FBMAFQ: Applied Food Quality and Safety

Module code: FBMAFQ

Module provider: Food and Nutritional Sciences; School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Kimon-Andreas Karatzas, email: k.karatzas@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module gives you a multidimensional understanding of the problem solving involved in the industrial development and production of food. The module allows you to apply scientific concepts to an industry scenario, problem solving both quality and safety issues in a food product. You will apply your understanding of food chemistry, food microbiology and HACCP to improve the physical properties of a food product and identify critical control points in the production to discuss a HACCP plan. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Identify and evaluate factors causing quality issues in a food product
2. Evaluate and identify critical control points in food production
3. Suggest ways to address quality issues and improve the overall quality of the product
4. Implement general quality systems and HACCP plan in the context of food manufacturing

Module content

The module will cover aspects of quality systems and how these are linked to enable production of safe products that meet quality expectation. It will also introduce details of systems required for product specifications, traceability and recall as well as due diligence. Quality hazards will be also covered and applied in the context of HACCP principles, predictive modelling and microbiological risk assessment.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module centres around a case study giving a range of problems with the safety of the production and quality of the final product. Students will learn about safety and HACCP planning through lectures and seminars and apply these principles to the case study. Issues with quality will be evaluated formal learning (lectures and seminars) as well as explorative methods including practical work and online learning. 

Additionally, there is a second case study based on the understanding of Quality aspects and how these would be assessed and managed within the Food Industry. Students will be asked to prepare a presentation based on the above. 

Study hours

At least 26 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs