The Department of Food Science and Nutrition (FSN) at the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences was established in 1996. The vision of the Department is to become a leader in Oman and the Arabian Gulf region meeting the international standards for excellence in higher education and research. The department provides two undergraduate programs, one in Food Science and the other in Human Nutrition. The curricula of both programs are intended to offer students a sound theoretical and practical background in each area by offering a wide variety and relevant range of subjects that provide the students with knowledge in food science and nutrition and problem-solving skills. In addition, the department offers postgraduate programs in Food Science and Nutrition leading to Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. 

The Department is committed to achieving excellence in teaching, research and outreach activities. In addition to dedicated academic, technical and research staff, our educational and research programs are supported by excellent facilities including classrooms, state-of-the-art equipped laboratories, and modern dairy processing pilot plant. Food Science and Nutrition faculties are active in different research areas. The research interests include food safety and quality, fermentation, sensory evaluation, product development, food processing, and engineering as well as the role of functional foods in the prevention and management of chronic diseases.  In human nutrition, the research emphasis is to contribute and promote human health, quality of life and well-being of individuals and populations.

The major research interest are to study the nutritional quality and glycemic index of traditional Omani foods and their effect on the glycemic responses and atherogenic risk factors, dietary consumption patterns and assessment of nutritional status of Omani population. Study the antioxidants, bioactive components, and phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables as well as the role food and nutrients at cellular and molecular levels and to integrate them with human behaviours and dietary and lifestyle patterns of community in the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases. Food Science and Nutrition faculties interact extensively with different public and private sectors in Oman through many activities which aim to serve the community with the goal of improving the health and quality of life.

Please feel free to contact us at FSN for any inquiry.

Mohammed Al-Khusaibi, PhD
Assistant Professor and Head

The department manages two undergraduate programs, one in Food Science and one in Human Nutrition/Dietetics. It also offers postgraduate studies leading to Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Food Science and Nutrition.

 In addition to a common series of foundation courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry and use of computers undergraduate students then choose one of the two-degree programs:

Food science students take courses in the field of Food chemistry; Food processing; Food Microbiology; Nutrition; Food analysis; Food sanitation and quality control; sensory analysis and Food product development.

Human Nutrition students take courses in the field of Medical Nutrition Therapy, Community Nutrition; Nutrition assessment and planning; and Macro- and Micro-nutrients in Nutrition. They also take courses in Human physiology, communication, Health Promotion and Education, and pharmacology.

Most courses within both programs have a significant practical component. Students are also required to participate in internships which provide them with hands-on experience.

Graduate students receive in-depth training in the core disciplines of food chemistry, food microbiology, food processing, and Nutritional Sciences

The department offers four programs as follow: 

• Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition
• Bachelor of Science in Food Science

• Master of Science in Food Science and Nutrition 
• PhD in Food Science and Nutrition

The department conducts researches in food science, nutrition, and related areas, using available resources to study topics of significance to these disciplines. In all of its efforts, the Department aims to contribute to the development of Omani Society by providing solutions for its main concerns which will bring the health and well-being to the Omani society as well as to contribute to the global knowledge.

The research in the area of Food Science and Nutrition is diverse and focused on improving the quality and safety of fresh and processed food products in Oman, in developing new food products and ingredients from indigenous raw materials and underutilized resources, in developing new analytical and microbial characterization techniques and generating data on food properties and in evaluating of the associations between dietary and lifestyle factors and the occurrence of certain chronic diseases.

The results of these studies can be used by the government agencies, the food industry, education and health institutions to diversify their production, to enhance the knowledge of young generations and to generate more wealth and to improve the health status of the Omani population.

The Department offers a Bachelors Degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition/Dietetics as well as a Masters Degree in Food Science and Nutrition. Food science is a discipline where biological, physical and engineering sciences are used to study the nature of food, their deterioration, and the changes that take place during their processing. Food technologists/scientists will be able to apply their knowledge in the areas of Food Chemistry, Food processing, Food engineering, Food Microbiology, Quality Control, Food regulations, and Human Nutrition. Nutrition is the science of nourishment. It deals with the body’s interaction with food; it’s absorption, utilization and elimination of the end products of nutrient metabolism in a healthy state as well as in the conditions of the disorder.  Nutritionists/dietetics will have a sound background needed for practice in hospitals, primary health care facilities, and institutional food services. They will acquire the ability to assess, plan and implement a treatment plan for patients in hospitals/clinic setting.

Specific Internship Objectives for Food Science Students:

1. To allow students to gain valuable technical know-how in as many areas of the food industry as possible. Towards this end, students should be exposed to the following areas such as raw material acquisition, food product manufacture (formulation, processing, packaging, manpower scheduling), quality control (on-line monitoring, reporting, quality assurance), sales and marketing, and product development.
2. To allow students to acquire practical experience in conducting researches, food quality evaluation, and analyses of food constituents for meeting Oman food regulations, and formulation of Oman food laws by working with various government establishments.

Specific Internship Objectives for Human Nutrition Students:
 

1. To give the student an understanding of the objectives and procedures of nutritional care and introduce the skills required in integrating this knowledge with related aspects of clinical care.
2. To have an understanding of the importance and effect of nutritional therapy, ranging from meal preparation and diet modification to the administration of specialized nutritional therapies such as intravenous or tube feedings. The student should also be able to evaluate laboratory data and other patient  information, understand the purpose of the main aspects of treatment of the conditions discussed, assess the nutritional status of a patient and the  nutritional adequacy of the diet in terms of specific medical conditions, plan the most frequently used diet modifications, recognize the  interrelationships between diet and other forms of treatment, and integrate sociological factors into the nutritional care plan.

Department of FSN

FSN Internship Coordinator:

Phone: +968-24141274

Fax: +968-24413418

Head of the Department

Dr. Mohammed K. Al-Khusaibi
Department of Food Science and Nutrition
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Sultan Qaboos University
PO Box 34, Al-khod 123
Sultanate of Oman
Phone: (+ 968) 2414 1273
Fax: (+ 968) 2441 3418
Email: mohamedk@squ.edu.om

--------------------------------------------------------

Departmental Coordinator

Fatima Mohammed Al-Amri
Department of Food Science and Nutrition
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Sultan Qaboos University
PO Box 34, Al-khod 123
Sultanate of Oman
Phone: (+ 968) 2414 1274
Email:   fatimam@squ.edu.om