Farm to fork learning experience

02 Dec 2014

In September 2014, a group of students from the Diplomas in Food Science & Technology (DFST) and Nutrition, Health & Wellness (DNHW) embarked on a two-week 'farm to fork' journey to Bangkok, Thailand. The students and lecturers Ms Carmen Chan and Dr Carol Leung came face to face with the various stages of food production through visits to the chicken feed mill, a modern shrimp farm, and highly automated food factories. These visits helped them gain deeper insights into how facilities and processes can be designed to enhance biosecurity in order to prevent contamination of food products, how to fully utilize all raw materials efficiently to reduce wastage, and how to achieve environmental sustainability. In addition, the students visited the retail outlets to learn strategies to effectively market the products. Everyone now has a greater appreciation of the processes involved in food production, from raising animals to manufacturing food products to marketing these products to the consumers. Also, students get to explore further education and research opportunities at several universities near Bangkok. Opportunities to interact with the local Thai students were also part of the enriching experience for all participants.

Here is what Second Year DFST student Iris Toh has to say about the trip:

“In lectures, we don’t get to see how the factories work and how sanitation practices are carried out. This trip is like an outdoor lecture where we get to learn additional things out of our notes.”

A visit to the pilot plant

A group photo at the Chulalongkorn University