Concepts of Small-scale Food Processing

Dr. Don Mercer, P.Eng. is an Associate Professor with the Department of Food Science, University of Guelph and is a Fellow of the International Academy of Food Science and Technology.  His research interests are in food process engineering, with specific emphasis on dehydration and drying.  For the past seventeen years, he has been working with the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) Distance Education Task Force in developing and delivering training modules for food industry workers in Sub-Saharan Africa.  In addition, he has participated in the “Education for Employment Program” sponsored by the Canadian Government to develop food-based training programs in Tanzania, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  From 2014 to 2018, Don worked with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and IUFoST to present food processing workshops for entrepreneurs and small-scale farmers in the Caribbean, South America,  Southeast Asia, and Africa.  He is currently working on additional projects in the Caribbean to promote the availability of instructional material for small-scale processors and entrepreneurs.   Prior to joining the University of Guelph, Don spent ten years with the Research Branch of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and fourteen years as Senior Research Engineer with Kraft-General Foods Canada.

Why Food Is Processed;

Historical Development of Food Processing;

Background Skills for Food Processing;

Heating and Cooling in Food Processing;

Thermal Processing Basics;

Thermal Processing – Specialized Calculations;

Basics of Drying Food Materials;

Developing and Using Mathematical Drying Models;

Industrial Dryers and Home Food Dehydrators;

Solar Dryers and Open-Air Food Drying;

Statistical Manufacturing Control;

Sugar Solution Calculations in Beverage Making