Learning objectives
The course aims to enable the student to know and understand the basic elements of the self-control and official control system for ensuring food safety. In particular, the entities known to be 'responsible for checks on food safety and the tools that the legislature makes available to them (inspection and audit). To be acquired basic knowledge on the pre requisites of food businesses in different Food chains.
The student will gain the ability to use the knowledge and understanding gained in identifying health issues related to the different productions and identify those controllers and the most appropriate tools to perform the test.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
The student at the end of the course, using the knowledge previously acquired will need to demonstrate knowledge and understanding about:
-The differences between the types of control
-The potential legal problems induced by selection of tools to control inappropriate
The student also applying the knowledge and understanding acquired, shall be able, even collaborating with other professionals, to
-Select the type of control most appropriate for different food products in order to contain health issues
-assess the adequacy of the pre-requisites of a food company
-Carry out an audit in a food industry
Prerequisites
General Microbiology, Biology and Animal Vegetables + Production.
Course unit content
The aim of the course is to provide the student with a scientific and legislative approach to the issues of food hygiene and inspection, with particular reference to the transformation of foods of animal origin. In addition, the student will be formed on the main health issues related to animal products (microbial, chemical and physical contamination) and the Italian and European legislation in the food field (I and II Dublin descriptors). Knowledge is also provided on the prevention of contamination during the production, marketing and storage of food of animal origin, with the aim of providing the student with the skills necessary for drawing up self-control plans for food productions (III, IV and V descriptor of Dublin). During classroom exercises, students will learn how to independently elaborate a self-control plan for a food industry and its HACCP plan.
Full programme
Hygiene
• general concepts of epidemiology and prevention;
• general epidemiology,
• concept of disease,
• epidemiology of infectious diseases,
• epidemiology of non-infectious diseases;
• prevention:
• levels of prevention,
• prevention of infectious diseases
Biological contamination
• microbial growth in food:
• Contamination: the nature, origin, classification,
• main types of microorganisms found in food,
• intrinsic and extrinsic factors that affect microbial growth in food.
Foodborne diseases of bacterial origin
• major viral infections (hepatitis A, norovirus).
• Prion diseases.
• Main parasites to food-borne:
• toxoplasmasmosi,
• trichinosis,
• taeniasis,
• echinococcosis,
• anisakiasis.
Animal Health law and control plans
Physical contamination
• origin, prevention.
• Water used for human consumption
• definition,
• requirements,
• criteria of drinking water: hydrogeological, organoleptic, physical, chemical and microbiological.
Community legislation on food hygiene
HACCP: general principles
Sanitation practices
• surfaces in contact with food and process environments:
• requirements of the structures and layout of the environments of production and processing;
• definition of dirt;
• detergents;
• stages of the standard procedures of sanitation;
• monitoring and verification.
Staff hygiene
Principles of food defense against pests.
Inspection
•The structure of the food control system: official entities and their role
•EC Regulation 882/2004
•The tools used by control units: official sampling, inspection and audit
•Concept and technique of audit (ISO 19011)
•The management of chemical risks (NRP)
•The fresh meat sector
•Fish
•Honey
•Eggs
•Voluntary certifications (ISO 22000, BRC, IFS) and export to third countries
Bibliography
Slides of the class lectures (available on Elly platform)
Foodborne Diseases
3rd Edition Christine Dodd Tim Aldsworth Richard Stein
Foodborne Pathogens and Food Safety Md. Latiful Bari and Dike O. Ukuku (CRC press)
Bad bug book, second edition (US FDA) available at https://www.fda.gov/media/83271/download
Teaching methods
Lectures with computer subsidies
The lectures will be in presence unless the epidemiological condition at the time of the course will require on line lectures
Assessment methods and criteria
The final evaluation of the module will be performed through the execution of a written test where the first multiple-choice questions will be used to assess the learning of basic knowledge, while the second part consisting of open questions will be used to evaluate the critical thinking skills of the student in assessing the most suitable tools to carry out controls on different food chains. The test will be performed using the Elly platform
Other information
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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
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