Knowledge of Product Preservation, Packaging and Storage

Knowledge of Product Preservation, Packaging and Storage: Learning objectives, indicators of progression, and teacher guidance (PDF, 51 KB)

Knowledge of product preservation, packaging and storage
Product preservation, packaging and storage focuses on the ways products can be treated during and after their development in order to maintain their integrity over time. Preservation inhibits internal degradation and/or protects products from external damage. Initially, students learn basic concepts relating to why certain types of products require the use of preservation techniques. The also find out which techniques are suitable for use in domestic settings where the product planned to be used in the near future and storage will be within known environmental conditions. In addition is finding out how packaging and storage procedures work together to further protect products in local environments. Students then progress to learning more advanced concepts relating to ensuring products maintain integrity over an extended time and the variable environmental conditions of a national market. After that, they exploree sophisticated techniques used in industrial settings. Finally, students gain understanding the technical and sociocultural implications and complexities involved in the preservation, packaging, and storage of products suitable for international distribution.
	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8
	Demonstrate understanding of basic concepts and techniques used in the preservation, packaging and storage of products	Demonstrate understanding of advanced concepts and techniques used in the preservation, packaging and storage of products	Demonstrate understanding of complex concepts and techniques used in the preservation, packaging and storage of products
	To support students to develop understandings about basic concepts and techniques used in the preservation, packaging and storage of products, at level 6, teachers could do the following. Provide opportunity for students to explore: why we need to preserve certain products to maintain their integrity over time different forms of packaging and storage instructions and relate this to the specific nature of the product and the techniques used in its preservation Give multiple opportunities to select and test different basic techniques and procedures to enhance product integrity. This would include understanding the properties and implications of the materials used in the product and what is required of the product in terms of withstanding changes over short periods of time and in known environments. Ensure students are aware of the requirements for labelling of preserved products to ensure end-users can make informed choices. Make sure students are familiar with a range of preservation techniques (eg, freezing, heating, air drying, chemical additives – use of vinegar/sugar) packaging options (for example, bottling, vacuum packing, solid wall containers, padded or protective wrapping, labelling for identification) storage procedures commonly used in domestic situations (for example, freezer, refrigerator, cool/dark cupboard). Guide students to understand how the techniques and procedures used in preserving and packaging and storage of a range of products allows them to maintain their integrity over time and in a known environment (for example, in the home, at school).	To support students to develop understandings about advanced concepts and techniques used in the preservation, packaging and storage of products, at level 7, teachers could do the following. Provide opportunity for students to: explore a range of different types of products to understand the changes needed in the preservation, packaging, storage decision-making to ensure products are able to withstand changing environments over extended times (for example, preservation during transportation, storage in warehouses, packaging for safe handling and so on) explore and debate the implications of, and for, the distribution of products to national markets on the preservation, packaging and storage of products become familiar with a wide range of advanced preservation techniques (for example, spray drying of liquids, ultra violet reaction inhibition, liquid immersion freezing and chilling, chemical additives), and packaging (such as canning, retortable pouches, gas flush packages, permeable packaging films, sealing mechanisms, portion control, labelling for point of difference – eco, heart ticks and so on) and storage procedures (for example, controlled atmosphere) commonly used in industrial situations to explore advanced techniques being used currently in a range of industries. This would include understanding the properties and implications of the materials used in the product and what is required of the product in terms of ensuring particular shelf-life and withstanding variable environmental conditions. Guide students to develop understanding of how preserving/packaging and storage work together to ensure products maintain integrity over extended times and variable physical environments.	To support students to develop understandings about complex concepts and techniques used in the preservation, packaging and storage of products, at level 8, teachers could do the following. Provide opportunity for students to: debate how the preservation, packaging and storage of products have been influenced by changes in global distribution chains. This includes ways products can be made suitable for a range of consumers who may live in different political and social environments to where the product originated to explore a range of products to understand how the preservation, packaging, and storage has changed cultures/society (needs, desires, the way life is experienced) in the past and present and to debate how they may change cultures/society in the probable future to become familiar with a wide range of complex preservation techniques (for example, freeze drying, UHT sterilisation, cryogenic freezing, irradiation, high pressure sterilisation), and packaging (such as aseptic filling, modified atmosphere packs, crush protection, dosage control, brand value packaging), and storage procedures (for example, accelerated storage life trials, modified atmosphere packs commonly used for products destined for international markets). Give them a chance to explore the implications and complexities involved in developing and distributing "risk" products for international markets. This would include understanding the properties and implications of the materials used in the product and what is required of the product in terms of complex distribution chains. (Withstanding significant changes of time and environmental conditions including changing social, cultural and ethical dimensions.) Guide students to develop understanding of how preserving/packaging and storage work together to ensure products maintain integrity and acceptability over extended times and variable physical, social and political environments.
	Students can do the following: Explain: the links between types of decay and preservation techniques why a particular preservation and packaging technique was chosen for a specific product to be stored in a local environment. Discuss: how to control the storage environment to limit decay of different types of products during storage why legal labelling is required in a local environment. Compare and contrast preservation and packaging techniques for a product to be stored in a local environment.	Students can do the following. Explain the links between combinations of decay mechanisms in preservation and packaging techniques. Compare and contrast preservation and packaging techniques for a product in a national environment. Discuss why labelling is legally required and how labelling for marketing is used in a national environment.	Students can do the following. Explain how environmental factors interact to influence product quality. Compare and contrast: preservation and packaging techniques for a product in an international environment legal, marketing, and cultural requirements for labelling in two countries.
	AS91084 Processing Technologies 1.62 Demonstrate understanding of basic concepts used in preservation and packaging techniques for product storage Standards & Assessment	AS91353 Processing Technologies 2.62 Demonstrate understanding of advanced concepts used in preservation and packaging techniques for product storage Standards & Assessment	AS91644 Processing Technologies 3.62 Demonstrate understanding of combined preservation mechanisms used to maintain product integrity Standards & Assessment