Personal Computer Based Food Engineering Education

Abstract

The availability, speed and affordability of personal computers (PCs) enable new possibilities in the education and training of Food Engineers. The use of PCs enables students to grasp complex concepts without getting tangled in computational details, use simulations and ask what-if questions to better understand and visualize phenomena or processes, and eliminate or minimize simplifying assumptions. Internet and World Wide Web make distributed learning possible. Available software are classified into three categories: generalized commercial software such as spreadsheets, semi-specialized but expensive software such as Aspen or MATLAB, and specialized software written by faculty/students in Food Engineering. There is a need to develop educational software by the latter group, since software for small audiences is not economical for commercial software companies. Examples of educational programs are given. A world-wide clearing house for software developed by faculty/students is suggested. The possible mechanisms of such an effort is discussed.