Meredith Johnson
August 7th, 2017
6:30 AM – 9:AM – Fruit Processing Plant
We rode bikes to and from the plant today because the walk was too far.
In the first work session of the day, we helped students make two types of juice in the Horticulture Plan using two types of fruit: Guayaba and Cambolina. There are two ingredients in their juice, fruit concentrate and water. They had already made the fruit concentrate at a previous time (they can store the concentrate for up to 2 years). The brix % (sugar) of the concentrate is 42. Their protocol states they must add enough water to obtain a 9% brix (juice). We added the correct formulations of concentrate and water to a large, suspended tub (held ~ 50 gallons) with a plastic tube in the bottom where the juice could flow into jugs. This tube was attached to a lever that controlled the flow. We used a small, handheld refractometer to measure the suspended solids (sugar) of the juice to verify that it was at a 9% brix concentration. We then filled 12 large jugs of each juice (24 total) containing 20 KG and stored them.
Essentially, they use their native fruits to make products of different viscosities and sell them as many products. The least viscous being juice, almíbar, jalea, and the most viscous being jalea solida.
12:30 PM – 4 PM – Fruit Processing Plant
In our second work session of the day, we washed lettuce in sinks for packaging and cut/gutted mangos. The lettuce would go to markets to be sold. We think the mangos were going to be made into jellies and jams there in the processing plant, but the language barrier was too large for us to know.
August 8th, 2017
6:30 AM – 10:AM – Dairy Plant
When we got to the plant this morning, we were given a quick run through of each machine on the floor, then I was instructed to go work in the milk reception area. 90% of the milk at Zamorano university is produced inside the campus, the other 10% is brought in from surrounding farms. When outside milk first arrives to the reception area, a sample is taken to test for pH. Then it is pumped into a large tub and heated to 32 C to expand the fat globules and allow the cream to be separated from the milk in a large skimmer (centrifuge 7000 rpm). The left-over skim milk has a total fat percentage of 0.1% - 0.5% and is passed through cooling plates, cooled to 4 C, then pumped to storage tanks. This milk will later be pasteurized and bottled/bagged. The cream is transported to the areas of the plant where ice cream and cheese are made.
The products they make in the dairy plant include milk of varying fat contents, chocolate milk, multiple yogurts and cheeses, and many flavors of ice cream.
12:30 PM – 2:45 PM – Dairy Plant
We were able to help make cheese in the afternoon. A large tub of milk is heated to 75 C for 2 seconds, then cooled down to 32 C. This process takes awhile. Then the whey protein is drained out of the tub, leaving the cheese curds behind. We formed them into blocks, then stored them in the fridge. We helped clean the plant afterwards.
August 9th, 2017
6:30 AM – 9 AM – Post Harvest Plant
This morning, we rode our bikes to the post-harvest plant. At the plant, we shredded carrots and purple cabbage to be put into mixed salad bags, that would go to be sold in super markets. We also peeled and chopped vegetables that would be used in the soup on campus here and bagged the mixed salad. It was interesting to find that they used peracetic acid to disinfect all the products that came into their plant.
12:30 PM – 4 PM – Post Harvest Plant
In the afternoon, we helped wash lettuce and bag it to be sold in local super markets. The plant washes the lettuce in diluted Calcium Chloride and then antioxidants (citric acid and ascorbic acid) to keep it from wilting. They also use a blanching technique to destroy enzymes that turn the lettuce brown over time. We also helped bag a new product they are selling. It is a prepackaged vacuum sealed bag that contains everything you need to make a quick vegetable soup. The manager of the plant said it was very popular in the area.
August 10th, 2017
6:30 AM – 10:30 AM – Meat Processing Plant
This morning, Avery and I worked in the meat processing plant here on campus! We both have background in meat processing, so we were looking forward to this day. We worked in the production area, where they slaughter swine and cattle. Today, they were slaughtering cattle and we were able to help closely with the whole process. First the animal is rendered dead using one bullet to the head. Then it is shackled, bled, skinned, eviscerated, and the carcass is halved. Then the carcass is cleaned and the viscera are inspected for any problems, to ensure the carcass is safe for consumption. It was interesting, because in Auburn’s beef and pork processing facilities, the students are not able to be involved as closely as we were today with the slaughter process. We were both thankful for the experience and ready to go back in the afternoon time.
12:30 PM – 3 PM – Meat Processing Plant
In the afternoon work, we worked in the packing portion of the plant. There we vacuum packed chorizo (Cured or smoked sausage made with minced meat and other ingredients), a popular product they sell to super markets. The chorizo was made from scratch, using their processing facilities. By the end of the day, Avery and I both decided that this plant was our favorite of all the plants we had worked in this week.
August 11th, 2017
This morning, Avery and I helped clean the dormitory from 6:30 – 8 AM for inspections. Because students are leaving for vacation for a week, the university requires them to leave their living areas spotless. We walked around with the inspector to see how the rooms are evaluated for cleanliness.
Then, we went to the Food Microbiology and Food Analysis labs in the late morning for a tour. Zamorano is accredited for analyzing food components such as fat, ash, and moisture in the products produced on campus as well as products from industries in the area. Their work spaces are smaller than Auburn’s. However, they do similar research to Auburn.
In the afternoon, we were given free time to explore the parts of Zamorano that we hadn’t seen yet. Avery, another student here, and myself road our bikes around 3 hours today visiting the model farms that were not close to campus. We visited the dairy farm, horse farm, poultry farm, aqua culture farm, and the innovation model for fruits and vegetables. In poultry farm, it was crazy to find that the heater they used was from Alabama. After today’s experience, I now realize the amount of work that these students do. I have a large amount of respect for them and I am excited to work with more of them in the future.
In August of 2017, I had the opportunity to participate in a study abroad student exchange trip with Zamorano University in Honduras. The week-long trip involved working at a fruit processing plant, dairy plant, post-harvest plant, and a meat processing plant. Each day, we evaluated the facilities and contributed to the ongoing projects. The experience I had was both professional and cultural, as I found myself immersed in the foreign language and customs. I collected my experiences and published them on this page, Please keep reading to learn more about my experience, day by day!