95834 - Veterinary Legislation and Food Safety

Learning outcomes

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Course contents

General concepts

Revision on domestic and European Union Law

The role of the National and European Institutions in the food safety issues

The market organization of the main sectors producing food of animal origin

The international affairs: the role of WHO and SPS agreement, the Codex Alimentarius, the World Organization for Animal Health

The main hazard for food and the relative causes

Special part 

The veterinary legislation; sectors and actors. The sources of the domestic and European law on animal health and welfare and on food safety

Principles, rules, procedures and agencies on food safety

The risk analysis

Farm to fork strategy

The official controls: the role of the competent Authorities; the official sampling, the national Plan for residues control, microbiological criteria

The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF)

Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES)

Nutrition labelling; origin labelling

The protection of farm animals 

Training

Groups training on the use of informatic tools for the cognition on the EU and domestic law; groups training on the consultation of the informative tools relevant for animal health and welfare and food safety

Readings/Bibliography

The teaching materials consist of: 1) the recommended textbooks; 2) the Bibliography selected by the lecturer (texts, scholarly articles, official documentation of European/national institutions, normative texts); 3) normative texts pertaining to the topics included in the program.

Compendio di Diritto dell'Unione Europea. Aspetti istituzionali e politiche dell'Unione; a cura di S. Gerli, Ed. giuridiche Simone, XXIV edizione 2024

Samuele Pulze: Disposizioni vigenti in materia di sicurezza alimentare (Guida ragionata alla disciplina sanzionatoria), Edizioni Sì, 2026

Codice breve dell'Unione europea minor, a cura di C.C. Gialdino, , Ed. Giuridiche Simone, XI edizione 2020

AA vari “La sicurezza alimentare”, Quaderni di sanità Pubblica. Ed. Maggioli, 2015

AA vari "Etica e Allevamento Animale" (a cura di G. Bertoni), Ed. Franco Angeli, 2016

Compendio di diritto alimentare, Di Costato L. et al, CEDAM 2022

Il Regolamento di Polizia Veterinaria (a cura di c. Benazzi e G. Martini), Ed. Esculapio, 2024

Sustainability and Animal Welfare: Legal and Scientific Perspectives, ed. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, G. Giappichelli Editore, ISBN: 978-10-411-6343-5 (pbk-Routledge) ISBN: 979-12-211-1727-1 (hbk-Giappichelli) https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003684053

Teaching methods

In addition to traditional classroom-based teaching using PowerPoint presentations, the course will involve the use – following training and group exercises – of appropriate IT tools for the collection and analysis of sources of EU and national law, as well as the most significant doctrinal elements in this field.
A guided analysis of certain key legislative documents will serve as a guide and model for the analysis and interpretation of the legislative texts covered in the course.
A number of articles and texts are recommended for independent study of the topics covered in the course.
At the end of the course, as a rule, a morning is set aside for a general revision, focusing on those parts which, at the students’ request, may require further clarification and/or in-depth discussion.

Assessment methods

The examination is a written test covering the entire syllabus and consists of 30 multiple-choice questions (one correct answer out of four options); one mark is awarded for each correct answer, and zero for each incorrect or unanswered question. The examination is considered passed when the candidate achieves a minimum score of 18 out of 30. Candidates are also given the opportunity to write an essay on a set topic, chosen from the further reading recommended by the lecturer; this essay is marked only if the minimum pass mark for the exam (18/30) has been achieved and may be awarded up to a maximum of 3 marks, which are added to the marks from the multiple-choice test. The essay is optional.

Exams are normally held in the computer lab; during the exam, the use of supporting materials such as textbooks, notes, computer aids and AI is not permitted.

Correction of the written assignment takes place ideally within 7 working days after the date of the exam. The Lecturer is available for targeted explanations of the parts of the program that, as a result of any failure to pass the test, are still insufficiently clear.

According to the teaching regulations, it is permissible to reject the grade, even if it is positive, once.

The test is considered passed when the candidate obtains a minimum score of 18 out of 30 points.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

Data base, PC, draft of lessons, official web sites of EU, national and regional Institutions.

Several types of literature to read for the cases studies (scientific textbooks, papers, journal articles, policy or legal documents)

"The course participates in the University's educational innovation project."

Office hours

See the website of Angelo Peli