SLEK10172U Chemical Food Safety
MSc Programme in Food Science and Technology
MSc Programme in Animal Derived Foods
MSc Programme in Agricultural Development
MSc Programme in Sustainable Development in Agriculture (Agris
Mundus)
The course takes-up the following major topics and issues:
- the uptake and fate of xenobiotics by higher organisms (kinetics
and dynamics)
- specific mechanisms for toxicity
- the use of laboratory animals, organs and cell cultures in
toxicity testing(in-vivo and in-vitro)
- the most relevant groups of chemical compounds, origin, structure
and toxicity
- general principles behind and knowledge about the effect of
processing on toxicity of foods
- national- og international legislation as well as control
procedures etc.
Chemical substances and products include:
heavy metals such as lead and mercury, persistant organic polutants
such as dioxins, agricultural chemical such as pesticides,
mycotoxins as eg. aflatoksin, toxic constituents in plants and
algae (eg solanin and caffein) food additives such colorants,
sweeteners and flavouring materials in addition to hormone like
substances and polymer additives.
The main objective of the course is to provide a theoretical
introduction into subject areas within general and special
toxicology with emphasis on the oral route of administration.
Furthermore to introduce in vivo and in vitro assays for toxicity
and the subsequent overall risk assessment procedures that form the
basis of the existing and future legislative regulation of chemical
food safety issues worldwide.
After completing the course the student should be able to:
Knowledge:
-Describe the uptake and fate of xenobiotics by higher organisms
(kinetics and dynamics)
-Describe specific mechanisms for toxicity
-Display an overview the use of laboratory animals, organs and cell
cultures in toxicity testing
-Display an overview of the most relevant groups of chemical
compounds for food safety: origin, structure and toxicity (heavy
metals, persistent organic pollutants such as dioxins, agricultural
chemicals such as pesticides, mycotoxins, toxic constituents in
plants and algae (e.g. solanin), food additives such as colorants,
sweeteners and flavouring materials in addition to homone like
substances and polymer additives
-Display an overview of the effects of processing on toxicity of
foods
-Display an overview of the most important national and
international organisations/bodies with respect to food risk
assessment, regulation and legislation
Skills:
-Find most of the existing knowledge about a certain compound –
specifically knowledge of relevance for its influence on the
chemical safety of food products
-Analyse, on the basis of existing knowledge, whether there is a
food safety problem that should be addressed
-Arrive at a general diagnosis about the way forward concerning
further measures to be taken
-Make presentations of the diagnosis and the basis for this
Competences:
-Work independently with the first (problem clarifying) steps of
analysing/solving a chemical food safety issue
- Make basic ethic considerations concerning assaying for toxicity
using animals
-Make basic ethic considerations concerning chemical food safety
issues of different nature
The course literature will consist of a course book as
supplemented by research and review articles.
The course book is:
Leon Brimer (2011). Chemical Food Safety. CAB International,
Wallingford, UK. (ISBN: 978 1 84593 676 1
- Category
- Hours
- Exam
- 4
- Excursions
- 6
- Guidance
- 1
- Preparation
- 51
- Project work
- 120
- Theory exercises
- 16
- Theory exercises
- 8
- Total
- 206
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Written assignment under invigilationPortfolioThe student chooses a subject within chemical food safety, normally a substance or a substance group. Under supervision he writes a credit paper based on international scientific literature.
- Aid
- All aids allowed
- Marking scale
- passed/not passed
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
More than one internal examiner
Criteria for exam assesment
See learning outcome
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- SLEK10172U
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
- 1 block
- Placement
- Block 2
- Schedule
- C
- Course capacity
- No limit
- Continuing and further education
- Study board
- Study Board of Food, Human Nutrition and Sports
Contracting department
- Department of Veterinary Disease Biology
Course responsibles
- Leon Brimer (3-736979477a7c756b35727c356b72)
Lecturers
Leon Brimer og Christina Skovgaard Vegge <csv@sund.ku.dk>