Food and animal feed are produced as a result of a wide variety of activities which occur throughout the food chain, from the farm to the fork. Consequently, the safety and quality of the final product from a production system will be determined by the safety and quality of the individual stages within that system. This Module adopts a systems approach to the achievement of safety and quality. Within this framework of Process or Product Quality Management the Module addresses the principles of systems science and safety and quality management systems, and their combined role in the achievement of sustainable product safety and quality. Risk analysis and its application in determining Food Safety Objectives (FSOs) will also be investigated.

This Module aims:
• to reflect upon the significance between safety and quality management systems;
• to provide explanations on the systems approach to the management of product safety and quality;
• to formulate innovate proposals for Safety and Quality Management Systems;
• to demonstrate an understanding of food and feed law;
• to formulate innovative proposals in relation to Risk analysis and Food Safety Objectives (FSOs) to put into practice skills in a factory environment.

On successful completion of this module a student will be able to:
1. Critically evaluate the factors that are constraining the quality of food and feed products and use the concept of Process Quality Management to achieve and maintain high quality and safe outputs throughout food and feed production systems;
2. Implement quality systems including, ISO 9001 - 2015, ISO 22,000, ISO 17025, total quality management and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems;
3. Critically analyse the requirements of private standards compared to legislation and related standards;
4. Reflect upon risk analysis and its role in the development of Food Safety Objectives (FSOs);
5. Have critical insight into the development and enforcement of legislation and related standards.

• Good Practices, prerequisite programmes, food safety and quality management;
• Food and feed processing and preservation methods;
• The concept of quality and total quality management;
• Integrated management systems;
• Quality assurance, including HACCP systems;
• Food and feed law, national and international, e.g. the SPS and TBT agreements
• Implementing public and private standards, such as BRC or ISO 22,000, for safety and quality management systems
• Royal Society of Public Health’s Level 3 HACCP in Food Manufacturing Module and external Exam;
• Auditing skills as a management tool in a factory environment.

Seminar sessions with presentations, group work, guided group analysis of published literature and reports, role play, practical and demonstration sessions, case-study seminars led by those with recent first-hand experience and group evaluation will be the principal modes of instruction. Exercises will be also be carried out in a factory environment. Students will be expected to give a short presentation during the Module and participate in group activities to produce digital materials as outputs for assessments.

Presentation: 20% weighting, 50% pass mark.
Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5.
Outline Details: Presentation on a topic set by the Module leader to provide a comprehensive overview of a specific area within the field of food safety management. 10 minutes.

Report: 20% weighting, 50% pass mark.
Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5.
Outline Details: An essay on a topic set by the Module leader. 2,000 words.

Exam: 60% weighting, 50% pass mark.
Learning Outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5.
Outline Details: 3 hour exam.

Formative Assessments: Group activity “How to build a factory” Preparing a plan of a food factory taking into account pre-requisite programmes. How to develop a HACCP plan (RSPH level 3) Development of HACCP plan based on case studies. Group activity – preparation for and carrying out an audit Participation in classroom auditing exercise in preparation for factory audit. Final audit carried out in a food business.