Modules

Issues around the food system are something we can touch on every day. Unfortunately, most people are unaware of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of this. We believe that learning about food system issues needs to be redesigned under a new perspective on what constitutes both a healthy diet and a sustainable food system. So we will be working on eTwinning (project ID: 225,821) based on 9 module programs applying STEM practice on different aspects of food, nutrition and climate change, designed to be completed in at least six weeks in a two-hour course per week.

Included:

Food systems
Climate change
Production: on farms
Processing: from the field to the factory
Processing: from factory to consumers
Processing: from consumers to the fork
Food, Nutrition and Health
Turn to sustainability
Circular economy

Through these 9 modules, students will be equipped with the necessary information and knowledge about food systems to understand the relationship between food choices and climate change; they will improve their skills and finally be able to act. as responsible citizens in order to help their local community link their food choices to the economic, social and environmental dimensions of food systems.

To make this happen, we are going to cover technological, economic, ecological and social aspects related to food systems (production, processing, packaging, distribution, retail, consumption, etc.) in order to develop skills in various areas that related to sustainability.

In each section an electronic journal is designed where it will be composed:

-educational material used,

- all information collected by each group (national and transnational), and

-all the individual projects that we will create.

Food Systems

This is an introduction module in order students develop that we are a dynamic part of food systems. In this module they also will develop food system's economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Their mission is to organise a campaign in their community in order to help the citizens link their food choices to the economic, social and environmental dimensions of food systems.

Climate change

Climate Change is affecting all aspects of human lives. As all the scientific evidence media reveal the human civilization is leaded to a great meteorological catastrophe, we all, irrespective of our seat or role have to be prepared so as to avoid further escalation of environmental destruction that cause atmospheric imbalances. Unfortunately younger generation have to play an important role for correcting all these that our generation did and resulted to this change so they have to be prepared to act in a more responsible way than we did.

Producing: to the farms

In this module we'll explore the challenges in agriculture. Starting from the history of agricultural technology and ending to the new technologies that have developed for this area, we aim to a better understanding of where our food comes from, how it’s produced, and the associated environmental, social and sustainability challenges for farmers. Besides plant production (horticulture) we will explore animal production (meat, dairy, and egg), fish farmings and beekeeping so as to examine different farming systems; identify innovative technologies available to farmers to boost sustainability so that students be able to better understand farming challenges, and how farming relates to the food in their plate.

Processing: from field to factory

The aim of this session is to consider the properties of raw materials in connection to food processing, and to outline critical viewpoints of handling, transport, storage and post harvest preparation operations of raw materials, that take part in the field or/and to the factory, earlier to the run of processing operations.We'll also discuss about the changes that occur in physical, chemical, microbiological and organoleptic properties of material and will address some concerns about their impact on the environment and the connection of this processing step with SDGs. Last but not least, we'll explore some STEM careers on this field of food technology.

Processing: from factory to consumers

in this module you will develop some more critical points regarding food processing and the several features of food processing that raise questions about nutritional quality, worker health, environmental impact and food safety before we focus on the path followed by food products from the factory to consumer.
Different modes of transportation of foodstaffs: roadways, railways, water and air transportation, considering the advantages and disadvantages of each one but also the different types of distribution channels and the main protagonists involved in this process are also analyzed..
Then we will focus on the commercialization of food products, along the complex itinerary from market research to product promotion trying to spread awareness of the complex process that lies behind the itinerary that food product goes through from the factory to the consumer's home, as well as of all the protagonists involved in it.

Processing: from consumers to fork

Consumers are also part of this chain and one of the major drivers.

Think about these:

-We have developed that the majority of wasted or spoiled food is the one that could be found in cunsomers' hands, meaning after food is sold out to costomers.

-Our food choices are affected by a lot of factors related to food system, such as organoleptic characteristics, price, promotion and marketing operations.

-Our food choices can affect the food system as its aim is to cover consumers needs.

In this module, we'll examine some factors in order to spread more awareness on how to make informed food choices but also on what we can do so as to achieve food safety and less wasted food.

Food, Nutrition & Health

On this module as we already knew that our food has an impact on the environment and climate change we focused on:

How do we choose food that preserves the planet and our health?

Having in mind that eating well to stay healthy requires a basic knowledge of foods and the nutrients they provide, as well as an understanding of our biological needs throughout the different stages of life, we designed this module's activities so as students to be able to adopt sensible eating habits throughout their lives, allowing them to be healthy, while protecting and respecting our planet boundaries.

Thus, in this module we discussed :

- the dimensions of health

- the impact of nutrition on human health

- the eating habits and healthy diets

- the impact of food on human health

Turning toward Sustainability

On this module as we have already known that it is a must to change our eating habits not only to be healthy but also to save our planet; having learnt about what Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are and seen how all goals are pointing out a horizontal approach by touching social, economical and environmental issues together, we thought that could be great if students take action.

Thus, this module was more teacher indepedent so as students to feel free to organize their campaigns.

Circular economy

Through this module we encouraged students to try finding a way to be an active part of circular economy. While following the path of CE we called students to identify an everyday product that is made our of plastics or plastics-based firbres such as polyester. Something include a cup, a bottle, a shirt, your trainers, a toothbrush, or a carpet in your flat.

They had to:

-Think of the precise context it falls into.

- Think of how it is made. It might be made of plastics and molded or extruded. It might be made of fibres and knetted/woven or nonwoven.

-Think of its packaging.

and identify how we could:

- desing out waste and pollution

- keep products and materials in use

- regenerate natural systems