Health Food Innovation Management

This programme spans the entire process of food innovation, from biomedical sciences and nutrition, via food law and regulatory aspects, to consumer behaviour, business development and marketing.

Why this programme?

Too much salt in your diet is a major factor in the development of cardiovascular diseases. To help reduce salt consumption, many low-sodium products have been developed – such as salt-free bread. But without salt it is hard to make bread rise, let alone taste good. Problems like these need innovative solutions, and innovative professionals to design, produce, manage and evaluate them.

This programme fills the need for industry professionals who also have the expertise to properly read scientific literature, interpret data and make food healthier in ways that are scientifically sound. As such, it is genuinely unique. The programme is offered at Campus Venlo. Teaching is provided by academic experts and by professionals from the international food and beverage industry. In order to prepare you for careers in the industry, we will not only teach theories, but also put these into practice on business-to-business food fairs.

On several occasions, you will be challenged to come up with your own healthy food product, and substantiate this with both the creation of the actual product and a business plan in order to create profitable business. In the extensive research project (internship), you will have the opportunity to conduct scientific research in an industrial environment, combined with commercial or other relevant topics at a local or (inter)national food and/or beverage company. Topics include, but are not limited to, conversion of consumer needs and demands into value adding food concepts, or the significance of health food innovation for risk reduction of conditions such as diabetes, overweight, cardiovascular disease, ageing, sports nutrition or gut health. The choice is yours!

Career prospects?

Graduates have found positions as junior project managers in product development, research and technology, such as: food and beverage enterprises from local to multinational level, agro-food, nutrition and contract research organisations, established retail companies and new start-ups, (non-)governmental organisations, trade organisations, health and nutrition consulting firms.