How Food is Made. Understanding Food Processing Technologies
Have you ever wondered how your food is processed before it reaches your plate? Find out with this online course.
6,037 enrolled on this course
Duration
4 weeksWeekly study
3 hours100% online
How it works
How Food is Made. Understanding Food Processing Technologies
This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles. Find out more.
Learn more about processing technologies and the foods that are affected
Please note this course runs without facilitation
Food processing isn’t a new concept, however, many people might not understand how and why it happens. On this course, you will improve your knowledge of food processing technologies and build confidence in the processed foods on the market.
You will cover the history of food processing, from its origins to current modern industrial processes. You will explore the advantages and disadvantages of food processing technologies and understand their impact on health, safety, quality, and sustainability. Upon completing this course, you will feel empowered to make more informed decisions about the food you eat.
(Please note that the term ‘food processing’ is also often used to describe the formulation of food products and the addition of extra ingredients such as preservatives, stabilizers, fortifiers and flavourings. This course focuses on the technologies rather than the formulation.)
Syllabus
Week 1
Why do we process food?
Welcome
Find out about what you will be learning, who will be guiding you and how the course is taught.
What is food processing?
Surface our presumptions about trustworthy food.
Why do we process food?
The complexity of the food system
Reflections
Reflect on your fears or concerns about food processing.
Week 2
How do we process food?
Welcome to Week 2
Reflect on the advantages and disadvantages of food processing.
Homogenisation, Pasteurisation, Canning
Here we introduce you to a range of food processing techniques widely used in industry, and the products they create.
Drying and smoking
Learn about more techniques including spray-drying, freeze-drying and smoking foods for flavour.
Reflections
Keeping food tastier for longer. Reflect on whether your attitudes to food processing have changed.
Week 3
How is the food industry innovating?
Welcome to Week 3
Why do we need innovation in food processing?
Innovative techniques
PEF, HPP and irradiation
Packaging
Storage problems and how technology is helping
Reflections
New ways of keeping food tastier for longer. Reflect on whether your attitudes to technological advances in food processing have changed.
Week 4
How does the EU ensure our food is safe, nutritious and sustainable?
Welcome to Week 4
How food industry regulation is reported in the media
How and why regulations are made
EU food law and case study. Novel foods
What do UK consumers think about food processing?
EUFIC UK Consumer Survey - how it was carried out and why
Do we need food processing?
Summing up and what next?
Who is this accredited by?
The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Identify the principles of food processing and gain an understanding of both traditional and modern industrial techniques
- Explain the range of food processing techniques used in industry and the products they create.
- Assess the importance of food processing to society in terms of health, safety, quality, and sustainability
- Debate how beneficial certain processing techniques are to human health
- Reflect on EU law and regulations
- Describe the challenges of feeding growing populations safely and sustainably
Who is the course for?
This course is for anyone interested in learning more about the food they eat.
The Educator team won’t be available to answer questions or respond to your comments during this course. However, we encourage you to interact and support each other by posting your thoughts and comments and sharing your knowledge with other learners
Who will you learn with?
I am a reserach associate at DIL e.V. focusing my work on alternative processing technologies and their effect on the stability and bioaccessibility of naturally present health-beneficial components.
I am Professor of Food Science at the University of Reading and contribute to FutureLearn as an educator.
I am a manager at EUFIC. I am involved in a wide variety of research projects examining consumer insights and behaviour on topics related to food, nutrition, food technology and sustainability.
Who developed the course?
EIT Food
EIT Food is Europe’s leading food initiative, working to make the food system more sustainable, healthy and trusted.
DIL
DIL is a research institute working in food tech, analytics, sustainability and food data. DIL forms a bridge between science and practice and supports its partners in the innovation process.
European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)
The European Institute of Innovation & Technology strengthens Europe’s ability to innovate by powering solutions to pressing global challenges and by nurturing entrepreneurial skills in Europe’s largest innovation ecosystem.
Endorsers and supporters
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Ways to learn | Buy this course | Subscribe & save | Limited access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choose the best way to learn for you! | $129/one-off payment | $27.99 For the first two months. Automatically renews | Free |
| Fulfill your current learning need | Develop skills to further your career | Sample the course materials | |
| Access to this course | tick | tick | Access expires 30 Jun 2023 |
| Access to 1,000+ courses | cross | tick | cross |
| Learn at your own pace | tick | tick | cross |
| Discuss your learning in comments | tick | tick | tick |
| Tests to check your learning | tick | tick | cross |
| Certificate when you're eligible | Printed and digital | Digital only | cross |
Cancel for free anytime |
Ways to learn
Choose the best way to learn for you!
Subscribe & save
$27.99
For the first two months. Automatically renews
Develop skills to further your career
- Access to this course
- Access to 1,000+ courses
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Tests to boost your learning
- Digital certificate when you're eligible
Cancel for free anytime
Buy this course
$129/one-off payment
Fulfill your current learning need
- Access to this course
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Tests to boost your learning
- Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible
Limited access
Free
Sample the course materials
- Access expires 30 Jun 2023
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades) | |||
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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