IFEAT World July 2020

WORLD 11
ROUNDUP
FLAVOURIST TRAINING COURSE
AT READING
The eighteenth annual Flavourist
Training Course was due to be held
at the University of Reading in May
2020, and twelve participants from
eight countries were planning to
attend. Unfortunately, by early March
the impending issues relating to
COVID-19 forced us to cancel the
course and refund the fees of all
delegates.
This was a great disappointment
to the delegates and to those who
contribute to teaching the course -
four flavourists, seven other flavour
specialists with expertise in essential
oils, snack foods and sweeteners,
and six academics from the
university.
The Course was established in 2002
by the British Society of Flavourists
and the University of Reading, in
conjunction with IFEAT, to meet
a perceived need to improve the
training available to graduates
who wish to learn how to develop
flavourings for food and beverages.
It has run annually and, since
it started, there have been 186
participants from 46 different
countries on every continent. We
are proud of this wide international
appeal. This unique course meets a
special need in the flavouring and
essential oils industry by providing
practical training in the creation of
flavourings. The course has been
very successful, and the last six
courses have been fully subscribed.
The Course is taught jointly by
very experienced flavourists and
essential oil chemists, who are
members of the British Society of
Flavourists, and lecturers in Flavour
Science at the University of Reading.
It centres on practical flavour
creation in the laboratory, led by
a team of flavourists who have
many years of experience in flavour
creation in some of the leading
flavour companies. It is primarily
designed for graduates working
in the flavour or food industries
seeking to upgrade their skills, and
most participants are sponsored by
their companies. The popularity of
the course is helped significantly by
the publicity provided by IFEAT at
the annual Conference and through
its publications.
The next course is being planned
for May 2021, when it is hoped that
most of the delegates who were
prevented from attending in 2020
will participate. However, there
should be a few places available
for other delegates.
More information can be found at:
www.reading.ac.uk/food/
shortcourses
or from Prof Don Mottram
at the University of Reading:
d.s.mottram@reading.ac.uk
EDUCATION ROUNDUP