Fruit and vegetable preservation, processing and packaging - Intermediate level
Estimated time: 9:30
The intermediate level of the course on the preservation, processing and packaging of fruit and vegetables comprises four activities. Each activity consists of a text to go through and a test of a few simple questions to measure the degree of mastery of the subject you have discovered. You will then be given another test, the successful completion of which will this time condition your access to the next level.
Unprocessed food undergoes significant losses between harvest and consumption. Since fruit and vegetables are extremely perishable, they have the highest rate of loss. Reducing post-harvest losses is therefore a major challenge for the agro-industry in ACP countries. Processing, with its know-how as old as humanity itself, enables foodstuffs to be preserved over long periods, avoids wastage during periods of overproduction and even reduces poverty by creating jobs and income. As we shall see, however, processing industries in ACP countries face a number of challenges if they are to succeed. Setting up and developing a food processing business is a complex project that cannot be improvised and requires a variety of skills.
We would point out that food that deteriorates after harvest loses much of its nutritional value. To limit these losses, we need to understand the reasons, including physiological ones, that lead to spoilage and deterioration, particularly as a result of contamination due to lack of hygiene. We need to understand how harvesting operations, product maturity levels, preservation methods and storage techniques can promote or prevent the development of microorganisms that could harm consumer health or alter the commercial quality of products. We'll also look at how the addition of salt, sugar or drying, which make water unavailable to microorganisms, can help preserve products. Dehydration (sun drying, for example) is the oldest preservation technique. We will also study the effect of heat and cold treatments. In the case of heat treatment, it is the result of the treatment that defines the nature of the preservation (pasteurization or sterilization). Cold treatment slows down, or even stops, the proliferation and action of microorganisms (refrigeration, freezing, deep-freezing). Finally, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of industrial preservatives used to improve food safety by freeing food from the influence of biological factors.
Fruit and vegetable preservation, processing and packaging - Advanced level
Estimated duration: 11H30
The advanced level of the Sustainable Agriculture and Integrated Production course comprises four activities. Each activity includes a text to go through and a test of a few simple questions to measure the degree of mastery of the subject you have discovered. At the end of the course, you will be given a summary test covering all the activities. Successful completion of this test will give you access to the certification test.
First of all, we'll see that a number of measures need to be implemented by growers in order to produce sustainably and responsibly. The main measures to be developed in the rest of this course concern soil and water protection and conservation. We will see that a deterioration in soil fertility, or water contamination, has repercussions not only on the economy and socio-economic conditions of current populations, but also and above all on future generations.
The management of organic waste, the use of substrates and the maintenance of organic matter in the soil are equally important issues for the grower. Improper treatment of organic waste can lead to a lack of organic matter in the soil, create health risks and harm the environment.
We'll end this tour with a look at the notion of "biodiversity". What does it mean? What services does it provide? What threatens it? Biodiversity is our green capital. It is the guarantor of the proper functioning and balance of our planet. Maintaining it is therefore essential to our survival.