The National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), in collaboration with SWAYAM, is offering a comprehensive 12-week online course titled “Food Oils and Fats: Chemistry and Technology.” This free course is designed for learners interested in understanding the chemistry, processing, and technological aspects of edible oils and fats. It is ideal for students, researchers, professionals, and food industry personnel seeking to deepen their knowledge in this area.
About the Course
Edible oils and fats are more than just cooking ingredients—they are vital nutrients supporting brain function, growth, and endocrine health. Extracted from plant, animal, and marine sources, their quality significantly influences nutrition and disease prevention.
India, being a major consumer of edible oils, holds a key position in the global oil and fat processing economy. Understanding oil quality, extraction technologies, packaging, and value-added by-products is essential for advancing food industry innovation and public health.
This course provides an extensive overview of:
- Lipid chemistry (SFA, MUFA, PUFA, cis-trans fats)
- Oil extraction technologies
- Refining, storage, and quality assurance
- By-product utilization for innovation and sustainability
Course Layout and Weekly Topics
| Weeks | Topics Covered |
| 1 | Introduction, sector status, edible oil sources, nutrition |
| 2 | Lipids: Types, composition, fatty acids, phospholipids |
| 3 | Chemistry & properties of oils, rancidity, antioxidants |
| 4 | Mechanical oil expelling (e.g. Ghani, screw presses) |
| 5 | Solvent extraction & advanced methods (SCFE, PEF, etc.) |
| 6 | Edible oil refining processes |
| 7 | Oil & fat modifications: Hydrogenation, interesterification |
| 8 | Animal and dairy fats: lard, ghee, fish oils |
| 9 | Commercial cooking/frying oils: palm, sunflower, canola etc. |
| 10 | Specialty oils: tree nut oils, cocoa butter, algal oils |
| 11 | Waste valorization: lecithin, biodiesel, ethanol, glycerol |
| 12 | Packaging, QA/QC, fortification, FSSAI regulations |
Course Details
- Course Duration: 12 Weeks
- Start Date: 21 July 2025
- End Date: 10 October 2025
- Exam Date: 01 November 2025
The course is part of SWAYAM’s free online education initiative and is open to all learners. Enrollment is both open and free.
Speaker Information
The course is conducted by Professor H. N. Mishra, from the Agricultural and Food Engineering Department at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur. Professor Mishra is a reputed academician and subject matter expert with vast experience in the field of food engineering and technology.
Date: 29 June, 2025 Time: 10 AM to 5 PM Fee: Rs. 1180
Certification and Exam
While learning is free, students who wish to obtain a verified certificate must:
- Register for the optional proctored exam.
- Appear in person at a designated exam center.
- Pay a fee of ₹1000/- (Rupees one thousand only).
Eligibility for certificate
- Minimum average of 10/25 in assignments (best 8 out of 12 weeks)
- Minimum 30/75 in final exam
- Final Score = 25% assignment + 75% exam score
Why Take This SWAYAM Course?
Understanding the role of fats and oils is essential for food scientists, technologists, and engineers. This course offers:
- In-depth knowledge of the chemistry of fats and oils
- Insights into processing technologies
- Applications in food formulation and preservation
- Industry-relevant case studies and examples
How to Enroll
To enroll in the course, visit the official NPTEL SWAYAM link: Enroll Now
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