Preserving Fruit, Vegetables & Other Foods

This is an IEAC Accredited Course to help you learn and understand the process of Preserving Fruit, Vegetables and Other Foods.

Discover the art and science of transforming fresh produce into delicious, long-lasting foods in this in-depth course on food preservation. Whether you’re a homesteader, gardener, or aspiring small-batch food entrepreneur, this comprehensive course teaches you everything you need to preserve food confidently and professionally.

You will learn how to safely extend the life of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and other ingredients, while maintaining flavour, nutrition, and quality. Blending traditional countryside methods with modern food safety standards, this course is ideal for hobbyists and those looking to create a cottage-industry business.

By the end of the course, you will understand:

• The science behind food spoilage and preservation
• How to choose the best preservation method for different fruits, vegetables, and pantry staples
• Safe canning and bottling procedures
• How to make jams, chutneys, pickles, sauces, and fermented foods
• Techniques for drying and freezing produce efficiently
• Storage principles that maintain taste, nutrition, and safety
• How to create a year-round pantry from seasonal harvests

There is a final assessment that can be undertaken at any time, day or night; and you will be awarded a coveted: IEAC (International Education Accreditation Council) Certificate, which will have your name on it, including full course details.

THE LESSONS IN THIS COURSE COVER THE FOLLOWING:

Lesson 1: SCOPE AND NATURE OF FOOD PRESERVATION

• Definition of food preservation
• History of food preservation
• Why do we preserve foods?
• Overview of food preservation
• Choosing a food preservation method

Lesson 2: HOW FOOD DETERIORATES AND BECOMES UNSAFE

• Food spoilage
• Food Microbiology
• Food Spoilage by Enzymes
• Food-borne Disease
• Food-borne Infections

Lesson 3: WAYS FOOD CAN BE PRESERVED

• Food preservatives
• Food preservation – Use of Salt
• Food preservation – Use of Acid
• Food preservation – Use of Sugar
• Other natural food preservatives – a summary
• Artificial preservatives

Lesson 4: FREEZING FOOD

• Why freeze food?
• History of freezing food
• Which foods can be frozen?
• How to freeze food
• Freezing fruits
• Freezing vegetables
• Freezing meat and poultry
• Managing the freezer
• General considerations when freezing food

Lesson 5: PICKLES, CHUTNEY AND SAUCES

• General Guidelines
• Pickles
• Other pickles
• Chutney
• Sauces
• Recipes

Lesson 6: JAMS AND JELLIES

• Pectin
• Jam
• Jelly
• Marmalade
• Recipes

Lesson 7: CANNING/BOTTLING FOODS

• Bottling
• Preparation of Ingredients
• Bottling methods
• Recipe
• Demystifying preserving kits

Lesson 8: DRYING FOOD

• Drying methods
• Drying methods for selected produce
• General tips for drying foods; a summary

Lesson 9: FERMENTATION

• Foods fermented by yeast
• Foods fermented by bacteria

Lesson 10: OTHER FOOD PRESERVATION TECHNIQUES

• Smoking food
• Pasteurisation and sterilisation
• Sterilisation
• Food irradiation
• Vacuum packing
• Food packaging materials
• Using the freshest produce

Lesson 11: USING PRESERVED FOODS

• Starting a food preserving business
• Deciding what to grow
• How to set up your business

Lesson 12: GLOSSARY OF FOOD PRESERVATION TERMS AND TECHNIQUES

HOW OUR COURSES WORK:

•    Enrol any time of day or night.
•    Start studying immediately or later (as you wish).
•    Upon enrolment, you will receive an email containing your “Username” and “Password”
•    Help desk – Contact us via email: info@homestudy.co.uk or call: + 44 (0) 1227 789 649
•    There are automated self-assessment tests at the end of each lesson.
•    At the end of the whole course, you are presented with an automated examination.
•    Gain a 60% pass and receive an: IEAC (International Education Accreditation Council) Certificate.