FOODSCI 706 : Food Safety

Science

2020 Semester One (1203) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

An understanding of the changing regulations that apply to the New Zealand food industry is of paramount importance. Pathogen awareness and control from an industry perspective are examined. HACCP and risk management plans will be generated.

Course Overview

The course aims to provide a foundation for individuals new to the New Zealand food industry to understand the fundamentals of food safety and related current practice in a New Zealand setting, with additional contextual focus on global concerns around food safety and relevant legislation.  

The scope of this course will cover an overview of practical food safety in processing operations, handling, distribution, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) regulations, sanitation during food processing and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP). The course is also designed to provide hands-on experience in responding to amendments to food regulations, and the development of a basic risk-based food safety management programme. 

Upon completion of the course, the students are expected to be able to understand the duty of care that food industry professionals have in ensuring safe food and have a base level of competence in the understanding of and development of relevant Food Safety and HACCP plans for a food processing situation.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: Permission of Programme Director

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: Master of Science

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Understand Codex Alimentarius and New Zealand Food Law (Capability 1 and 2)
  2. Understand the importation of food and biosecurity (Capability 1, 2, 5 and 6)
  3. Understand standards, specifications and current developments
  4. Demonstrate an understanding of the significance and range of food pathogens (Capability 1, 3 and 6)
  5. Demonstrate an understanding of the main tools for food protection against microbial spoilage and contamination (Capability 1)
  6. Understand Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and its role in food safety- related risk management (Capability 1, 2 and 6)
  7. Develop a food safety management programme (Capability 3, 4, 5 and 6)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignments 10% Individual Coursework
Written test 25% Individual Test
Case Studies 30% Group & Individual Coursework
Essay 35% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Assignments
Written test
Case Studies
Essay

Key Topics

1. Codex Alimentarius and Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) regulations 
2. Importation of food and biosecurity in a New Zealand context
3. Core Concepts in Food Microbiology and Food Protection
4. Standards, specifications and current developments
5. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and its role in food safetyrelated risk management
6. Development of a food safety management programme

Learning Resources

  • Ministry for Primary Industries New Zealand's food safety web site
  • Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) web site 
  • Modern Food Microbiology Jay 7th edition
  • Food Safety for the 21st Century Managing HACCP and Food Safety Throughout the Global Supply Chain
  • Food Act 2014

Special Requirements

The students are required to complete practical work and compulsory participation. 

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 24 hours of lectures, 48 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 36 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.

You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

During the course Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the staff responsible for the course and staff-student consultative committees.

At the end of the course students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback.

Your feedback helps to improve the course and its delivery for all students.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 11/01/2020 03:01 p.m.