Course Objectives

The Biscuit Technology Course (by The Biscuit Doctor) is a unique way to learn about biscuit making. It aims to provide comprehensive and systematic instruction of biscuit (cracker, cookie and wafer) manufacturing technology.  It is adapted from the very successful residential Biscuit Processing Technology Seminar that was held each year (1991-1997) by Cambridge Biscuit Seminars. These seminars were attended by delegates from 101 companies in 43 countries.

The Biscuit Technology Course  is an on-line course designed as a set of lessons which systematically introduces nearly all aspects of biscuit making to students. At stages in the course, assessment questionnaires are provided. The student completes these and submits them to the administrators for marking and awarding of points. At the completion of the course students who have gained the required number of points are provided with a Certificate of Achievement awarded by The Biscuit Doctor to indicate that they have successfully completed the course and have a good understanding of biscuit technology.

In each lecture the student is guided to detailed information in The Biscuit Doctor website or specially created pages. It is recommended that the student also purchases the book, Manley's Technology of Biscuits Crackers and Cookies, as references to pages are given. It is however not essential for the book to be purchased for the student to successful complete the course.

The lessons are arranged so that a mixture of subjects (ingredients, processes and machinery, packaging and manufacturing management) is presented in each module. In this way a student working through the course does not have to deal with all of one subject before moving to another. Hopefully this arrangement will give continued interest to students progressing through the course.

Students who have access to a biscuit factory are also guided in what to look at in the factory relative to each instruction session.

Biscuit making is a significant part of the food industry and is practiced worldwide.  It is generally well mechanised and is a specialised sector of the baking industry.  Student courses in biscuit making are very few and most of those currently working the industry have learnt the business from those already there. Learning on-the-job may not be very satisfactory as there is no assurance that current practices are the best. Modern machinery can be very efficient if controlled properly but it is necessary to know as much as possible about process mechanisms if control systems are to be applied successfully.

Course Structure

To view the lessons in each of the four modules, please follow this link.

Who will benefit?

This course is orientated towards staff employed in the biscuit or related industries. All levels of production and technical staff should benefit from the logical and analytical review of manufacturing technology. Staff from Marketing and Production Engineering Departments will also find the course of particular value and relevance. The course will be of value to those with very little knowledge of biscuit technology and also to those who wish to review, in logical and comprehensive way, their understanding of what is involved in manufacturing biscuits.

Course Designer

The course has been designed and will be assessed by Duncan Manley who has had many years working in the biscuit industry and who is the author of several standard text books on biscuits.