Food Quality and Management Systems

Objectives

The aim of this unit is to provide in-depth knowledge and skills in quality and food safety management systems. These skills will allow the future nutritionist to intervene in different sectors of the food chain, but also in quality management in clinical and community nutrition. At the end of this unit the student will be able to:
- Understand the role of the Portuguese System for Quality, namely its structure, organisation and operation.
- Understand the requirements of most relevant quality and food safety management systems.
- Understand the benefits of implementing a management system, such as quality and food safety management systems.
- Design, implement and manage a quality management system.
- Design, implement and manage a food safety management system.
- Understand the approaches for implementing an integrated management system.
- Recognize how to plan and conduct an audit (in accordance with ISO 19011:2018).
- Understand and know how to assess the quality of food products.
- Demonstrate the ability to use statistical methods for quality control.

General characterization

Code

41034

Credits

4

Responsible teacher

Prof. Doutor André Rosário

Hours

Weekly - Available soon

Total - Available soon

Teaching language

Portuguese

Prerequisites

 

Bibliography

• Debby L. Newslow. Food Safety Management Programs - Applications, Best Practices, and Compliance. CRC Press. 2014. ISBN 9781138198463.

Teaching method

The unit is organised in lectures and practical classes: 1) 50-minute lecture classes once a week; and 2) 1.5-hour practical classes once a week, with a maximum of 15 students.

Evaluation method

The final evaluation has a practical component and a final examination, both expressed on a 0-20 scale. The practical continuous assessment corresponds to 40% of the final grade, and takes into account the following criteria: a) student performance and attendance (10%); b) quality of the practical reports (15%); and c) one oral presentation (15%). The final examination consists of a written exam and will contribute 60% to the final score. The students must attend at least 2/3 of the practical classes and obtained a minimum grade of 9.5 in the practical component in order to qualify for the final examination. A minimum grade of 9.5 in the written exam is mandatory for approval.

Subject matter

1. FUNDAMENTALS OF QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN NUTRITION
Quality in the field of nutrition.
The principles of quality management.
Evolution of the concept of quality in the production of food products.
The role of management systems in the food chain.

2. THE PORTUGUESE SYSTEM FOR QUALITY
The Portuguese System for Quality and its subsystems: standardisation, metrology and qualification (accreditation and certification).
International and European standardisation organisations.
General principles of standardisation.

3. MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Quality management systems: fundamentals and vocabulary (ISO 9000:2015), requirements (ISO 9001:2015) and guidance to achieve sustained success (ISO 9004:2018).
Food safety management systems (ISO 22000:2018, FSSC 22000, BRC and IFS).
Integrated management systems (e.g., ISO 22000, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001).

4. PRODUCTION AND FOOD PRODUCTS CERTIFICATION
Certification of integrated and organic production.
GLOBALG.A.P certification.
Products with protected designation of origin (DOP), protected geographical indication (IGP) and guaranteed traditional specialty (ETG).
CERTIF Mark Certified Product.

5. AUDITS AND QUALITY CONTROL IN FOODS
Audits on food safety management systems according to ISO 19011:2018: audit program, competence of auditors, preparation and conduct of audits.
Characteristics of food quality.
Methods to assess food quality: sensory analysis, physical-chemical and microbiological analysis, molecular analysis, nutritional analysis and advanced non-destructive tests.
Control by sampling.
Statistical quality control.

Programs

Programs where the course is taught: