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Description
The project involves conducting a study visit for research and teaching staff of the Institute of Quality Sciences at the PUEB in the Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research Nofima, a world-class center for basic and applied food science research. The aim of the project is professional development of the staff of the PUEB’s Institute of Quality Sciences, involved in the education of students in the fields of Management and Production Engineering as well as Quality and Product Development. The main purpose of the visit is to learn about the latest strategies to ensure the sustainability of food production. The topics of the visit include quality control issues at all stages of the food value chain using smart sensors, taking into account the needs of consumers, integrating the obtained data and using them to increase the efficiency of sustainable food production systems. The condition for sustainable development is the development of scientific research, transfer of knowledge to society and education. Graduates of studies in the field of quality sciences, due to their education covering issues in the field of natural and social sciences, may and should be leaders in implementing actions for sustainable development. Therefore the constant education of the teaching staff is needed, ensuring that the study programmes are updated.
The project will involve the participation of 5 research and teaching staff, whose research and teaching activities are related to the area of food science and quality science. The team members are: director of the institute, Rector’s plenipotentiaries for internships of student and student research clubs, coordinators of classes and members of the study committee. The main activity in the project is a 5-day visit of 5 employees to a Norwegian institution. The visit plan includes seminars and workshops, job shadowing and meetings with world-class Norwegian specialists.
Summary of project results
PUE employees carried out a study visit to the Nofima branch in Ås, Osloveien 1, NO-1433 Ås. Participants learned about the activities of the Institute in the field of the development of sustainable food chains. The visit program covered 5 working days.
Day 1: Seminar - presentation of the Host Institution, presentation of goals and organizations as well as research conducted at the Centre for Research-Based Innovation (SFI) in Digital Food Quality - DigiFoods; presentation of the PUEB Institute of Quality Sciences. Discussion on the goals and plan of the visit. Job shadowing - An experiment in developing online quality control methods.
Day 2: Seminar - "Innovative analytical technologies", presentation of research conducted in Nofima in the field of intelligent spectroscopic sensor systems for fast and non-destructive food quality assessment and process optimization as well as spectroscopic data analysis; presentation of research carried out at the PUEB; discussion. Job shadowing - application of innovative sensors and systems integrated with sensors for online and process control developed within DigiFoods.
Day 3: Seminar - "Innovative methods in consumer research", presentation of methods used in research on consumer preferences and behavior and sensory perception of food, as well as methods of multidimensional analysis of sensory and consumer data and their interpretation; presentation of research carried out at the PUEB; discussion. Job shadowing - methods of sensory and consumer research (Dept. Innovation, Consumer and Sensory Sciences).
Day 4: Workshops - on the development of sustainable food, the examples of projects implemented at Dept. Raw Materials and Process Optimization. Job shadowing - demonstration of pilot production lines for on-line quality control.
Day 5: Seminar summarizing the visit, the role of research and education in sustainable food production; establishing dissemination activities and possibilities for cooperation.
Summary of bilateral results
The visit was hosted by Jens Petter Wold - director of the DigiFoods Center, directly involved in the preparation of the visit were Ingrid Måge, Nils Kristian Afseth and Paula Varela Tomasco. Prior to the start of the visit, in order to establish the substantive plan for the visit and organizational issues, correspondence was held via email and a remote meeting was held between representatives of the two Institutions. During the visit, seminars, workshops and an accompanying internship were held. The substantive scope of these activities included the presentation of innovative quality control techniques in the food supply chain, innovative methods of consumer research and the application of data analysis methods (machine learning) to optimize and digitize processes. Participants were introduced to the operation of the Research-Based Innovation Center - Digital Food Quality (DigiFoods). Many Nofima employees were involved in the activities. It should be emphasized that the visit was very professionally prepared in terms of organization and very high in terms of content. During the visit, discussions were also held on the continuation of cooperation. Support on the part of the Host Institution also included activities after the visit - joint preparation of a publication for the industry magazine "Food Industry". Thanks to very good cooperation and involvement of the Host Institution, all project results assumed in the application were achieved. The participants of the visit would like to thank the Norwegian hosts for the exemplary preparation of the visit and extraordinary hospitality and openness in sharing knowledge and experience.