Nicolas Appert is the study association for all food science studies of Wageningen University. Nicolas Appert is an active study association with over 800 members.
THE FOUNDING
The course XVIII –Food Technology- was founded in 1956 under the authority of professor Leniger as an addition to the already existing courses Dairy science and Milk production. In the first years after 1956 there was not yet a need for a study association. This need only arose around the academic year of ’60-’61, when the first Technology students were already progressed further in their studies. Around the time of graduation of the first of those students, the activities regarding maintenance of contacts and looking after interest got some more attention. In 1962 multiple technologists were already graduated and they saw that other studies already had a study association.
From the 25th of August to the 9th of September 1962, the first big foreign study trip of Technology took place, organised by professor Leniger. During this excursion, in which companies in Switzerland and Italy were visited, the study association was founded on Thursday the 6th of September 1962 in Montreux. The role of the lake of Geneva and the fondue in the evening becomes clear from the name that they jokingly came up with: “Die Alkoholverwaltung”. Professor Leniger, who thought a study association would be useful and who also gave some advice, came up with a more serious name. With that the study association got its official name “Nicolas Appert”.
In the first years of its existence, the study association was not very active. This was mostly due to Leniger’s many contacts with the industry because of which he was able to organise all kinds of excursions, guest lectures and invitations to symposia of the NVVL (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Voedingsleer en Levensmiddelentechnologie, translation: Dutch Association for Food Science and Food Technology) to which the students were invited. Another important reason was the high percentage of students that were a member of another study- or student association. For those students there were already a lot of other entertaining activities.
The association was founded on the 6th of September in 1962, which means that our association will turn 60 years old next year. We will therefore celebrate our 12th Lustrum in September 2022 with two weeks full of activities.