Dutch agriculture is known for its high-quality dairy processes and products. If we want to maintain this unique position, sitting still is not an option:

• How do we deal with a global shortage of dairy and food process technologists?
• The need for even more healthy and sustainable dairy and food products?
• Or the fact that milk and dairy products are considered healthy foods that we need, but on the other hand can lead to, for example, cow protein allergy and lactose intolerance problems and too much land use.

During this minor you will work on these issues.

If you want to contribute to the development of high-quality dairy products that will feed the world in the coming decades, then the Food Process Innovation: Dairy & Beyond minor is a good choice.

Added value:
Smart Dairy Processing prepares students for an international and national career in the dairy and food industry by combining smart processing technologies, digital tools and sustainability to develop innovative, industry-ready solutions.

After completing this minor, the student is able to:

1.      Explain and analyze how food processing technologies affect the quality and nutritional value of dairy and other protein-based raw materials.

2.      Design and optimize innovative and sustainable food processes, within and beyond the dairy industry.

3.      Apply emerging technologies such as fermentation, alternative proteins and process modelling.

4.      Conduct applied research and clearly report and present results to professional stakeholders.

5.      Evaluate food products and processes with respect to health, food safety and sustainability.

Students who have had two years of study in Food Technology, Bioprocess Engineering, Chemical Engineering or Process Engineering.

Readers written by lecturers: small talk about milk, some technical dairy stuff, products.

Introduction to food engineering (Singh and Heldman).

Dairy Science and Technology, Third edition.

Further recommended literature will be shared during the course.

• (guest) lectures
• self-study
• workshops & excursions
• applied research: pick your own topic or  topic from the applied research centre
• writing a research proposal
• reporting and presentation: formative and summative

In total: 30 x 28 hours

Exam (1)

• Subject: Project assignment dairy technology
• Topics: Project plan, basic knowledge, health and food, (non)fermented products, modelling and simulations, practical work, sustainability.
• Test Format: Report : end of the module
• Weighing: 20EC's
• Assessment: Group

Exam (2)

• Subject: Presentation
• Topics: Presentation of the project assignment and professional attitude
• Test Format: Presentation in week 18 of the module
• Weighing: 10EC's
• Assessment: Individual

Required contact hours: Approximately 10 hours per week

Capacity/ Waiting List:
Minimum of 15 students. If there are insufficient registrations, the minor will be cancelled.