Overall objectives:

1 - Understand the importance of post-harvest technology, namely the processing and conservation of agricultural products.
2 - Know and distinguish different methodologies of conservation and transformation, and identify the methodologies of conservation and transformation adequate to the principles of the organic production method.
3 - Know and understand the specific legislation regarding the processing, conservation and transformation of agricultural products in organic production.
4 - Properly mobilize the acquired knowledge.
5 - Develop skills to interpret, evaluate, decide and intervene responsibly in situations related to future professional activity.
6 - Develop and demonstrate initiative, autonomy and work habits.

Syllabus:

1 - Systems of vegetables and fruit production. Post harvest technology in fruit and vegetables. The importance of post harvest processing. Harvest and quality of raw materials. Care in handling and processing. Storage and distribution conditions.
2 - Systems of animal production. Tecnologies animal products production. Animal processing. Slaughter, quartering and processing.
3 - Methods and technologies for conservation of agricultural products of plant and animal origin. The biological processes that influence the conservation of products. The importance of microorganisms in the preservation of products. Conservation technologies. Refrigeration, installations and storage in chambers. Preservation using heat (pasteurization, sterilization, dehydration, evaporation, salting, smoking). Preservation using cold (freezing, cryogenics, lyophilization). Addition of chemicals. Radiation and ionization. Others: Acidification and fermentation, salting, canning and smoking. Relate the lifetime of agricultural products, of plant and animal origin, with the appropriate selection of quality raw materials, conservation processes and technology and storage conditions.
4 - Introduction to the transformation of agricultural products. Technological operations inherent to the processes of transformation of agricultural products, of animal and vegetable origin.
5 - Specific legislation regarding the processing, conservation and transformation of agricultural products in organic production. Norms of conservation and protection of the environment;
6 - Applied laboratory activities for explanation, execution and illustration of related procedures, with the theoretical contents of the syllabus.

Literature/Sources:

Clark S, Jung S, Lamsal B. , 2013 , Food Processing: Principles and applications , Wiley Blackwell
Brennan, J. G. , 2006 , Food Processing Handbook , In Traders. WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA
Freitas, A. C., & Figueiredo, P , 2000 , Conservação de Alimentos. , http://www.pfigueiredo.org/Book.pdf
Hui, Y. H., Nip, W. K., Nollet, L. M. L., Paliyath, G., & Simpson, B. K. , 2007 , Food Biochemistry and Food Processing.In Food Biochemistry and Food Processing , https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470277577
Vasconcelos, M. A. S., & Filho, A. B. M , 2010 , Conservação deAlimentos - Técnico em Alimentos , E-Tec Brasil. http://redeetec.mec.gov.br/images/stories/pdf/eixo_prod_alim/tec_alim/181012_con_alim.

Assesssment methods and criteria:

Classification Type: Quantitativa (0-20)

Evaluation Methodology:
The aim is to acquire and apply the knowledge foreseen in the course?s objectives and syllabus contents, through an active and interdisciplinary methodology. The student must learn the basic concepts and know-how to relate them to each other, proceeding with their reinforcement, through applied learning using available tools and study visits to concrete situations of the future professional activity. To achieve the objectives and implement the syllabus, the UC's contact hours are scheduled as follows: Theoretical-practical teaching: 22 hours; Practical and laboratory teaching: 34 hours; and Field work: 20 hours. The evaluation will include several moments of evaluation applied to the theoretical-practical components, laboratory practices and field work (e.g. frequencies, works and reports), any of the elements cannot exceed a weighting of 50%. the theoretical-practical elements can be retrieved in resource.