Nutrition and Dietetics Students Gain Practical Insight at Beirut Erbil Potato Products Company
On Tuesday, 21 October 2025, third-year students from the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Cihan University-Erbil visited Beirut Erbil Potato Products Company under the supervision of Assistant Professor Yasin Mamand. The group was received by the Chief Executive Officer, Haji Shaaban Muhammed, who led a structured tour of the production line.
Students observed and mapped the process from raw-potato intake and grading through washing, peeling, cutting, blanching, frying, de-oiling, seasoning, and packaging, linking each step to specific learning outcomes. They noted the implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures on the production floor and identified critical control points related to contamination, oil degradation, and foreign-body hazards.
In the frying area, engineers explained temperature control, oil turnover and filtration, and monitoring of total polar materials to ensure product quality and reduce the risk of acrylamide formation. In the quality section, students conducted sensory evaluations (texture, color, flavor), reviewed assays for salt and oil content, and observed metal detection, package-weight verification, and seal-integrity testing. The packaging team demonstrated high-barrier films, nitrogen flushing, batch coding, and end-to-end traceability from supplier to shipment.
The students also examined nutrition facts labeling, allergen and additive declarations, and how formulation choices influence targets for calories, fat, and sodium. Additional discussions addressed yield calculations, storage of raw materials at appropriate temperatures and humidity, and by-product reuse and used-oil management. A closing question-and-answer session covered flavor systems, market adaptation, and how in-process data triggers corrective actions.
The visit enhanced students’ skills in identifying critical control points, managing oil quality, conducting sensory and analytical quality checks, preparing compliant labels, ensuring full traceability, and understanding process yield. Course activities will include exercises and worksheets based on the factory tour.
