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Master of Science in Sustainable Food Processing and Product Development

The Master of Science in Sustainable Food Processing and Product Development is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in food processing, product development, and food technology. The programme provides specialised training in food science, food processing technologies, product development, food safety, and sustainable food systems.

Core areas include food processing, product development, food science, food safety and quality, sustainable food systems, food microbiology, food chemistry, food packaging, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, laboratory sessions, and research.

The programme is jointly organised by Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Makerere University, and Nelson Mandela Institute of Science and Technology. JKUAT offers this as a public institution through the LCEONS centre. The University of Nairobi offers a closely related MSc in Food Science and Technology. The programme is available in full-time mode over two years, combining coursework with research.

Students develop competencies in food processing, product development, food safety, quality management, and research. The programme includes coursework, examinations, laboratory sessions, and a supervised research thesis, preparing graduates for food processing, product development, and quality management roles.

JKUAT fees are estimated at approximately KES 181,000 per year while UoN charges approximately KES 434,000 per year for a closely related programme. No private university confirmed offering this exact programme. Entry requires at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree in Food Science, Nutrition, Agriculture, or a related field from a recognised institution.

Graduates pursue careers as food scientists, product development specialists, food safety officers, quality assurance managers, food processing engineers, and lecturers across food manufacturing companies, research institutions, regulatory bodies, and universities.

Skills Required

  • Food Processing Technologies
  • Food Product Development
  • Food Safety and Quality Management
  • Food Microbiology and Safety
  • Food Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • Sustainable Food Systems
  • Food Packaging and Preservation
  • Food Regulatory Affairs
  • Research Methods in Food Science
  • Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

  • Food Processing Technologies
  • Food Product Development
  • Food Safety and Quality Management
  • Food Microbiology and Safety
  • Food Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • Sustainable Food Systems
  • Food Packaging and Preservation
  • Food Regulatory Affairs
  • Research Methods in Food Science
  • Thesis Research

Certifications

  • KEBS Food Safety Certification
  • IUFoST Professional Membership

Specializations

Food Processing Technologies

Focuses on food processing, covering processing, food, technologies, methods, and managing food processing technologies and operations.

Product Development

Examines product development, covering products, development, food, innovation, and managing food product development and innovation.

Food Safety and Quality

Covers food safety, covering safety, food, quality, management, and managing food safety and quality assurance.

Sustainable Food Systems

Focuses on sustainable food systems, covering sustainable, food, systems, environment, and managing sustainable food systems and practices.

Food Microbiology

Examines food microbiology, covering microbiology, food, safety, pathogens, and managing food microbiology and safety.

Food Packaging

Covers food packaging, covering packaging, food, preservation, materials, and managing food packaging and preservation.

Duration
2 years
Public, up to
Ksh 434,000
Private, up to
Ksh 210,000
Job market
High

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode
Full-time
Attachment
0 months
Average class
15 students
Award
Masters

What you study

10 subjects
  • Food Processing Technologies
  • Food Product Development
  • Food Safety and Quality Management
  • Food Microbiology and Safety
  • Food Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • Sustainable Food Systems
  • Food Packaging and Preservation
  • Food Regulatory Affairs
  • Research Methods in Food Science
  • Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

  • Food Processing Technologies

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Examines food processing, covering processing, food, technologies, methods, and managing food processing technologies and operations.

  • Food Product Development

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Covers product development, covering products, development, food, innovation, and managing food product development and innovation.

  • Food Safety and Quality Management

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Examines food safety, covering safety, food, quality, management, and managing food safety and quality assurance.

  • Food Microbiology and Safety

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Covers food microbiology, covering microbiology, food, safety, pathogens, and managing food microbiology and safety.

  • Food Chemistry and Biochemistry

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Examines food chemistry, covering chemistry, food, biochemistry, nutrients, and managing food chemistry and biochemistry.

  • Sustainable Food Systems

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Covers sustainable food systems, covering sustainable, food, systems, environment, and managing sustainable food systems and practices.

