LV EN RU DE FR

Organic Agriculture Food Products

Course developer

Course abstract

The aim of the course is to give knowledge about the main aspects of processing of raw materials in organic agriculture and its quality. The tasks of the course are as follows: 1) to get knowledge about specific conditions of organic product production and quality; 2) to get knowledge about organic animal breeding and crop products processing conditions; 3) to get knowledge about characteristics of allowed food additives, supplementary aids and processing conditions; 4) to get knowledge about organic food packaging and labelling conditions; 5) to evaluate aspects of safety of organic raw materials and product.a.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Knowledge:
1) production and quality of food products from organic farming.
Skills:
2) is able to analyse and to find out differences in raw materials quality from organic and conventional farming;
3) is able to analyse and evaluate differences for processing conditions of animal breeding and crop products from organic farming;
4) is able to find important differences among production aids and food additives allowed in organic and conventional farming.
Competencies:

5) students are able to justify their choice by a specific method, comparing organic and conventional farming, by analysing significant differences in food production, by assessing their nutritional value, and safety aspects.

Course Content(Calendar)

Lectures
1. The characterisation of organic agriculture as form, perspectives of development and situation in Latvia. L2
2. The legislation regarding to organic agriculture and organic food products, its characterisation. The comparison of organic and conventional agricultural systems, main differences between two systems. L2
3. The processing condition and possibilities in Latvia of animal origin raw material as meat, milk and eggs in organic agriculture. L2
4. The technological operations and regimes for production of animal origin raw materials. The characteristic of allowed food additives, technological aids, they functions in organic animal origin food products in organic agriculture. L4
5. The characteristic of organic crop-cultivation products processing condition and regimes. L2
6. Packaging materials and packaging technologies for organic food products. The labelling of food products, trademarks of organic agriculture in Europe and Latvia. L2
7. Safety and wholesomeness aspects of organic food products. L2
Practical works
1 practical work. The characterisation of organic agriculture as form, perspectives and situation in Latvia.
2 practical work. The comparison of organic and conventional agricultural systems, main differences between two systems.
3 practical work. The processing condition and possibilities in Latvia of animal origin raw material as meat, milk and eggs in organic agriculture, the comparison with conventional agriculture. Intermediate examination 1.
4 practical work. The technological operations and regimes for production of animal origin raw materials.
5 practical work. The characteristic of allowed food additives, technological aids, they functions in organic animal origin food products in organic agriculture.
6 practical work. The processing condition and possibilities in Latvia of plant origin raw material, the comparison with conventional agriculture. Intermediate examination 2.
7 practical work. Packaging materials and packaging technologies for organic food products.

8 practical work. Safety and wholesomeness aspects of organic food products. Presentation.

Requirements for awarding credit points

Student has to participate in lectures (optionally) and seminars and practical works (compulsory), complete individual work and present the results. Assessment of study course has made from an assessment of 2 intermediate tests (40%), and individually elaborated work presentation (40%) and written examination results (20%).

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

The independent work of students is organised in individual and/or working groups, with the following tasks: independently preparations for seminars, intermediate examinations (2), examination, to prepare a presentation about main differences between conventional and organic agriculture of raw materials obtaining and processing, main differences between products obtained from conventional and organic farming.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The final rating of the study course will be resulted from the results of intermediate written test 1 (legislation of organic agriculture) 20% and discussion of their results. Results of written test 2 (about differences of organic product production) 20% and discussion their results. Result of examination (about differences of organic and conventional product quality) 40%. Presentation: chosen product characterisation (20%).

Compulsory reading

1. Bavec, F., Bavec, M. (2006) Organic production and use of alternative c rops. CRC Press, 241 p.
2. Quality of organic vs. conventional food and effects on health (2011). Ed. D.Matt, E.Rembialkowska, A.Luik, E.Peetsmann, S.Pehme. Estonian University of Life Sciences, 1004 p.
3. Miguel Garcia, J., Teixeira, P. (2016) Organic versus conventional food: A comparison regarding food safety. Foods Reviews International, Volume 33, Isue 4, 424-446 pp.
4. Komisijas Regula (EK) Nr. 1881/2006 (2006. gada 10. decembris), ar ko nosaka konkrētu piesārņotāju maksimāli pieļaujamo koncentrāciju pārtikas produktos.
5. Komisijas Regula (EK) 271/2010 (2010. gada 24. marts), ar kuru groza Regulu (EK) Nr. 889/2008, ar ko paredz sīki izstrādātus bioloģiskās ražošanas, marķēšanas un kontroles noteikumus.
6. Komisijas Regula (EK) 834/2007 (2007. gada 28. jūnijs) par bioloģisko ražošanu un bioloģisko produktu marķēšanu.
7. Lauksaimniecības dzīvnieki un to produkcija bioloģiskā lauksaimniecībā (2006). Monogrāfija. Sigulda: SIGRA, 296 lpp.

8. Organic cereals and pulses (2002). Ed. D.Younie, B.R.Taylor, J.P.Weelsh, J.M.Wilkinson. UK: Chalcombe, 178 p.

Further reading

1. Pārtikas piesārņojums (2004) PVD, Rīga, Pētniecības centrs, 64 lpp.
2. Ozola, L. (2003) Pārtikas piedevas. SIA NEO, Rīga, 112 lpp.

Periodicals and other sources

1. The World of Organic Agriculture 2016. – http://www.organic-world.net/yearbook/yearbook-2016.html
2. Organic-Europe http://www.organic-europe.net/home-europe.html
3. Latvijas Ekoprodukts – http://www.lbla.lv/

4. Bioloģiski http://www.biologiski.lv/ekoveikali-un-zemnieki-tirdzini