This course provides students interested in the manufacture of foods and pharmaceuticals with a course covering the fundamental principles and common applications of separation processes in these industries. First, unique features of foods and pharmaceuticals are discussed, along with a conceptual framework to unify and categorize the plethora of available separation processes. Second, the physical separation processes of gravity sedimentation, centrifugation, and conventional filtration are recounted. Third, selected equilibrium-based separation processes are described e.g. extraction, adsorption, precipitation, crystallization, and drying. Fourth, examples of rate-based separation processes are covered such as membrane filtration and chromatography.

In the group term projects, students pick a project in consultation with the instructor. The project integrates basic principles, from class or the readings, with independent laboratory experiments. Groups meet individually with the instructor on a periodic basis throughout the semester for guidance. In the summary period, a brief written report is due, and there is a poster session.

Meets with Food Science and Biological Systems Engineering. Room 119 Babcock Hall. 2-3 credit hours, third credit adds independent study group term project. Meets at 1:20 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. Independent study groups meet at 2:25 p.m. on Thursday.