227.502 - Veterinary Public Health, Food Safety and Quality Management
Points Value: 15 Semester: double
Campus: Turitea Mode: internal
E-learning Category: web-enhanced
Paper Co-ordinators:
Professor Nigel French, Professor of Food Safety and Veterinary Public Health, IVABS
Deborah Prattley, Lecturer in Veterinary Public Health, IVABS
Other Contributing Staff:
Dr Su Langdon, New Zealand Food Safety Authority, Verification Agency
Other NZFSA staff
Jackie Benschop, EpiCentre, IVABS
Naomi Cogger, EpiCentre, IVABS
Guest lecturers and other EpiCentre staff
Aims:
· To integrate information presented in all BVSc papers that is relevant to veterinary activities that contribute to public health.
· To understand the epidemiology and ecology of zoonotic and foodborne pathogens in the context of risk management of these agents in New Zealand.
· To understand the principles underpinning veterinary involvement in assuring food quality and safety, including meat hygiene and inspection, and quality assurance responsibilities of veterinarians from ‘farm to plate’.
· To have detailed understanding of public health and societal issues related to animal agriculture and their impact on industry and trade.
Calendar Prescription:
The principles and practical applications of veterinary public health, meat hygiene and quality assurance programmes. Veterinary aspects of the quality assurance of foods of animal origin to meet national and international standards. The application of quality management to veterinary professional activities. Control of residues, zoonoses and food-transmitted diseases. Practical experience of food industries obtained through placements for work in an abattoir.
Learning Outcomes:
Each student having completed this paper should have a clear understanding of:
· The range of roles and responsibilities of veterinarians pertaining to public health.
· Epidemiological and ecological principles relevant to veterinary public health.
· Important zoonotic diseases in New Zealand and internationally, including emerging diseases
· Major microbial, chemical and physical hazards associated with animal products.
· The application of quality assurance principles to ensure adequate safety of animal products, particularly meat.
· Factors affecting meat quality and meat hygiene.
· The structure and operations of New Zealand's meat industries and key issues affecting them.
· Animal welfare aspects related to animal transport, lairage and slaughter procedures.
· The impact of animal industries on the environment.
· National and international regulatory approaches to controlling foodborne hazards.
· Public health issues and biotechnology.
Pre- and Co-requisites:
Enrolment in this paper requires prior passing of all papers in BVSc 4, under the conditions as specified in the BVSc regulations (pp 229-231, 2006 Massey University Calendar).
Assessment:
1. Assignments from Veterinary Public Health rosters
Field visits to meatworks 30%
Composite roster 10%
2. Final examination 60%
Deadline and Penalties:
All assignments must be submitted prior to commencement of final examinations.
Requirements to Successfully Complete the Paper:
· Attendance at field visits during the Veterinary Public Health roster.
· Satisfactory completion of all assignments.
· Pass grade or better in final examination and total paper.
Learning Programme:
1. Block course of two weeks during Semester 1 will include 35 lectures, plus a series of discussion groups (including small group teaching techniques) applied to a Veterinary Public Health disease outbreak scenario.
2. One week Veterinary Public Health roster, comprised of field visits to abattoirs and other food processing premises (3 days). Individual and group work to complete set assignments (2 days).
3. Discussion of other relevant public health issues within the first composite roster rotation. This will be on Fridays at 9am for the weeks beginning 7 to 28 May.
4. Presentations describing the premises visited during the roster rotations will be made on Monday June 11.
Conditions for Aegrotat Pass:
If you are prevented by illness, injury or a serious crisis from attending an examination, or another compulsory assessment element that occurs at a fixed time and place, you may apply for an aegrotat consideration.
To qualify for an aegrotat pass on the final examination, you must have attempted at least 40% of the total formal assessment and your performance must be well above the minimum pass standard, so that the examiners can be confident that you would have passed the paper if you had completed the missing assessment. You must apply on the form available from the Examinations Office, the Student Health Service or the Student Counselling Service.
Conditions for Impaired Performance:
If you consider that your performance in, or preparation for, an examination, or another compulsory assessment element that occurs at a fixed time and place, has been seriously impaired by illness, injury or a serious crisis, you may apply for an impaired performance consideration. You must apply on the form available from the Examinations Office, the Student Health Service or the Student Counselling Service.
