Agrifood Technology Station (ATS)

The following is a list of services that can be provided directly using the capacity of the University staff and its different academic departments:

New product and process development

From concept to final packaged product. This includes re-development and improvement of existing products or processes. This is usually done by outside sub-contractors who deal directly with you and, when needed, ATS steps into the value chain by offering direct assistance through its own array of equipment and flexible unit operation capacity (see elsewhere).

Niche analytical services

ATS offers routine food analytical services such as complete nutritional analysis, microbiological testing and testing of food's physical properties such as colour, texture, viscosity, etc. More importantly, ATS strives to offer services unavailable via commercial laboratories. This is done on agreement and may require method development and validation time.

Sensory evaluation

A range of sensory services are available through its expertise and staff and external sensory analysts. Both bench-top analysis and trained panels are available.

Shelf-life evaluation

Real-time and accelerated studies may be conducted using our temperature and humidity control facilities. Standard parameters monitored are microbiological safety and pertinent chemical characteristics such as water activity and rancidity.

Labelling

Considering the national labeling and advertising legislation as amended, it is essential that your product package/label complies. Our close contacts with specialists, including the national Department of Health (Food Control), allow us to verify and advise.

Small-scale trials

Our unique food processing facility and its wide range of modular and mobile equipment allow for tailor-made production trials in many instances. This may be done using ATS as the project manager, or the facility may be hired for such purposes provided appropriately qualified personnel are supplied by the user. All of this could be done with appropriate confidentiality in the different areas, including baking, meat processing, spray-drying, extrusion, heat processing (retorting, smoking, can seaming), extrusion and the manufactured foods area.

Training

We can design and offer short courses suited to your company's needs within constraints and related to numbers and frequency. Training with regard to individual instruments or concepts related to food production and analysis can also be offered on a free-standing basis. Your enquiries are welcome.

Auditing of food premises
An initial appraisal may be done by ATS staff, but more in-depth audits and system implementation may be outsourced to professionals in the field.

Free-standing research projects

In some instances, your company may require free-standing or once-off research on a specific topic. The research may be long or short-term, it may involve bench work and experimentation, or it may just require a literature-based report. This can be arranged after appropriate consultation and scoping. In some instances, this type of project could also lead to formal qualifications being obtained by students of CPUT or by your own staff involved in the project.

Miscellaneous

Since it is difficult to capture all the possible forms of services that may be offered or contracted out by ATS, if your specific requirement is not listed above, please feel free to enquire. Remember: if we cannot supply the service directly, we will source a reputable provider and hand-hold you through the process.

Pricing is based on the nature and complexity of the project and the confidence with which outcomes and timelines can be predicted or, with more routine work, the number of samples, the frequency of sample submission, turnaround time required and the nature of the sample matrix. In the light of this, a budget quote is usually issued prior to a final quote for your consideration and acceptance.

Remember that:

• ATS would typically charge rates below the commercial rate for similar services.
• Your company may be eligible for a discount on your project.
• We want to assist with your innovative projects and search for solutions.
• We are here to ensure the sustainability and growth of your business.

Below is a shortened description of the process followed when interacting with us. Below are links to documents you may download, complete and return to us as required.

• At the client's request, the station may arrange a meeting at the client’s premises or at the ATS offices. This may require the attendance of a Technician and/or other consulting staff.
• The client’s needs are established, and a record of the discussion is prepared by the Station for retention in a job file with an appropriate job number. A copy of all such discussion records is also sent to the client to verify correctness.

At this stage, new clients should complete the required form and submit it to the Station. (Document)

• At this stage, the Station may prepare and submit a scope of work for client approval and an appropriate quote. This may include signing an appropriate non-disclosure agreement where the client requires it. (Document)
• A project leader is assigned, and the client’s needs are broken down into specific tasks (scope of work) with the assistance of the Technician.
• The client is informed of both the market price and/or discounted price for which the client will be held responsible.
• Once the client signs an acceptance of the quote, the project will start on an agreed date.
• The project leader will monitor (and possibly participate in) the execution of the project.
• Depending on the length of a project, progress reports will be generated on agreed dates or on reaching specific milestones.
• Upon satisfactory completion of the project, the client will be invoiced by the station and may also be required to complete a Client Satisfaction Survey for station records. The project results will only be released on payment of the invoiced amount. (Document)
• For ATS to assemble a sampling plan and determine the most appropriate parameters for conducting shelf-life studies on your product, you must complete the Shelf life analysis survey.
• The Agrifood Technology Station wishes to engage with companies and their projects, especially those with an innovative nature that benefits the company and other role-players.

The Food Science and Technology Building is the only facility of its kind on the African continent. Explore its two floors below.

