fbpx

New Short Course in Pet Food Extrusion

Pet Age Staff//January 18, 2017//

New Short Course in Pet Food Extrusion

Pet Age Staff //January 18, 2017//

Listen to this article

Following successful Aquafeed Extrusion courses held in Norway for the last two years, Australian company FoodStream, working with extrusion expert Dennis Forte, is adding a “Pet Food Extrusion Technology” course to the program in 2017.

“We have been presenting extrusion and related training programs in Australia and the surrounding region, including Thailand, for almost 20 years, with our first European course in 2015” said course organizer and co-presenter Gordon Young.

FoodStream says participant feedback has been excellent.

“The Extrusion Course is unique in that it is able to present the blend of the fundamental principles of extrusion technology with its practical applications,” one participant from the Philippines commented. “The speakers transcend the hurdles of mathematical and engineering concepts by using appropriate learning and citing their vast production experiences.”

FoodStream has teamed up with the Centre for Feed Technology (FôrTek), in Norway, and the new Pet Food Extrusion Technology course will be held May 2-4, 2017.  A “Food and Feed Drying Technology” program is offered the previous week,and is also relevant to pet food manufacturers. The courses are independent so participants can choose to attend extrusion or drying courses individually or in combination.

The three-day program covers the principles of extrusion, the design of extrusion processes and the formulation of extruded pet food with respect to extrusion. Topics cover the basics of extruders and their configuration, the transformations happening chemically and physically inside the extruder barrel and extruder dies and extruder instability. Examples in product formulation and the design of extrusion processes demonstrate application of the theory.  Principles learned will be applied during the practical demonstration in the FôrTek pilot plant.

The venue, and the cooperation provided, is key to the success of the program. “FôrTek has excellent pilot plant facilities to provide a practical side to our training,” the press release said. An extrusion exercise is carried out during the course to demonstrate the principles presented during the training.

The course presenters have also now published two text books which support the training. “Food & Feed Extrusion Technology: An Applied Approach to Extrusion Theory” contains similar – but expanded – information as the extrusion courses. A specialized text, “The Design of Food Extrusion Dies,” is unique in describing, with worked examples, this complex and important topic. These books are available separately from www.fie.com.au/books, or from major booksellers.

Details of courses are available via www.fie.com.au/events.