Objectives and competences

The objective of the course is to provide students with knowledge on the processes of handling vegetables and field crops at and after harvesting and with processing techniques. They acquire knowledge of various certification schemes and standards. On successful completion of this course, students should know and understand the concept of quality and safety of food and be able to choose appropriate post-harvest practices.

Content (Syllabus outline)

• harvesting, maturity indices and quality of field and vegetable crops • quality traits most important for the processing industry (milling and baking industry, brewing, oil production), quality standards of vegetables for fresh consumption and for processing • storage pests and diseases, physiological fundamentals and microclimatic requirements for the storage of field and vegetable crops (cooling after harvest, storage and packaging techniques) • fundamentals of vegetable processing techniques (conservation, fermentation, drying, freezing) • basic concepts of food safety (hazards, labelling, traceability) and quality (external, internal) of agricultural products and legislation requirements • different international and national standards regarding production, safety and quality (GlobalGAP, BRC, IFS, standards for organic farming, GMP, HACCP principles) and their requirements • national and EU quality schemes for agricultural products (national scheme »Prime Quality«, protected agricultural products: Higher Quality, and at the EU level: Protected designation of origin, Protected geographical indication and Traditional speciality guaranteed) • case study: harvest, postharvest handling, storage, determination of safety and quality, and labelling of foodstuff (chosen vegetable, or field crop – project work)

Learning and teaching methods

Teaching methods: • systematic lectures • blended and flipped learning • problem-based learning • assessment of knowledge on regular basis (quizzes on Moodle, Mentimeter, Kahoot, HotPotatoes, Crossword Labs) • gamification of the course (Moodle platform: badges, Level up!) • tutorials (practical work and visits of food-processing industry, farms with appropriate supplementary activities) Learning methods: • individual and learning in pairs (groups) • practical experience • project-oriented learning • self-assessments of knowledge and progress through course

Intended learning outcomes - knowledge and understanding

Knowledge and understanding: On successful completion of this course students should be able: • to enumerate and describe the appropriate harvesting techniques for certain field crops and vegetables; the physiological, pathological, agro-technical and environmental factors affecting the safety and quality of crops and vegetables at and after harvest, • decide on post-harvest management practices appropriate to the individual vegetables, • justify the use of processing technologies appropriate for the crops in question, • define and explain the external and internal quality of crops and food safety, • create a label on prepacked foodstuff with mandatory and voluntary information, • compare different national, and certification schemes at the EU level, • and describe and explain the elements of production and processing standards. Regarding the types and characteristics of the commodity, students should be able to choose and use suitable postharvest and processing technologies which reduce losses and maintain the best possible quality of produce (project work in groups).

Intended learning outcomes - transferable/key skills and other attributes

Readings

• Aktualna nacionalna in EU zakonodaja s področja varne hrane in kakovosti posameznih skupin pridelkov in živil. • GlobalGap standard (https://www.globalgap.org/uk_en/). • EFSA (http://www.efsa.europa.eu/) • Aktualni znanstveni članki s področja (iskanje v bazah podatkov). • FAO. INPhO: Post-harvest Compendium (http://www.fao.org/in-action/inpho/crop compendium/en/). Nekatera poglavja v virih dostopnih v knjižnici FKBV in UKM: • Ilić Z, Fallik E., Dardić M. 2009. Berba, sortiranje, pakovanje i čuvanje povrća. Zubin Potok: Poljoprivredni fakultet, Kosovska Mitrovica. • Chakrtaverty et al. 2003. Handbook of postharvest technology, part 5: Post harvest technology of fruits and vegetables. New York, Marcel Dekker: 455–696. • Wills, R. 1998. Postharvest: an introduction to the physiology & handling of fruit, vegetables & ornamentals. New York, Marcel Dekker. • Nikolić Z. 1996. Kakovost pšenice, tehnološki list. Ljubljana: Kmetijski insˇtitut Slovenije. • Bushuk W, Rasper WF. 1994. Wheat: production, properties and quality. Glasgow, Chapman & Hall. Priporočena literatura: • Luning PA, Devlieghere F, Verhe R. 2006. Safety in the Agri-food Chain. Wageningen Academic Publishers. • Raspor P, Adamič J, Milohnoja M, Božič P. 2002. Prirocˇnik za postavljanje in vodenje sistema HACCP. Ljubljana: Slovenski Institut za kakovost in meroslovje: Biotehnisˇka fakulteta, Oddelek za živilstvo. • Chakraverty, A., Singh, P. 2002. Postharvest Technology: Cereals, Pulses, Fruits and Vegetables. Science Publishers, INC. • Černe M, Vrhovnik I. 1992. Vrtnine vir zdravja in naša hrana, Kmečki glas, Ljubljana.

Prerequisits

None.