Below are a series of workshops of varying duration, intended for food industry staff, with the following intentions:

• To enable staff to learn new skills or upgrade/refresh their existing skills and knowledge;
• To allow companies to acknowledge staff who wish to develop further, especially those with no formal qualifications;
• To enable companies to reward such staff members internally;
• To contribute to a more empowered workforce with better job satisfaction.

Each workshop is a stand-alone but you will notice a tenuous thread in terms of progression and does not imply a full, formal Food Technology course. Each workshop candidate will be assessed as a group or individually using different assessment tools. This will allow ATS to generate its own certificate of completion of such course for each candidate.

Potential candidates

Candidates must be numerate and literate. Candidates must also have some knowledge of the existing quality systems and management at their respective places of employment. All workshops will be constantly related to this central theme. Full catering for the duration is included in the course fee.

Special conditions

Acceptance into the short course does not imply automatic acceptance into the formal National Diploma in Food Technology programme. Group rates may be negotiated per company based on numbers of candidates. In certain instances, as the subject matter allows, courses may also be run on-site. Courses will only be run if a prescribed minimum number of candidates enter. Candidates will be notified timeously if courses are cancelled due to numbers being insufficient. In cases where cancellation of application takes place less than two weeks prior to commencement of a course, the fee will be forfeited. Earlier cancellation will result in a refund of 90% of course fee.

How to apply

Complete the standard application form together with your employer and send to the address as indicated.

Method of payment

Cash or company cheque or EFT payable to Cape Peninsula University of Technology before commencement of programme. An invoice with banking details will be sent on receipt of application.

You, too, can propose a project with the assistance of ATS—it's time for your lightbulb moment to come to fruition!

All companies, institutions, and organisations in the general food (and related) industries are invited to submit proposals for researchable projects that they may wish to carry out with the assistance of the Agrifood Technology Station at the Bellville Campus of CPUT.

The Station must offer innovation support and technology transfer to its stakeholders in the country and the rest of Africa. This call is thus an effort to plan for such and, more specifically, to try to accommodate for the financial implications of such projects. The support of the Technology Innovation Agency (www.tia.org.za) is implicit in this request. Where such projects are approved for further action, funding may be accessible via the Station and other agencies, i.e., the Station will assist in or lead the application process.

In addition to its personnel, the Station has the luxury of drawing expertise from the academic programme in Food Science and Technology and elsewhere in the institution. These academics are heavily involved in ongoing research and innovation via their New Product Development projects for final-year students and other projects conducted at Doctoral and Master's levels. This facilitates industry-based research by bringing down research costs and shortening project time.

Terms & Conditions:

1. There is no closing date.
2. This invitation is primarily aimed at SMMEs but, pending applications received, may also include more prominent companies.
3. Before you submit such proposals, ATS is willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement to confirm confidentiality. You can request this by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by clicking here where a non-disclosure form may be downloaded
4. Companies are welcome to discuss the proposed project before submission to confirm its suitability (not necessarily the quality and acceptability of such submission).
5. The proposal must be a one-page (A4) motivation/description that includes enough detail to allow for an initial judgment call on the project's suitability while keeping your potentially confidential information to yourself. Please use Arial with an 11-point font.
6. The project's output must be either a new food product or extension thereof, a new or modified food process or manufacturing system, a new food analytical technique, a new packaging innovation, research on a vexing problem faced by the industry or company, or something that generally would put the company concerned in a new business space or market.
7. The projects submitted will be judged on one or more of the following: degree of innovation, novelty, originality, contribution to improved efficiency in the company, contribution to job creation, cost and feasibility for development, implementation and completion within a reasonable period of time.
8. Submissions must include a projected timeline and a rough estimate of costs attached to the project.
9. Submissions must not infringe or lead to infringement of any copyright or patents held by a third party.
10. ATS does not guarantee funding for the project but will use its channels to assist with sourcing funding. In particular, ATS may be able to offer a discount for projects pending the availability of its funding.
11. All work on the project conducted through ATS will be subject to appropriate intellectual property and publicly funded research legislation. This will be governed by a formal contract between your company and ATS through the Technology Transfer Office of CPUT, where all rights will be spelt out and agreed upon.
12. Pending the quality and suitability of submissions received, ATS reserves the right not to commit to a project.
13. Proposals may be submitted to the organisers in a sealed envelope marked "confidential" at the office of the ATS Manager or via email in Portable Document Format (pdf) to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
14. All submissions will remain confidential to the Manager and selected judges sourced from CPUT staff in the Department of Food Science & Technology or any other academic department as the nature of the project requires. All staff are signed into a confidentiality contract with CPUT.

All submitters will be bound by these Terms & Conditions.