• » Certificate in Food Product Development

    This programme will not run in LYIT in September 2010

    Programme Title  Certificate in Food Product Development
    CAO Code  
    LYIT internal code  LY_SFOPD_C
    Duration  1 year full-time and 2 part-time
    Standard Code Places:  20
    National Framework Level  6
    Award Type  Minor
    Awarding Body  LYIT, under Delegated Authority from HETAC
    Is this Programme for Me?
    This course is targeted at:
    • People who are interested in setting up their own food company.
    • People from an agricultural background who would like to increase their productivity and viability by including a Food Production element in their overall business.
    • People involved in the catering and cooking industries who would like to set up their own food company or specialise in a particular food production area.
    • People with a business background who would like to set up their own food company or specialise in a particular food production area.
    The learners will be provided with information on and experience in the preparation of various food products. They will learn about food safety, general microbiology, and HACCP, and will be eligible to be awarded a Hygiene Certificate. They will learn about the nutritional value of foods and requirements for special diets. The course will also involve learning about how food ingredients interact with one another, functional properties of ingredients; how foods react to different processing methods and how different types of foods are produced in the food industry. The student will learn about how foods can be preserved, stored and packaged. The course will also show learners how a factory premises is laid out, hygienically designed and cleaned, and how common pieces of food processing equipment operate. The learner will be shown methods of quality control. Learners will be provided with training in idea generation, how to carry out feasibility studies and prepare business plans. They will be provided with information on management, financial planning, marketing, and legislation. The Information Technology subject will focus on information storage, using applications packages, the Internet and developing a web page.
    There will be a strong emphasis on the final project, based on the learner's own product idea or a chosen subject area which they feel could result in a viable product. The other subjects will provide the necessary background to carry out the project. The project will involve the students own work in developing a particular food product and will include such areas as idea generation and selection, feasibility study, business plan, production plan, production of the food product, shelf life testing, labelling, packaging and marketing.
    Minimum Academic Entry Requirements
    Grade D3 or higher in at least five ordinary level subjects at Leaving Certificate, including Maths and either Irish or English, or an equivalent qualification. Applicants may also be interviewed. This course is particularly targeted at mature students (23 years of age or over) who do not require a Leaving Certificate qualification.
    What will I have to study?
    Year/Semester Modules Mandatory/
    Elective    		 No of credits Class hours per week
     1/1  Food Safety 1 Mandatory  5  3
     Food Science 1 Mandatory  5  3
     Food Production Mandatory  10  5
     Information Technology Mandatory  5  3
     Business Management and Enterprise Development 1 Mandatory  5  2
     1/2  Food Safety 2 Mandatory  5  3
     Food Science 2 Mandatory  5  3
     Food Processing Mandatory  5  3
     Business Management and Enterprise Development 2 Mandatory  5  2
     Project Mandatory  10  4
    Learning Outcomes
    Learning outcomes of this programme include the following. The graduate will
    • Be able to work on their own initiative and be able to carry out a range of technical and administrative roles.
    • Understand the composition of food ingredients; understand how to successfully combine food ingredients, define the general principles of processing of foods and to understand how food can be preserved.
    • Understand the factors causing the deterioration of food, understand and give examples of how food can be preserved, packaged and labelled, understand and distinguish between methods of cleaning of production plant and equipment and general personal hygiene procedures.
    • Understand methods of plant design and layout, production management, food distribution and waste disposal.
    • Be able to measure trends in food consumption and changing consumer requirements and have an ability to generate new product ideas.
    • Understand how foods are analysed for safety, composition and organoleptic properties.
    • Be able to define food regulations, food legislation, how to obtain grants and give examples of support organisations locally and nationally.
    • Have gained the knowledge to develop a product idea to a production ready stage
    • Understand how to produce business plans, manage a successful food company, manage finances and carry out market research and successfully market a food product.
    Are there follow-up Programmes Available?
    Progression on this course will comply with standard rules and regulations. This course will be considered as a bridging course for mature students into year 1 of the level 7 Food Science BSc course at Letterkenny Institute of Technology.
    Career Opportunities
    It is anticipated that most students will, on completion of the course, go to work in the food industry as self-employed entrepreneurs. Some graduates may also go on to work in established food industries.
    This course begins in September each year. How to Apply
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
    • Contact: Head of Department of Science, Letterkenny Institute of Technology by
    • E- Mail:
    • Telephone: (074) 918 6302