Agri-Food Processing Course

Lesson 1 • The Agri-Food Industry Overview

Defines the agri-food sector, its economic significance, and major subsectors. Grounds all subsequent technical content in real-world industry context.

Lesson 2 • Regulatory and Safety Frameworks

Introduces food safety legislation, hygiene standards, and labelling requirements applicable across markets. Establishes compliance as a non-negotiable processing baseline.

Lesson 3 • Raw Material Sourcing and Quality

Covers agricultural inputs, seasonal variability, and supplier evaluation criteria. Links raw material quality to downstream processing outcomes.

Lesson 4 • Career Pathways in Food Processing

Outlines professional roles, required competencies, and advancement routes within the industry. Helps learners align course objectives with personal career goals.

Lesson 1 • Physical Properties of Food Materials

Examines texture, rheology, and thermal properties that govern processing behaviour. Enables selection of appropriate equipment and process parameters.

Lesson 2 • Food Microbiology Fundamentals

Identifies spoilage organisms, pathogens, and beneficial microbes relevant to processing. Provides the microbiological basis for preservation and safety decisions.

Lesson 3 • Nutritional Changes During Processing

Analyses how heat, light, and mechanical action alter vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds. Supports product development decisions that balance safety and nutrition.

Lesson 4 • Sensory Science and Consumer Perception

Introduces sensory evaluation methods and the link between processing parameters and consumer acceptance. Bridges technical processing with market-driven quality standards.

Lesson 1 • Pasteurisation and Blanching

Covers low-temperature heat treatments for pathogen reduction and enzyme inactivation. Connects time-temperature parameters to product safety and quality outcomes.

Lesson 2 • Heat Transfer Principles in Food Processing

Explains conduction, convection, and radiation as mechanisms of heat delivery to food. Provides the physical foundation for designing effective thermal processes.

Lesson 3 • Sterilisation and Retort Processing

Addresses high-temperature sterilisation for shelf-stable products in hermetically sealed containers. Teaches F-value calculations and retort operation protocols.

Lesson 4 • Drying and Dehydration Technologies

Examines hot-air, spray, freeze, and drum drying for moisture removal and shelf-life extension. Links drying curves to product quality and energy efficiency.

Lesson 1 • Pulsed Electric Fields and UV Light

Examines electroporation and UV irradiation as continuous-flow non-thermal treatments. Connects treatment intensity to microbial log reductions and nutrient retention.

Lesson 2 • Chemical Preservation and Hurdle Technology

Covers permitted preservatives, acidulants, and the hurdle concept for combining multiple barriers. Teaches formulation strategies that achieve safety with minimal individual stressor intensity.

Lesson 3 • Refrigeration and Freezing Systems

Details mechanical refrigeration cycles, freezing rates, and their effects on food structure. Establishes cold preservation as the baseline for non-thermal processing.

Lesson 4 • High-Pressure Processing

Introduces isostatic pressure application for pathogen inactivation at ambient temperatures. Evaluates HPP equipment, product suitability, and economic considerations.

Lesson 1 • Production Planning and Scheduling

Covers demand-driven scheduling, changeover optimisation, and batch record management. Aligns plant capacity with customer orders and regulatory documentation needs.

Lesson 2 • Preventive Maintenance and Reliability

Introduces maintenance scheduling, lubrication programmes, and failure mode analysis. Reduces unplanned downtime and extends equipment service life.

Lesson 3 • Processing Equipment Classification

Categorises size reduction, mixing, separation, and forming equipment by function and design. Provides a systematic framework for equipment selection and specification.

Lesson 4 • Utilities and Energy Management

Covers steam, compressed air, water, and refrigeration as processing utilities. Links utility management to operational cost, sustainability, and product safety.

Lesson 1 • Prerequisite Programmes and GMP

Covers sanitation, pest control, personnel hygiene, and facility design as HACCP prerequisites. Establishes the environmental controls that support CCP effectiveness.

Lesson 2 • Allergen Management Programmes

Addresses identification, segregation, and labelling of allergenic ingredients throughout production. Reduces cross-contact risk and ensures accurate consumer communication.

Lesson 3 • Food Safety Culture and Audit Readiness

Builds organisational behaviours and documentation practices that sustain food safety systems. Prepares facilities for third-party certification and regulatory inspections.

Lesson 4 • Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points

Teaches the seven HACCP principles and their sequential application in a processing facility. Forms the regulatory and operational core of food safety management.

Lesson 1 • Quality Management Principles

Introduces quality philosophies, standards frameworks, and the distinction between QC and QA. Positions quality management as a strategic business function.

Lesson 2 • Sensory Quality Evaluation

Applies trained panel and consumer testing methods to assess product consistency and defects. Integrates sensory data into production release and reformulation decisions.

Lesson 3 • Statistical Process Control

Covers control charts, process capability indices, and sampling strategies for in-line monitoring. Enables data-driven detection of process drift before defects occur.

Lesson 4 • Physical and Chemical Quality Testing

Examines instrumental methods for measuring weight, dimensions, colour, moisture, and composition. Connects measurement accuracy to product specification compliance.

Lesson 1 • Shelf-Life and Stability Testing

Applies accelerated and real-time stability studies to establish product shelf life. Links packaging, storage conditions, and formulation to validated expiry dates.

Lesson 2 • Regulatory Submission and Labelling Compliance

Guides preparation of product dossiers, nutrition facts panels, and claims substantiation. Ensures new products meet all market-entry regulatory requirements before launch.

Lesson 3 • Pilot Plant Trials and Scale-Up

Addresses equipment scaling factors, process parameter translation, and trial documentation. Bridges laboratory success to consistent commercial-scale production.

Lesson 4 • Formulation Development and Optimisation

Covers ingredient selection, functional interactions, and design-of-experiment approaches. Produces optimised formulations that meet sensory, nutritional, and cost targets.