Short Courses for Professional Development within the Fresh Produce Sector

The Food Marketing and Management Group of the Natural Resources Institute provides training on many areas of key importance to the Fresh Produce Sector. Our staff have many years of experience working with the commercial sector both within the UK and overseas. We are particularly well known for our work on quality assurance systems for produce grown in developing countries, and for fundamental research to improve postharvest technologies.

 

Our training courses are conducted by experienced core staff members either in our own facilities, or on-site if requested.

Courses presently available in post-harvest horticulture are listed below.

Storage, postharvest handling and transportation of perishable plant produce
2 day course

 

Targeted towards those working in fresh produce handling and quality control who require a basic grounding in the science necessary to understand the behaviour and needs of fresh plant commodities. The objective is to provide the necessary knowledge to improve the conditions of the produce and identify quality problems at an early stage.
Specific issues covered include: basic plant functioning and the processes involved in deterioration; temperature and humidity control; storage room technology; methods for assessing produce quality; physiological disorders; an introduction to controlled and modified atmosphere storage; methods for assessing fruit ripeness and quality; changes that occur during fruit ripening; the technology of artificial ripening.

 

The Technology of fresh produce quality
1 day course

 

Targeted towards experienced professionals working within the fresh produce sector who would like to revise the biology and technology behind handling strategies, and to obtain an up-date on new technologies. Specific issues coved include: Plant metabolism and processes involved in deterioration; non-destructive methods for quality assessment; advances in controlled and modified atmospheres; the technology of cooling; physiological disorders. This course is complementary to “The technology of fruit ripening”.

 

The Technology of fruit ripening
1 day course

 

Targeted towards experienced professionals working within the fresh produce sector who would like to revise the biology and technology behind ripening strategies, and to obtain an up-date on new technologies. Control of fruit ripening is of enormous commercial importance. An appreciation of the biology behind the process can help those involved to optimise the systems used, and identify any problems at an early stage. Specific issues covered include: the physical and compositional changes that occur during ripening; methods for assessing ripeness and quality; control of ripening with specific emphasis on the role of ethylene; climacteric and non-climacteric fruit; the effects of storage environment; the technology of ripening; case studies on specific economically important fruit. This course is complementary to “The technology of fresh produce quality”.

Plant pathology for the packhouse
2 day course

 

Targeted towards those working in fresh produce handling control of fruit and vegetable rots. Great emphasis is put on teaching participants the practical techniques necessary to assess extent of rotting, and wherever possible to identify the rotting pathogen. Training is provided on how to use this information to identify the origin and cause of the rotting, so that handling strategies can be adapted to counteract this. Control methods are covered. Specific case studies are used to backup the practical training.

In addition courses/seminars on the following topics can be provided on request:

• Advances in packaging for fresh horticultural produce
• Technologies for quality assessment of fresh horticultural produce
• Quality assurance for fresh produce from developing countries
• Development of ethical trade systems for the fresh produce sector
• Techniques of sensory evaluation used to assess consumer preferences