Within the framework of the subject “Processing of Foods of Plant Origin”, taught by the teacher Pablo Oria, the students of the degrees in Agricultural and Food Industries Engineering and Food Science and Technology were invited to visit the chocolate factory Monper and the factory of sobaos and quesadillas El Andral.
Oria, together with the students, made guided visits to these factories in order to get to know them in greater depth. In addition, the students had the opportunity to see the different packaging and elaboration processes that take place in the factories.
They were also able to learn about the various problems and obstacles that this type of company has to face on a daily basis, as well as the logistics used in times of raw material shortages.
During their visit to the Monper chocolate factory, the students were able to learn about chocolate processing, how chocolate bars are prepared, whether traditional or with extra ingredients. The students even had the opportunity to create their own bars with the ingredients of their choice. They were also told about the cocoa shortage that the factory is currently facing and what resources they are taking to solve it.
Afterwards, the students visited the El Andral factory, which produces and distributes sobaos, quesadillas, pastas and even has organic products. During the visit, the students learned about the way the sobaos and quesadillas are packaged. They explained to them that the milk they use to make their products is home-grown.
The students learned about the term PGI (Protected Geographical Indication), which indicates that the products collected and distributed with this seal contain a certain quality or other characteristics attributable primarily to their origin, i.e. that the products from this factory come only from Cantabria.
Previously, the students have made visits to different factories as part of the subject “Animal Food Processing”. UNEATLANTICO seeks to train its students with as much knowledge as possible, so these visits are motivated.