Course Title: Apply principles of food packaging

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2009

Course Code: ONPS5218C

Course Title: Apply principles of food packaging

School: 155T Vocational Health and Sciences

Campus: City Campus

Program: C4172 - Certificate IV in Food Science & Technology

Course Contact: Sam Cutri

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4876

Course Contact Email: sam.cutri@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 50

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

Nil

Course Description

This unit covers the knowledge required to oversee packaging operations and assess the nature and likely causes of packaging problems. It covers a range of packaging technologies and is appropriate for a senior operator or manager responsible for overseeing packaging processes. The unit includes a basic understanding of the principles of modified atmosphere packaging processes.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

FDFTECPAK4A Apply principles of food packaging

Element:

1. Identify characteristics of packaging suitable for use with food products

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Packaging materials suitable for food application are identified
1.2 Packaging interactions with food products are identified
1.3 Environmental and handling features of packaging materials are identified
1.4 Customer and legal requirements of packaging are identified
1.5 Packaging material characteristics meet the needs of the food to be packaged

Element:

2. Apply packaging knowledge in a production environment

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Properties of packaging materials used in a packaging process are identified.
2.2 Costs of packaging materials are identified.
2.3 Procedures for safe operation of the packaging process are established and/or reviewed.
2.4 Out-of-specification packaging outcomes are analysed to identify probable cause.
2.5 Opportunities for improvement are identified and investigated within level of technical responsibility.
2.6 Proposals for improvement are developed and implemented within level of authority and according to company procedures.


Learning Outcomes




Details of Learning Activities

Learning activities for this course may include:
• Teacher directed face-to face delivery of lessons
• Whole class Discussion
• Pair/group discussion
• Small group workshops
• Revision quizzes
• Worksheets
• Laboratory experiments
• Record keeping of experiments
• Presentations
• Research activities


Teaching Schedule

Week 1 Introduction
Week 2 Current Trends
Week 3 Function of Packaging
Week 4 Function of Packaging
Week 5 Design
Week 6 Design
Week 7 Glass
Week 8 Metal
Week 9 Metal
Week 10 Paper
Week 11 Cardboard
Week 12 Plastic
Week 13 Plastic
Week 14 Labeling


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References

Food packaging : principles and practice / Robertson, Gordon L New York : Marcel Dekker, c1993 Swanston Library 664.092 R649
http://www.netlibrary.com/urlapi.asp?action=summary&v=1&bookid=12802
Brody, Aaron L. Flexible packaging of foods /London : Butterworths, 1970.
Call Number: 664.09 B864 Location: Swanston Library
Sacharow, Stanley. Food packaging : a guide for the supplier, processor, and distributor /Westport, Conn : AVI Pub. Co., 1970.
Call Number: 664.09 S121 Location: Swanston Library
Flexible Food Packaging: Questions And Answers
Call Number: 664.092 H669 Location: Swanston Library
Lee, Dong Sun Food Packaging Science And Technology.
Boca Raton Crc Press 2008 Call Number 664.09 L477 Location: Carlton


Other Resources

Polystyrene Packaging Council Homepage (PSPC)
http://www.polystyrene.org/
Glass Packaging Institute
http://www.gpi.org/
Mechanical Properties of Polymers
http://www.psrc.usm.edu/macrog/mech.htm
History of plastics
http://www.nswpmitb.com.au/HistoryOfPlastics.html
Alcan Foil Homepage
http://www.foil.alcan.com/Foil/alcansite.nsf/Public/Homepage
Food Standards codes at ANZFA
http://www.anzfa.gov.au
Packaging Council of Australia
www.packcoun.com.au
The National Packaging Covenant
www.packagingcovenant.org.au
Visy Industries
www.visy.com.au
Steel Can Recycling Council
www.cansmart.org
PACIA
www.pacia.org.au
Alcoa aluminium
www.alcoa.com.au
Amcor Cartonboard Australasia
www.amcor.com.au
Huhtamaki Packaging
www.huhtamaki.com.au


Overview of Assessment

Assessments for this course consist of:
• Class activities
• Assignments
• Presentations
• Exam


Assessment Tasks

Assignments 60 %
Test 40 %


Assessment Matrix

Course Overview: Access Course Overview