  • Food Packaging and Preservation

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Examines food packaging, covering packaging, food, preservation, materials, and managing food packaging and preservation.

  • Research Methods in Food Science

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Covers research, methods, food, science, and conducting research in food science, preparing students for their thesis.

  • Food Regulatory Affairs

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Examines food regulation, covering regulation, food, standards, policy, and managing food regulatory affairs and compliance.

  • Food Process Engineering

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Covers process engineering, covering process, engineering, food, operations, and managing food process engineering and operations.

  • Food Security and Nutrition

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Examines food security, covering security, food, nutrition, access, and managing food security and nutrition.

  • Research Thesis

    Year 2Semester 212 creditsCore

    Original supervised research thesis on a food processing or product development topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and food science knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

  • Food Processing Technologies

    Focuses on food processing, covering processing, food, technologies, methods, and managing food processing technologies and operations.

  • Product Development

    Examines product development, covering products, development, food, innovation, and managing food product development and innovation.

  • Food Safety and Quality

    Covers food safety, covering safety, food, quality, management, and managing food safety and quality assurance.

  • Sustainable Food Systems

    Focuses on sustainable food systems, covering sustainable, food, systems, environment, and managing sustainable food systems and practices.

  • Food Microbiology

    Examines food microbiology, covering microbiology, food, safety, pathogens, and managing food microbiology and safety.

  • Food Packaging

    Covers food packaging, covering packaging, food, preservation, materials, and managing food packaging and preservation.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Sustainable Food Processing and Product Development programme combines lectures, laboratory sessions, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover food processing, product development, food safety, food microbiology, and food chemistry. Food processing sessions examine processing, food, technologies, methods, and managing food processing technologies. Product development sessions cover products, development, food, innovation, and managing food product development. Food safety sessions cover safety, food, quality, management, and managing food safety and quality. Food microbiology sessions cover microbiology, food, safety, pathogens, and managing food microbiology. Food chemistry sessions cover chemistry, food, biochemistry, nutrients, and managing food chemistry and biochemistry. Sustainable food systems sessions cover sustainable, food, systems, environment, and managing sustainable food systems. Food packaging sessions cover packaging, food, preservation, materials, and managing food packaging. Laboratory sessions provide practical experience in food analysis, processing, and product development. Seminars provide opportunities for presenting research findings. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a food processing or product development topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

  • Programme is jointly organised with Makerere University and Nelson Mandela Institute, providing regional exposure.
  • Food processing represents over 40% of Kenya's manufacturing sector, creating strong career demand.
  • Graduates are eligible for KEBS food safety certification and IUFoST international membership.
  • Programme combines theoretical knowledge with practical laboratory sessions in food analysis and processing.

Against it

  • JKUAT fee data is estimated from a related programme benchmark, not confirmed for this specific programme.
  • No private university confirmed offering this exact programme.
  • Significant fee difference between JKUAT (KES 181,000/year) and UoN (KES 434,000/year).
  • Programme is offered only in full-time mode, which may not suit working professionals.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 303 agriculture courses
Public181k to 434k
181k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology434k at University of Nairobi
Private195k to 210k
195k at Kabarak University210k at Mount Kenya University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

UoN434K/yr(uonbi.ac.ke),JKUAT179K/yr(kenyaeducationguide).Priv unverified

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. Universities may offer scholarships for eligible students. FAO and IUFoST may offer fellowships for food science research and education. The programme's joint nature with Makerere and Nelson Mandela Institutes may provide additional funding opportunities.

Funding options

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

  • University Scholarship

  • FAO Fellowship

Scholarships

3 recorded

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

    LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan

    Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.

  • University Scholarship

    ScholarshipKsh 181,000Kenyan

    Universities may offer scholarships for eligible postgraduate food science students.

