C9598 - SAFETY AND FOOD

Learning outcomes

Students will gain knowledge of safety in the use of chemicals, specifically addressing human health and safety aspects in food applications, in line with step 3 of the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) methodology. They will explore chemical safety principles, food formulation and processing technologies, and hazard assessment to ensure safe and innovative food products. The student is expected to be able to: 1. Identify and assess the physical, toxicity, and ecotoxicity hazards of chemicals and apply proper safety measures for their use, particularly in food-related contexts; 2. Understand the principles of food formulation, including ingredient selection, processing technologies, and safety in food engineering, while considering innovative and sustainable approaches; 3. Design safe and functional chemical formulations by understanding the structure-property relationships and their implications for safety and performance in food applications.

Course contents

The CU is composed of three modules with the following contents.

Design of Chemical formulations

This module aims to correlate product structure with its behavior in application, illustrate the preparation of formulated products by incorporating ingredients that alter their structure and properties, and demonstrate current procedures available to modify product structures.
1. Structure of products: Properties of particulate materials. Liquid and gels properties:
rheology and texture. Correlation among structures and behavior in application
2. Components of products. Active ingredients. Functional additives: surfactants and
polymers
3. Formulation of products. Design of formulations and experimental designs
4. Unit operations and processes for preparation of products.

Food and Chemistry

The aim of this module is to give an overview of the formulation of food from its ingredients, and formulation of new foods. In addition, emerging technologies as new tools in processing foods will be analyzed and studied.
1. Origen of raw materials
2. Preparation assembly and structuring of raw materials
2.1 Conventional foods
2.2 Novel foods
3. Unit operations in food industry
4. Thermal and non-Thermal preservation technologies
5. Overview of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) and packaging of foods
At the end of the module the student is expected to be able to:
- Understand and apply the information given in the recommended reading and study resources focused on commonly used materials.
- Acquire the knowledge required to develop experimental skills for materials work.
- Apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations, using mathematical and graphic models and other appropriate tools to solve basic problems in materials science.

Hazard and Safety in Chemistry

The module is designed to help students improve their knowledge and awareness of chemical safety. Participants will identify the hazards associated with the chemicals, will learn safe working practices, and ultimately leave the course with an enhanced ability to assess risk, so they can identify the risks and adopt safe working practices.
1. Understanding the Chemical Hazards
2. Classification, Labeling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008
3. Chemical reactivity hazards: Hazards of the reactions
4. Control of the risk: Laboratory engineering controls
5. Control of the risk: PPE
6. Risk assessment: COSHH essentials. Easy steps to control chemicals
7. Safety using and handling nanoparticles
8. Emergencies and chemical waste disposal
At the end of the module the student is expected to be able:
- To correctly identify physical, toxicity and ecotoxicity hazards of chemicals, and reactions
- To understand the label of a chemical and their hazard information
- To use control measures properly, and check that they are working

Readings/Bibliography

Lecturer notes and slides

Teaching methods

The course unit is divided into three modules taught independently at different times in the academic year, each module is organized in theoretical classes where main concepts are introduced, as well as tutorial classes with discussion of case-study examples.

Assessment methods

Each module learning is evaluated independently, exploiting: i) written tests; ii) oral presentations or interviews; iii) written assignments or combinations of them. The Course Unit grade will be the arithmetic mean of grades from the three modules. ChIRS grades scale goes from 1 to 100, pass grade is
40, and will be translated into ECTS and different University scales. Criteria: knowledge on a very limited number of topics covered in the course and analytical ability that emerges only with the help of the instructor, using generally correct language → 40-45;
Knowledge on a limited number of topics covered in the course and independent analytical ability only on purely executive
issues, using correct language → 45-60;
Knowledge on a large number of topics covered in the course, ability to make independent critical analysis choices, mastery
of specific terminology → 60-80;
Essentially comprehensive knowledge on the topics covered in the course, ability to make independent critical analysis and
connection choices, full mastery of specific terminology, and ability for argumentation and self-reflection → 80-100.

Teaching tools

Lectures slides and notes will be available on the course moodle https://emmcchir-learning.ualg.pt

Office hours

See the website of Daniel Sainz Garcia

See the website of Santiago Esplugas Vidal

See the website of Maria Del Carmen Gonzalez Azon