CHEM 305 - Chemistry of Spices

Units: 3; Breadth Area: GE-UD-B; Sustainability
Chem 305 explores “farm to table” global spice industry processes through Chemistry. Topics include spice and flavor chemistry, sustainable spice cultivation and processing, chemical techniques for isolating essential and aromatic chemicals in spices as well as everyday uses of spices.

Prerequisites:

Completion of GE Areas A1, A2, A3, and B4 with grade C- (CR) or better.
Possible Instructional Methods: On-ground, or Hybrid, or Online-Asynchronous, or Online-Synchronous.
Grading: A-F grading only.
Breadth Area(s) Satisfied: GE-UDB- Upper Division Science Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning, Overlay - Sustainability
Course Typically Offered: Fall & Spring

Student Learning Outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:
1. Understand and apply chemical properties of spices for cooking, flavor chemistry, food preservation, as well as medical and health applications.

2. Compare, interpret, and contrast chemical techniques and data analyses used in isolating, characterizing, and purifying spices and their essential components.

3. Analyze and evaluate global sustainable spice agricultural practices including spice cultivation, harvesting, processing, and management.

4. Understand the integration of “farm-to-table” sustainable agricultural processes through relevant chemical concepts and applications.

UD-B. Upper-division Science Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate advanced and/or focused science or quantitative content knowledge in a specific scientific field, using appropriate vocabulary and referencing appropriate concepts (such as models, uncertainties, hypotheses, theories, and technologies);
Apply advanced quantitative skills (such as statistics, algebraic solutions, interpretation of graphical data) to scientific problems and evaluate scientific claims;
Demonstrate understanding of the nature of science and scientific inquiry and the experimental and empirical methodologies used in science to investigate a scientific question or issue; and
Apply science content knowledge to contemporary scientific issues (e.g., climate change) and technologies (e.g., genome editing), where appropriate.

Sustainability Overlay Learning Outcomes

identify the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability, either in general or in relation to a specific problem;
analyze interactions between human activities and natural systems;
describe key threats to environmental sustainability; and
explain how individual and societal choices affect prospects for sustainability at the local, regional, and/or global levels.