Course overview
This course introduces the regulatory requirements related to food quality and safety. This includes principles of quality assurance and management, HACCP (hazard analysis of critical control points), VACCP (vulnerability assessment critical control points), TACCP (threat assessment critical control point) system implementation, flow charts and identification of hazards and critical points, ISO and NATA accreditation.
The course provides students with opportunities for practical experience in generating nutritional panels for food products using a variety of tools, such as the FSANZ Nutrition Panel Calculator and software programs such as FoodWorks Nutrition Labelling and the Allergen Bureaus VITAL program.
Students gain theoretical knowledge in hygiene and sanitation, including good manufacturing practices, chemistry and application of cleaners and sanitisers, verification of sanitiser action, equipment design to minimise process failure and health risk. Product recall and national and international food legislation including the role of FSANZ, Food Standards Code, legislation hierarchy and audit are also covered. Participation in an audit process and compulsory visits to local industrial sites and organisations further develops familiarity with all aspects of food quality and regulation.
Field trips to food industry are an important component of this course and further extend students understanding of course content and industry application.
Course learning outcomes
- Apply the principles of quality assurance and the requirements of the Food Standards Code to food production in Australia.
- Apply Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to a range of processing operations across a range of food commodities.
- Apply food safety regulations using HACCP, VACCP and TACCP principles to a food production process.
- Demonstrate an understanding of product recall and food legislation.
- Plan an internal audit of a food production unit.