Course code Vete4103

Credit points 3

Food Toxicology

Total Hours in Course81

Number of hours for lectures32

Number of hours for seminars and practical classes8

Independent study hours41

Date of course confirmation07.04.2021

Responsible UnitInstitute of Food and Environmental Hygiene

Course developer

author prof.

Anda Valdovska

Dr. med. vet.

Prior knowledge

Ķīmi3004, Biochemistry

Vete4062, Pharmacology II

Vete6022, Physiology I

Vete6023, Physiology II

Course abstract

During studies students are getting acquainted with the term of toxic substances, toxicokinetics, the action of toxicants in the human body; the main environmental contaminants and control principles of toxicants in the food and responsibilities.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

After completing the course student will have:
Knowledge about formation of toxicants in environment, about reach ways to food chain. 2 tests
Skills to perform sampling procedure according requirements of EU and to evaluate risk of toxicants in foodstuffs. Seminar lessons
Competences to draw relationship of toxicant with categories of foodstuffs and to evaluate risk of toxicant concerning human health in food chain. KEGA work

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Terminology of food toxicology. Toxicity. Toxicokinetics. Toxic food contaminants from industrial wastes. 2 h lectures
2. Hydrocarbons and their derivates. Food additives and toxic components from food packaging materials. Sampling principles for toxicants in food. 6 h lectures and 6 h workshops.
3. Toxicants formed during food storage. 1st TEST. 4 h lectures and 1 h workshop.
4. Toxicants formed during food processing. 6 h lectures.
5. Natural toxins in plant foodstuffs. Marine phycotoxins. 4 h lectures
6. Drug residues. Toxicity of nutrients. 4 h lectures.
7. Food irradiation. GMO food. 4 h lectures
8. Food adulteration. 2nd TEST. 2 h lectures and 1 h workshop.

Requirements for awarding credit points

Successfully completed 2 tests.
A successful assessment of KEGA (Clinical and Epidemiological Case Studies) work.
Final test - exam.
Absence of lectures and practical work is not more than 15% of the total number of lessons. If missed lectures and practical works are more than 15% of the total number of lessons, then for each delayed course topic there is an additional question in the exam.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Records of literature, lectures and practical work, as well as KEGA development.
For the development of KEGA, the student chooses one theme of the work, in coordination with the course supervisor. In KEGA work students can to describe the permitted level, potential impact on human health, the principles of sampling in accordance with the requirements of the EU legislation, and to provide recommendations for mitigating non-compliance with selected product and type of pollution using the RASFF database.
The work (up to 10 pages in size) must be submitted in written form by the end of semester.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

In semester 2 TESTS. The test is organized in written form (open questions and questions with multiple answers). The test is "passed" with at least 70% correct answers.
KEGA work is evaluated in accordance with the criteria of the 10 point system scale indicated in the LLU Study Regulations. The KEGA rating mark represents 50% of the total grade of the exam.
To get the exam of the study course, all tests in the semester and KEGA work must be "passed".
The exam is organized in written form - a ticket with 3 questions, that are assessed in accordance with the criteria of the 10 point system scale indicated in the LLU Study Regulations.
The joint exam mark is calculated as the average mark of the written exam and the rating of KEGA work.

Compulsory reading

1. Deshpande S.S. Handbook of Food Toxicology. New York; Basel: Marcel Dekker, 2002. 920 p. 2. Shibamoto T., Bjeldanes L. Introduction to Food Toxicology. Amsterdam; Boston: Elsevier/Academic Press, 2009. 309 p. 3. Dabrowski W.M., Sikorski Z.E. Toxins in Food. London: CRC Press, 2004. 345 p. 4. Jones A.L., Dargan P.I. Toxicology. London: Churchill Livingstone, 2001. 162 p.

Further reading

1. Benford D. The acceptable Daily intake. Brussels: ILSI Europe, 2000. 36 p. Pieejams: http://ilsi.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/06/C2000Acc_Dai.pdf 2. Benford D. Principles of risk assesment of food and drinking water related to human health. Brussels: ILSI Europe, 2001. 35 p. Pieejams: http://ilsi.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/06/C2001Prin_Risk.pdf

Periodicals and other sources

1. EFSA Journal, ISSN 1831–4732.

Notes

Compulsory course of study programme Veterinary medicine, 11th semester