IBRL and the Food Science Pilot Plant serve as resources for a number of courses that are offered in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, the Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition, and across the College of ACES more broadly. The level of involvement in the facilities ranges; several classes meet solely in the facility, while others are lecture based with hands-on modules in the pilot plant
Select details for each class are below, complete information is available on the Academic Catalog.
CLASSES
ABE 226 – ABE Principles: Bioprocessing
Principles of bioprocess engineering applied to food and agricultural products: material balances; fluid flow; heat and mass transfers; drying; evaporation; fermentation; distillation; process simulation. Students are provided a tour of processing equipment discussed in class.
ABE 469 – Industry Linked Design Projects
Industry-submitted and sponsored design projects which utilize principles of design, engineering analysis and functional operation of engineering systems. Design teams develop concepts, evaluate alternatives, model and analyze solutions, and build and test a final product. Emphases on communication skills, technical writing, and interaction with industry representatives.
ABE 488 – Bioprocessing Biomass for Fuel
Engineering and scientific principles governing bioprocessing of biomass for production of ethanol and other fermentation products. Process unit operations; conventional and alternative feed stock materials; recovery of value-added coproducts and other variables involved in producing fuel ethanol; process simulation; economic analysis.
ABE 497/597 – Independent Study
Undergraduate or graduate students can earn credit for working in IBRL and the FSHN-PPP facility. To apply: https://pilotplant.aces.illinois.edu/hands-on-learning-opportunities/
ABE & TSM 430/ABE 469 – Industry-Linked Design Project
Industry-submitted and sponsored design projects which utilize principles of design, engineering analysis and functional operation of engineering systems. Design teams develop concepts, evaluate alternatives, model and analyze solutions, and build and test a final product. Emphases on communication skills, technical writing, and interaction with industry representatives. Students have access to the pilot plant to complete relevant design projects.
ANSC 424 – Pet Food & Feed Manufacturing
Integrates principles of animal nutrition with various aspects pertaining to pet food and animal feed manufacturing. Topics discussed in this course include processing technologies (e.g., extrusion, retorting, baking) involved in the manufacturing of pet foods and animal feeds, principles of diet formulation and nutritional guidelines, and an overview of regulatory affairs, quality control, and good manufacturing practices. Students utilize pilot plant facility for demonstration and examination of retort and extrusion processes.
FSHN 130 – Introduction to Food Science
Introductory course for students in Food Science (FS) focused on student learning and success, current issues, and opportunities and careers in the field of food science. In addition, students will learn about how to enhance their learning strategies. Students are provided a tour of the pilot plant.
FSHN 199 – Taste of Food Science
Students are provided a demonstration of a food processing technology in the pilot plant.
FSHN 260 – Raw Materials for Processing
Problems involved with procurement, harvesting, handling, and storage of fruits, vegetables, cereal grains, dairy products, red meat, poultry, fish, and eggs for the food-processing industry. Field trips to specialized operations.
FSHN 312 – Applied Microbiology Methods
Consideration, through experimentation, of properties of bacteria, yeasts, molds, and actinomycetes important to industrial processes; exploration of methods of control of microbial processes in industry and sanitation. Students utilize the pilot plant for a food fermentation experiment.
FSHN 462/595 – Food Processing II
Laboratory course for FSHN 461. Includes labs on blanching, pasteurization, sterilization, freezing, freeze drying, dehydration (tray drying, drum drying and spray drying), evaporation, and extrusion; discussion and labs. Students setup and run equipment in pilot plant each week, followed by group reports on findings.
FSHN 464 – Beverage Science & Technology
Explores the research, science and technology of the production of safe, high quality beverages through the application of food chemistry, food microbiology, and food processing principles. Students explore various beverage processing techniques in the pilot plant.
FSHN 466 – Food Product Development
Principles of food product development: target market evaluation, concept development and presentation, formulation, manufacturing, packaging, product costs, pricing, safety, and marketing. May include a product in accordance with Institute of Food Technologists national competition guidelines. Products will be unveiled and presented for faculty evaluation. Students have access to pilot plant and product development kitchen facilities to assist in developing their product.
Hort 100 – Introduction to Horticulture
Basic principles of plant growth and development as they apply to the production, marketing, and utilization of fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants. Students utilize the pilot plant for demonstrations of equipment discussed in class.
Hort 105 – Vegetable Gardening
The science and art of growing vegetables and the connection between gardening and food. Topics include nutrient and pest management, history, folklore, growing requirements, and quality characteristics of vegetables. Students complete hands-on activities related to common vegetable processing and preservation techniques.
ME 470 – Senior Design Project
Solution of a real-world design problem: development, evaluation, and recommendation of alternative solutions subject to realistic constraints that include most of the following considerations: economics, environment, sustainability, manufacturability, ethics, health and safety, society, and politics. Students have access to the pilot plant to complete relevant design projects.
NRES 285 – Approaches for Sustainable Food Production
This is a practical course that focuses on the principles of organic food production. Topics covered include the history of organic agriculture, cultural and biologically based management that enhances soil function and the provision of ecosystem services. Short lecture materials are integrated with hands-on activities at the Sustainable Student Farm and field trips to local farms. Each week, students will learn different components of an Organic Management Plan and will have the opportunity to outline a plan for a specific production area of the Sustainable Student Farm.