  • FAO Fellowship

    ScholarshipKsh 300,000

    FAO and international food organisations may offer fellowships for food science research and education.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade
N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry
JKUAT expects applicants with an academic Bachelor of Science degree in a discipline related to the programme content. Most universities require at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree. Contact respective universities for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

  • Coursework and Continuous Assessment

    Coursework30% of the mark

    Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, laboratory reports, seminar presentations, and class participation.

  • Written Examinations

    Examination70% of the mark

    Written examinations covering food processing, product development, food safety, food microbiology, and food chemistry.

  • Laboratory Project

    Project40% of the mark

    Practical assessment through laboratory projects, demonstrating food analysis, processing, and product development skills.

  • Research Thesis

    Research100% of the mark

    Original supervised research thesis on a food processing or product development topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and food science knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). JKUAT (public) offers MSc in Sustainable Food Processing and Product Development jointly with Makerere University and Nelson Mandela Institute. University of Nairobi (public) offers MSc in Food Science and Technology. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in food science. Graduates may interact with KEBS for food safety certification and FAO and IUFoST for international food science standards. The programme aligns with FAO and IUFoST global food science frameworks.

Accredited by

  • Commission for University Education (CUE)

    Academic accreditationRequired

    Programme accredited by CUE. JKUAT (public) offers MSc in Sustainable Food Processing and Product Development jointly with Makerere University and Nelson Mandela Institute. University of Nairobi (public) offers MSc in Food Science and Technology. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in food science. Graduates may interact with KEBS for food safety certification and FAO and IUFoST for international food science standards. The programme aligns with FAO and IUFoST global food science frameworks.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

  • Food Scientist

    High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 400,000

    Conducts food science research, covering food, science, research, analysis, and managing food science research and development.

  • Product Development Specialist

    High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Develops food products, covering products, development, food, innovation, and managing food product development and innovation.

  • Food Safety Officer

    High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 350,000

    Manages food safety, covering safety, food, quality, compliance, and managing food safety and quality compliance.

  • Quality Assurance Manager

    High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 450,000

    Manages quality assurance, covering quality, assurance, food, management, and managing quality assurance and food safety.

  • Food Processing Engineer

    Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 400,000

    Manages food processing operations, covering processing, food, engineering, operations, and managing food processing engineering.

  • Food Science Lecturer

    Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 400,000

    Teaches food science at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as food scientists, product development specialists, food safety officers, quality assurance managers, food processing engineers, and lecturers across food manufacturing companies, research institutions, regulatory bodies, and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

  • Laboratory Equipment

    EquipmentPrimary

    Laboratory equipment for food analysis, processing, and quality testing, covering analysis, food, testing, quality, and managing food analysis and testing.

  • SPSS

    Software

    SPSS for food science research data analysis, covering statistics, data, analysis, food, and managing research data analysis.

  • HACCP Software

    Software

    HACCP systems for food safety management, covering HACCP, safety, food, management, and managing food safety and hazard control.

  • Sensory Analysis Tools

    Equipment

    Sensory analysis tools for food product evaluation, covering sensory, analysis, food, evaluation, and managing food sensory analysis.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

  • Food processing is just about cooking.

    Food processing covers technology, safety, microbiology, chemistry, packaging, and product development beyond just cooking.

  • This programme is only for food science graduates.

    Food processing is for professionals from agriculture, nutrition, chemistry, and engineering backgrounds, not just food science graduates.

  • Food processing has limited career prospects in Kenya.

    Food processing represents over 40% of Kenya's manufacturing sector, creating strong demand for graduates.

  • This programme is the same as nutrition.

    Food processing focuses on technology, product development, and safety, distinct from nutrition which focuses on dietary health.

  • Sustainable food processing is only about organic food.

    Sustainable food processing covers efficiency, waste reduction, packaging, and environmental impact across all food types.

  • Product development is just about creating recipes.

    Product development involves chemistry, microbiology, packaging, regulatory compliance, and market analysis alongside recipe creation.

Related courses

Further reading

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Fees and entry marks for Master of Science in Sustainable Food Processing and Product Development are restated every intake. Save it and the app keeps this version, so you can see what changed when it does.

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