Food Analysis Training Course in Partnership Program with National University of Laos (NUL)

The FA Training Course in collaboration with NUL was successfully conducted from June 26 to June 30, 2023. This comprehensive program seamlessly blended online and on-site, hosted by the Department of Rural Economics and Food Technology within the Faculty of Agriculture at NUL. A diverse cohort of 39 participants actively engaged in the course, comprising 8 academic staff members, 22 students, 1 representative from a private company, and 8 professionals from the public sector.

The program featured a distinguished panel of 10 expert lecturers renowned for their proficiency in food analysis, hailing from esteemed institutions in Japan and Singapore. These experts shared invaluable practical insights drawn from their extensive experiences in the field of food analysis. The topics covered during the course encompassed cutting-edge areas such as Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS), JAS Testing Methods, Standardization in Food Industries, the Development of Functional Agricultural Products, and the Application of Functional Food Labeling Systems in Japan. Additionally, the curriculum delved into fundamental aspects, including Basic Understanding and Key Points of ISO/IEC17025, the significance of β-cryptoxanthin as a functional component for human health, and a hands-on training session with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).

During the hands-on training segment, participants were organized into small groups to engage in the JAS Testing method. This practical session allowed participants to acquire hands-on experience in detecting β-cryptoxanthin in mandarin oranges, covering every step from pretreatment/sample preparation to HPLC data analysis. Participants also received comprehensive training on the proper handling of various apparatus and reagents involved in the process, ensuring a thorough and consistent understanding of the procedures.