208-321 Food Safety, Quality and Regulation

208-216 Food Microbiology and 208225 Food Chemistry, Biology and Nutrition

A basic consumer requirement is that food must be safe and fit for human consumption, free from microbiological and chemical risk. Food production, processing and transport is a highly regulated system that engages many layers of government, from local councils, State and Federal authorities and international bodies. The nature of these organisations includes quarantine, customs and excise (regulating the flow of biological materials across State and country boundaries); health (nutrition and food contamination management); and agriculture (safety of food production at farm level). This subject will provide an in-depth understanding of the regulatory framework locally and internationally for food, including environmental legislation that impacts on food production and trade. Assignments will engage students in exploring the nature of this regulatory system in context of food production and processing technologies.

On completion of this subject, students should be able to:

• describe the regulatory framework that governs the production of safe, nutritious and risk-free food products;

• understand risk assessment and the processes involved in meeting food standards;

• assess and evaluate information on the international regulatory and trade environment; and

• understand the complementarity of the regulatory system pre- and post-farm gate.

One 2-hour examination (40%), two assignments, maximum of 3000 words each (each 25%) and oral presentation of case studies (10%).