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Management of Food Safety and Public Health

Code: 103262
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Food Science and Technology OB 3

Contact lecturer

Name :
María Manuela Hernandez Herrero
Email :
manuela.hernandez@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Arnau Vilas Franquesa
Artur Xavier Roig Sagues
Ferran Torres Benitez

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

Although there are no official prerequisites, it is convenient for the student to review the knowledge acquired in the subjects of first, second and third courses:

  • Microbiology and Parasitology
  • Statistics
  • Food Toxicology
  • Food Microbiology

Objectives

The subject of Management of Food Safety and Public Health integrates knowledge as much of food safety risk analysis as of public health. Risk analysis is the cornerstone of food safety policy and consists of three components: risk assessment, risk management and risk communication.

General objective

The purpose is to introduce the student to food safety risk analysis as a tool for the protection of public Health. This tool is the cornerstone for selecting and implementing appropriate measures to control food safety risks, both by the administration and the food industry. Moreover, the research methodology and interpretation of epidemiological studies will be evaluated in aspects related to food safety, the prevention of diseases and the evaluation of Health.

Specific Objectives

  • Know the basis of food safety risk analysis
  • Apply tools for the scientific risk assessment
  • Know the policies for risk management applied to food safety both by the administration and the food industry
  • Know the strategies in risk communication applied to food safety
  • Know the basis of  Public Health and its determinants
  • Know the principles of the methodology in clinical research and its implications

Learning outcomes

  1. Analyse, summarise, resolve problems and make professional decisions.
  2. Apply the scientific method to resolving problems.
  3. Design experiments and interpret the results.
  4. Search for, manage and interpret information from different sources.
  5. Use IT resources for communication, the search for information within the field of study, data processing and calculations.
  6. Communicate effectively with both professional and non-professional audiences, orally and in writing, in the first language and/or in English.
  7. Work individually or in unidisciplinary and multidisciplinary teams and in international contexts.
  8. Develop individual learning strategies and planning and organisation skills.
  9. Show sensitivity to environmental, sanitary and social issues.
  10. Identify and describe the properties of the principal biotic hazards in foods and determine their origin and the factors that determine their presence.
  11. Relate exposition to a toxic to the appearance of a particular symptomatology or pathology, in particular with the aim of establishing the origin and the agent of a particular contamination or food poisoning case.
  12. Apply suitable methods for monitoring the entire food supply chain in order to prevent the presence of biotic and abiotic agents in food.
  13. Recognise the health and hygiene requirements of food businesses.
  14. Design and audit a self-control system in a food company.
  15. Describe the food safety policies of the European Union and apply their principles.
  16. Apply the mechanisms necessary for irrigation assessment.
  17. Identify consumers' needs for information and training on matters of food safety.
  18. Spread appropriate information on food risks and how to prevent and control them.
  19. Evaluate the nutritional state of the population.
  20. Determine the nutritional risk factors related to obesity, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and other diseases of nutritional origin.
  21. Describe national and international nutritional risk prevention strategies.
  22. Make changes to methods and processes in the area of knowledge in order to provide innovative responses to society's needs and demands. 

Contents

Block 1. Public Health.


  • Concept and functions of Public Health.
  • Types of errors. Basic applied statistics.
  • Concept and applications of Epidemiology.
  • Measures of frequency, association, and impact.
  • Types of epidemiological studies.
  • Diseases and nutrition. Exposure to environmental toxicity.
  • Prevention. Health Management.



Block 2: Management of Food Safety


  • The risk analysis. Definition. Municipal, autonomous, state, and European authorities are involved in the analysis of risk and their relationship with other international organizations.
  • The risk assessment Includes Hazard identification, hazard characterization, exposure assessment, and risk characterization. Tools for risk assessment.
  • Food safety management: Food Safety Policies in Catalonia and Spain. The official control as a tool for protecting public health: municipal, autonomous, European and International competencies. Network of food alerts.
  • Risk communication. Risk perception.


Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Shelf-study 50 2 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21
Classroom theoretical sessions 34 1.36 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
Tutorials 4 0.16 1, 2, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Self-learning activities 44 1.76 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Computer classroom 2 0.08 2, 5, 16
Classroom practice sessions 12 0.48 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

The course development of the course is based on the following activities, following a blended learning format

1) Classroom theoretical sessions: consisting of lectures supported by ICT tools, during which the fundamental concepts of the main topics of the course will be explained. Individual and group activities aimed at reinforcing learning will also be carried out during these sessions, some of which may be assessed.

2) Computer classroom sessions: Computer tools to carry out the risk assessment: biological and chemical.

3) Classroom practice sessions for group self-learning activities: Sessions will be held at the end of the Public Health part and the Management of Food Safety part. Different sessions will be scheduled for their presentation and defense.

4) Tutorials: Tutorials will be done throughout the course to monitor self-learning work and other aspects related to the subject. The tutorials aim to guide students and resolve their doubts. Tutorials can be conducted individually or in groups, depending on the objectives, either in person or via TEAMS, at a fixed date and time.

5) Group Self-learning activities: students will have to do two tasks on a topic proposed by the professor, following formal guidelines and content common to all groups. Tasks will be delivered by Moodle.

\"In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is allowed as an integral part of the development of the work, provided that the final result reflects a significant contribution from the student in terms of analysis and personal reflection. The student must clearly identify which parts were generated using such technology, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how these tools influenced both the process and the outcome of the activity. Lack of transparency in the use of AI will be considered a breach of academic honesty and may result in a penalty to the activity's grade or, in severe cases, more serious sanctions.\"

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Attendance to the computer classroom session 5% 0 0 5, 16
First control (Part 1) 20% 2 0.08 2, 3, 6, 18, 19, 20
Individual self-learning activities on line: 5% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 16, 18, 19, 21
Group-based self-learning activities (document, presentation and defense): part 2 25% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22
Second Control (part 2) 20% 2 0.08 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
Group-based self-learning activities (document, presentation and defense): part 1 25% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22

The skills of this subject will be evaluated by:

a) First Control of block 1 (Public Health): Theory and activities related to individual or group self-learning will be evaluated. Weight of the final mark: 20%.

b) Second Control of block 2 l (food safety management): Theory and activities related to individual or group-based self-learning will be evaluated. Weight of the final mark: 20%.

c) Individual self-learning activities online will have a 10% weight in the final mark only if the participation has been at least 80%.

d) Attendance at the computer classroom session: Weight of the final mark: 5%.

e) Group-based self-learning activities. Both the written and oral components of the work will be assessed. The activity for Block 1 will account for 25%, and the activity for Block 2 will also account for 25%. In grading, the degree of student participation will be considered. If a student does not attend at least 80% of the six seminars, only 70% of the weighted final grade for both assignments will be counted.


The student will be graded as “Not Evaluable” if the total weight of all evaluation activities is ≤ 15% of the final score.


To pass the course, the following is required:

  • A minimum of 5 points (over 10) in each of the two controls. If this mark is not reached, the student must present for the recovery exam of the control test that they have not passed.
  • A minimum of 5 points (out of 10 ) in both the Block 1 and Block 2 group self-learning activities. This component may be recovered by resubmitting the document after its presentation and defense, incorporating the appropriate corrections and improvements.

To average the marks of the self-learning activities, the mark of the controls must be at least 5 points (out of 10).


This subject does not include the single assessment system.

Bibliography

Public Health

Management of food safety                                                                                                                 

 

WEBSITES Management of food safety

 

Software

MENDELEY. Reference Manager. https://www.mendeley.com/

ZOTERO: Reference manager



Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 1 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 2 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 3 Catalan/Spanish first semester morning-mixed