and the sources of the literature should be accurate; and the formulas, symbols, units and icons should conform to the relevant norms.

[3] Quality Requirements

Have a deeper understanding of the key technical problems in this research direction, and be able to establish a better physical model or empirical model; adopt new technology to establish an advanced and feasible technical programme, which should be innovative, or partially innovative, or have novelty.

[4] Be able to design and build an experimental platform and complete important experimental verification.

In addition, the dissertation opening report, mid-term examination, pre-defense, defense, degree application and other cultivation processes shall be carried out in accordance with the relevant regulations of the university on the cultivation of master's degree students.

VII.Graduation and Degree Conferment

Master’s students can only apply for the dissertation defense if they have completed the courses stipulated in the cultivation programme, passed the examination and obtained the required credits within the stipulated study period; those who have passed the dissertation defense fulfil the requirements for graduation and are allowed to graduate. Those who meet the standard for graduation are awarded the master’s degree upon the student’s application and the deliberation and approval of the University’s Academic Degree Evaluation Committee.

VIII. Participants in the Preparation

Zhang Hua, Xiang Qisen, Zhao Xuewei, Shen Ruiling, Lihong, Zhang Yanyan, Zhang Lihua, Yan Yizhe.