Sustainable Food Processing

The course covers sustainable and energy-efficient technologies for food processing. It provides an overview of the main food processing operations, including the required resources, energy use, and relevant equipment.

The food industry represents a uniquely interdisciplinary field, where thermodynamics, food chemistry, and process technology are integrated to ensure efficient and sustainable production. The course is recommended for students and professionals who plan to specialize in energy optimization and technology development within the food processing industry.

Course Topics

1. Thermal and physical properties of foods - fundamentals for energy demand calculations.
2. Dynamics of freezing, chilling, and heating - graphical and analytical methods.
3. Energy saving in dewatering technologies - drying, evaporation, and freeze concentration.
4. Food processing equipment - chillers, freezers, dryers, concentrators, and evaporators.

Knowledge

The student:

• has knowledge of the main food processing technologies and their energy requirements.
• understands thermal and physical properties of foods as a basis for energy demand estimation.
• has insight into sustainable and energy-efficient processing methods and equipment.
• understands the interdisciplinary connections between thermodynamics, food chemistry, and process technology in food processing.

Skills

The student can:

• perform energy analyses of food processing operations.
• apply analytical and graphical methods to study freezing, chilling, and heating dynamics.
• identify opportunities for energy saving in dewatering technologies such as drying, evaporation, and freeze concentration.
• select and evaluate suitable food processing equipment based on energy and sustainability criteria.

General Competence

The student:

• can apply system thinking to improve energy efficiency and sustainability in the food industry.
• can communicate results and evaluations related to food processing technologies in a professional context.
• understands how technological choices influence energy use and environmental performance in industrial food production.

The course includes lectures, exercises, and project work. Students will work individually and in small groups to solve problems and carry out case studies. Lectures and exercises are given in English when non-Norwegian-speaking students participate.