Food Innovation and Technology

The Foundation Degree in Food Innovation and Technology is validated by Ulster University and designed to equip graduates with the knowledge and skills to develop and produce innovative, nutritious, safe and healthy foods which meet consumer demands. This is a 4 semester programme spread over 2 years. Semester 3 is spent on an industry based placement where students develop both their technical expertise and commercial awareness. Many graduates progress on one of the BSc (Hons) Degrees at Loughry or at another academic institution. Those that go directly into employment take up posts such as supervisory management in production, product development, training and quality control.
Loughry Campus – The Food Centre of Northern Ireland.
CAFRE Loughry Campus offers full-time and part-time courses in Food to educate new entrants and support staff working within the agri-food sector to improve business efficiency. One of the great things about CAFRE is that each of our three campuses deliver a specific range of courses and has the specialist facilities to match. We are continually investing in our staff, buildings, equipment and resources so you can get the most out of your time with us.
Loughry Campus, which is based 2 miles outside Cookstown in Co Tyrone, showcases the latest design and technology to ensure compliance with best practice in food manufacture.
The educational facilities are exceptional and include the Food Innovation Centre, Food Technology Centre, Science Laboratories and Packaging Centre.
The Food Innovation Centre comprises product development labs, sensory suites, an ideas hub, and a package prototyping lab to assist in the creation of new food concepts to meet the needs of a dynamic market place. A new robotics project is currently underway in partnership with Queens University, Belfast. The facilities within the centre are used by students and many food businesses, retailers and industry bodies working in our agri-food sector.
The Food Technology Centre showcases the latest technology and is designed to ensure compliance with best practice in food manufacture. The facility incorporates four food processing areas focusing on the meat, bakery, dairy, brewing, fruit and vegetable sectors. This unique facility is equipped with an extensive range of modern pilot and industrial scale food processing equipment, used in equal measure by our students and technical team. Small-scale processing equipment allows the demonstration of computerised control systems used in food manufacturing. Utilisation of the facility helps students develop the competences and skills needed by the food industry.
The Food Packaging Centre provides a modern resource for evaluating packaging materials and distribution packaging systems. It is equipped with advanced, high-tech testing equipment, which allows the evaluation of a wide range of properties important to technologists in the food and packaging industries.
Strength evaluation, permeability measurement and distribution evaluations are a few examples of the types of tests, which can be conducted at the campus.
The Science Laboratories include a microbiology and chemistry laboratory and are a valuable resource enabling students to gain the practical skills essential to a career in the agri-food industry. Students spend time analysing food products, ingredients and water using internationally recognised methods. They learn the processes involved in preparing samples for testing, preparing media, plating out samples and analysing the results. Information gathered through microbiological analysis is used to determine product shelf life and check the food is safe to eat. Students also have the opportunity to examine unique processes used by food companies to test food processing equipment and work environment

Year 1: Food Microbiology; Nutritional Chemistry, Food Quality and Sensory Science, Packaging Technology, Food Processing and Innovation; Academic and Professional Skills.
Year 2: Applied Investigative Project; Work-based learning; Food Innovation; Food Safety and Quality Management; Lean Manufacture and Continuous Improvement.
Placement: Semester one of the second year is dedicated a work-based learning placement. This allows students to develop technical and commercial expertise and at the same time complete an applied investigative project.