As part of the subject “Packaging and Shelf Life of Commercial Food”, students of the degrees in Agricultural Industries Engineering (IIAA) and Food Science and Technology (CTA) of the European University of the Atlantic (UNEATLANTICO) made a series of visits to various food and packaging factories.
The objective of these visits was to teach the students in a practical way the packaging process and to give them first-hand knowledge of companies in the region. The first visit was to Codesa, a company dedicated mainly to anchovy packaging. In Codeas, the students of UNEATLANTICO saw the whole process of elaboration; from the moment where the anchovies are caught and received, the cleaning and the subsequent packaging. In addition, they were taught about the different types of anchovies and how, depending on the type of anchovy, it is placed in different packaging to be stored.
Afterwards, they visited the company Böreal Artik, a company in charge of packaging using pressure. During their visit, the students learned about the pressure canning procedure, how the product is stored and how water is used to generate the same pressure. With this procedure, microorganisms are eliminated and the food is preserved for a longer period of time.
Afterwards, the students visited Don Bocarte, where they took a guided tour of the company, learning about the facilities and the machinery used during the packaging of anchovies, bonito, tuna and octopus that the company has been offering for more than twenty-five years. Finally, the students visited the Lab Norte laboratory, where they were given a guided tour. In this line, the students involved in the visit were able to observe the facilities and utensils used for a wide variety of processes.
With the organization of this type of guided visits, UNEATLANTICO seeks to train its students with a broad theoretical knowledge but with a practical vision connected to the present of their professional sector.