The HRD Project successfully organised the Food Analysis Training Course in Partnership with Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA), held from 30 June to 3 July 2026 in Hanoi, Vietnam. The training course was attended by 61 participants, comprising nine academic and technical university staff members, one researcher, one staff member from a public agency, seven staff members from private laboratories and companies, and 43 university students, including bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD students from VNUA and other universities across Vietnam.
The programme featured a series of lectures on key topics relevant to the improvement and development of food analysis. These included an overview of the Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS), the development of functional foods, including the functionality of Benifuuki green tea-derived O-methylated catechins, food labelling systems, JAS testing methods, ISO/IEC 17025, standardisation in the food industry, and functional substance analysis.
In addition to the lectures, the programme provided hands-on training in functional substance analysis, focusing on the detection and determination of O-methylated catechin in Benifuuuki green tea using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The practical training aimed to further strengthen participants’ comprehensive understanding of food analysis by providing them with an opportunity to experience a JAS testing method using HPLC equipment in small groups.
Through the hands-on sessions, participants learned and practised the complete process of determining O-methylated catechin in Benifuuki green tea, from pretreatment and sample preparation to HPLC measurement and data analysis. They also gained practical knowledge of the proper handling of laboratory apparatus and reagents, thereby enhancing their technical skills and understanding of analytical procedures in food analysis.
