PAU conducts advanced bakery training prog

The Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Community Science, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), conducted a three-day “Advanced Bakery Training Programme.”

The event was designed to enhance technical skills and encourage innovation in functional baking, aligning with the objectives of the Experiential Learning Programme (ELP) in Food and Nutrition. The training was conducted under the guidance of Saurabh Modi, a renowned culinary expert from the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition, Jyotisar, Kurukshetra.

The programme was attended by 15 faculty members and students, who were provided with hands-on experience in advanced bakery techniques and value-added product development.

During the training, Modi demonstrated a wide variety of products, including cakes, pastries, breads, cookies, biscuits and cake icing. Special emphasis was placed on the preparation of value-added bakery products, aligning with the ELP’s focus on functional and health-oriented foods. Participants gained insight into innovative baking techniques using natural ingredients, low sugar and fat content and fibre-rich formulations, including millet-based products and functional snacks.

Kiran Bains, Dean, College of Community Science, emphasised the importance of skill development and entrepreneurship in the food industry. “The ELP in food and nutrition has played a pivotal role in training students to cater to safe, functional and festival-specific foods, reaching over 1,400 households and generating sustainable profit over the past many years,” she added.

Harpreet Kaur, head, Department of Food and Nutrition, also addressed the participants and highlighted the significance of such trainings in building capacity and bridging the gap between knowledge and practice. This training was an extension of the department’s ongoing efforts under the experiential learning programme, which continued to receive appreciation for its development of innovative, healthy food products and for promoting entrepreneurship among students, she added.