Help your colleagues and employees to understand food. These flexible and supported distance learning packages in food science, technology and production, are ideal for:

• Industry newcomers
• Personnel with no background in food science and technology
• Personnel moving between sectors

CCFRA has worked with The Open University -the world’s leading provider of distance learning -to create and deliver four exciting distance learning courses for the food and drink industry. These are particularly suitable for non-food specialists (e.g. new recruits and managerial or financial staff with a non-food background) and experienced staff changing sectors or activities (at supervisor or foundation level) wishing to update their knowledge.

Each course consists of a multimedia DVD learning guide, incorporating study material, interactive exercises, and video resources, together with two key topics books from CCFRA. Four courses are offered, which can be studied alone or in any combination, or as a prelude or followup to one of CCFRA‘s face-to-face courses. Each takes around 50 hours, with the flexibility of following the course at your own location and at a time to suit you.

Food: from farm to fork

An overview of food production which paints a general picture of food, food production and the supply chain known as ‘farm to fork‘. The nature of food is outlined, and some food related safety issues (hazards), together with ways of controlling them, are covered. Principles of processing, preservation and packaging with the implications for issues such as product integrity, safety and waste management are also introduced.

Food: composition and analysis

Provides an introduction to the chemical composition of food, dealing with nutrients and nonnutrients. The general principles of food chemical analysis are described and the main techniques for food analysis are summarised. Following this the course examines some applications of food analysis along with examples of some of the pitfalls and problems that may arise in the use of food analysis.

Food: preservation and packaging

Describes the purposes and methods of processing, preserving and packaging food, including newer technologies, and which techniques to use for specific foods. Also covers the management of recycling, reuse and recovery of packaging waste for a given plant and the legislation applicable to packaging waste.

Food: microbiology and hygiene

Provides an overview of hygiene in food processing, potential contaminants and routes of entry into food using industrially relevant examples. Also identifies potential sources of contamination during food processing, describes examples of possible microbial contaminants and outlines the main stages of a hygiene programme in food processing.