i. COURSE TITLE: BPE 315- POST-HARVEST TECHNOLOGIES OF INDUSTRIAL CROPS
ii. Course Aim:
iii. Course Expected Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course students should be able to:
• Apply skills of unit operations and unit processes to process livestock and live stock products.
• Apply skills of unit operations and unit processes to process beverage and fermented products
• Apply skills of unit operations and unit processes to process grains, oil seeds and nuts.
• Apply skills of unit operations and unit processes to process fruits and vegetables.
iv. Course status: Elective
v. Credit rating: 9 Credits
vi. Total hours spent: 90 hours
Lecture 30 hours
Seminars/Tutorials 0 hours
Practical 30 hours
Assignment 15 hours
Independent Research 15 hours
Pre-requisite: None
vii. Course Content:
Main Characteristics and properties of industrial and tree crop products at maturity, methods of harvesting and transportation prior to processing and storage. Post –harvests alterations in the structure and constitution of harvested crops: biochemical, physiological and physical changes leading to maturity. Storage behaviour and environmental conditions required during storage for selected crops.
Mechanical treatments used in processing: Drying, curing, ratting, decortication, rolling crushing, pressure extraction and separation. Methods used in fermentation, solvent extraction, distillation and coagulation. Post-harvest treatment of crops of major economic importance in tropical and sub-tropical regions including: beverage crops (coffee, cocoa, tea), rubber, oil producing crops (coconut, oil palm, soybeans groundnuts) sugarcane, fibre crops (sisal, cotton and jute), stimulant (tobacco) and selected crops of secondary economic importance (root/tuber crops).
viii. Teaching and Learning activities
Teaching activities
Teaching activities will involve lectures, tutorials and laboratory practical training.
Learning activities
Learning activities will involve performing take home assignments, seminar presentations and independent reading. Students will be encouraged to do independent study by reading relevant reference books, teaching manuals, scientific papers and other learning materials.
ix. Assessment methods:
A variety of coursework assessments will be done and these include take home assignments, tutorials, seminar presentations and practical reports. There shall be written theory and practical tests given at appropriate time during the semester. In addition, there shall be an end of semester University examination.
x. Reading List
Bakker-Arkema, F.W., DeBaerdemaeker, J., Amirante, P., Ruitz-Altisent, M. and Studman, C.J. (1999) Agro-processing Engineering.CIGR Handbook of Agricultural Engineering.Vol.5.American Society of Agricultural Engineering Publisher, USA.