Student Time Budget:
1. Formal contact time
Lectures 35 hours
Field experience 24 hours
Discussion groups/presentations 38 hours
2. Independent study
Abattoir assignment 26.5 hours
Seminar preparation 10 hours
General study 54 hours
Total 187.5 hours
Textbook:
Zoonoses in New Zealand. C.R. Wilks and M.W. Humble, Veterinary Continuing Education Publication No. 178, Second Edition1997.
Timetable:
Please note that there may be some revisions to the timetable. You will be advised of any changes at the beginning of the course.
Lectures: Approximately four per day during one on-campus two-week block from 12 -23 February 2007.
Problem solving: Afternoon sessions each day during the two-week block in
February.
Field work: One week during roster periods available during the year
(Semester 1 or 2). You will be advised of the arrangements for this roster
at the beginning of the February lecture block.
Other: One morning session (Fridays at 9am) during Composite Roster 1.
One day session (Monday 11 June starting at 10am) during the mid-year
lecture block, when presentations about the roster visits will be made.
|
Date
|
Time
|
Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
|
Friday
|
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12 Feb
|
8:00
|
VPH
|
Zoonoses
|
Zoonoses
|
Emerging diseases
|
Meat industry overview
|
|
|
9:00
|
VPH
|
Zoonoses
|
Residues
|
Foodborne hazards
|
Sanitary design
|
|
|
10:00
|
Zoonoses
|
Zoonoses
|
Foodborne hazards
|
|
Pre-slaughter
|
|
|
11:00
|
Zoonoses
|
Zoonoses
|
Foodborne hazards
|
|
Pre-slaughter
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12:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
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13:00
|
|
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Foodborne hazards
|
|
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14:00 – 17:00
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Outbreak notification
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Outbreak investigation
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Disease information
|
Disease investigation
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Outbreak surveillance
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|
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|
|
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|
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19 Feb
|
8:00
|
Pig processing
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Meat science
|
|
|
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9:00
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Pig processing
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Meat microbiology
|
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ACVM
|
Medical views
|
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10:00
|
Poultry processing
|
PM inspection
|
Managing foodborne zoonoses
|
RMPs, HACCP, GMP
|
Biosecurity
|
|
|
11:00
|
PSM & preservation
|
PM inspection
|
Quality assurance
|
Environmental impacts
|
Risk communication
|
|
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12:00
|
|
|
|
|
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13:00
|
|
|
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14:00 – 17:00
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Exotic disease response
|
Exposure pathways
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Risk management
|
Disease freedom
|
Risk communication
|
Plagiarism:
Massey University, College of Sciences, has taken a firm stance on plagiarism and any form of cheating. Plagiarism is the copying or paraphrasing of another person’s work, whether published or unpublished, without clearly acknowledging it. It includes copying the work of other students. Plagiarism will be penalised; it is likely to lead to loss of marks for that item of assessment and may lead to an automatic failing grade for the paper and/or exclusion from enrolment at the University.
Proposed Feedback and Support for Student Learning:
The turnaround time for assignments will be no more than three weeks from the due date. It is important to note that the specified timeframe applies only to those assignments submitted by the due date, and does not necessarily apply to those submitted late. Students will be advised of assignment requirements and deadlines during the course.
Students will receive assistance and feedback primarily during the two-week block which is focussed on Veterinary Public Health, Food Safety and Quality Management. Teaching methods and the course structure will encourage active learning and peer support, as well as providing many opportunities for students to obtain informal guidance. Students are welcome to approach the staff for assistance at any time throughout the year.
Grievance Procedures:
A student who claims that he/she has sustained academic disadvantage as a result of the actions of a University staff member should use the University Grievance Procedures. Students, whenever practicable, should in the first instance approach the University staff member concerned. If the grievance is unresolved with the staff member concerned, the student should then contact the College of Sciences office on his/her campus for further information on the procedures, or read the procedures in the University Calendar.
Additional Information and Advice:
Students will be required to provide coveralls and footwear suitable for field visits to abattoirs and other food-processing premises. Further information will be provided prior to the roster.
Copies of lecture presentations and supporting documents can be obtained from Calve.