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1 ITP food safety a 3 months International Training Program on Food Safety, Quality Assurance and Risk Analysis - Ghent University / August 22 nd to December 2 nd 2011 The Department of Food Safety and Food Quality of the Faculty Bio Science Engineering of the Ghent University in Belgium (Europe) has a long history in cooperation with developing countries in the framework of research, education and projects in food safety, nutrition and food science. This experience, was the basis for setting up the ITP Food Safety in 2009 which was a success with an enthusiastic team of participants that still keep in touch and some of them having elaborated further collaboration programs within the research network of Ghent University. After a first successful edition in 2009, for the second time an International Training Program on Food Safety, Quality Assurance and Risk analysis takes place from August 22 nd to December to 2 nd 2011 at the Faculty of Bio- Science Engineering at Ghent University in Belgium. The Training Program is an initiative of the Department of Food Safety and Food Quality and is sponsored by VLIR- UOS (the Flemish Interuniversity Council University Development Cooporation). The International Training Programs by VLIR- UOS are designed for people from developing countries with a certain degree of professional experience in place, and create the possibility for cooperation and networking. The ITP Food Safety aims at transferring knowledge and skills in food safety issues (both microbiological and chemical hazards as well as physical hazards) and related legislation, assurance of food safety throughout the supply chain from farm to fork by good agricultural practices, hygiene implementation and HACCP, and supporting management by elaboration of risk assessment making the link between hazard control and consumer risk using knowledge based modeling. With the support of the Belgian Directorate- General for Development Cooperation (DGDC), VLIR- UOS awards 15 scholarships to participants from developing countries to attend the ITP Food Safety program. ITP trainees target people from the South with a responsible position in civil society (at a university, school, NGO, ministry, industry association, etc). In the 2011 edition, students from Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kenya, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Colombia will attend the ITP Food Safety program. In addition, non EU- partners of the Veg- i- Trade project (Serbia, Egypt, South Africa, India and Brazil) are invited to attend also some modules of the ITP Food Safety program (free of charge). The objective of the ITP food safety is a train- the- trainer intensive program in order to disseminate knowledge and know how related to food safety, quality assurance and risk analysis. The website link is 1

2 Rationale for the ITP Food Safety training? It is estimated that up to one third of the population in developed countries are affected by food borne diseases each year, while the problem is likely to be even more widespread in developing countries. In addition to food borne infections by bacteria, viruses or protozoa, chronic dietary exposure to various chemical contaminants is also considered to contribute to the burden of disease. Last decade, large efforts have been made on the global level towards development and implementation of food safety management systems to assure food safety in the agri- food chain. This is demonstrated by multiple Codex Alimentarius guidelines and for example in EU illustrated by the introduction of the General Food Law. As a result of this, compliance to stringent requirements for foodstuffs that are put to the market or being imported or exported is needed. These control measures challenge individual farmers or manufacturers, in particular those in developing countries that may not be able to comply fully with food safety requirements considering the particular context in which they have to operate. Moreover, in many of these developing countries, there is the dilemma of food safety versus food security. Risk assessment being an objective evaluation of risk in which assumptions and uncertainties are clearly considered is the current accepted basis for decision making on control measures in the food chain. But still in many countries in the South, knowledge and skills on the methodology of risk assessment and how to apply it for particular case studies is insufficient. Scope of the ITP Food Safety Training? The purpose of this Intensive Program in Food Safety is to train and disseminate knowledge and know how to participants, working for governmental, research or non profit organisations in the agri- food chain which may facilitate the setting up of studies, improvement of organization structures or taking the initiative for further capacity building in the various aspects of food safety and its governance in developing countries. In the training course in Ghent, the main subjects, microbiological, chemical and physical hazards, in food safety are intensively reviewed. Participants will be trained to manage the potential control measures of the hazards specified by (inter)national legislation, (Codex Alimentarius) guidelines, quality assurance standards/systems (e.g. Pre Requisite Programs, HACCP, ISO 22000, Global Gap). The various components of Risk Analysis, as basic methodology to take policy/management decisions, will be discussed and elaborated including both microbiological and chemical case studies. The Training encompasses a farm to fork approach, covering both primary production (fresh produce, animal production and aquaculture) and processing industry (dairy, fresh cut produce, meat and meat products, fish and fishery products) and including some aspects of consumer s risk. 2

3 Program and content? The lectures are given by professors and research assistants, of the Ghent University Association, complemented by invited (inter)national speakers from other research institutes, competent authorities or companies/organizations in the agri- food chain. The program is composed of several modules and can be followed as a whole or per module. Upon notification and agreement with the lecturer also some of the individual sessions can be attended. Module 1 : Situation of food safety in the international context and the development of (inter)national standards/legislation/guidelines This introductory module discusses the principles of the different hazards of food safety, food safety versus food security and the international process of developing food safety control measures and criteria resulting in for example Codex Alimentarius guidelines or EU legislation. Module 2 : Knowledge of the agri- food chain (primary production and processing industry) The second module covers both theoretical lectures and practical exercises with regard to good practices in the primary production (fresh produce, animal production and aquaculture). Next to this, basics of food chemistry and food microbiology applicable to the food processing industry is reviewed. In addition the principles of analytical methods and techniques in food microbiology and food chemistry will be discussed and demonstrated. Module 3 : Food safety and related hazards This module transfers the knowledge and know how related to food safety hazards i.e. a) microbiological hazards including bacteria, viruses, moulds); b) chemical hazards including pesticides, heavy metals, mycotoxins, processing contaminants such as acrylamide, PAHs, etc.; c) allergens; d) physical hazards; e) nutritional disorders and their link towards food safety. Module 4 : Risk analysis This module is setting up the risk analysis procedure for both microbiological and chemical food safety hazards. It includes lectures on the principles and parts of risk analysis, aspects of both microbiological and chemical risk assessment; information on statistics for selection of distribution and procedures sensitivity analysis and finally some notes on risk management and risk communication. Theoretical knowledge will be translated in practical examples by exercises in the computer classes. 3

4 Module 5 : Quality Assurance Systems to control food safety This module focuses on the different measures to control food safety in the agri- food chain. This includes the Principles of a Quality Assurance Systems; Pre Requisite Programs based on Codex Alimentarius principles and exercises; HACCP principles (both theory and exercises). QA systems will be presented by testimonies of QA managers of companies or representatives of industry associations talking on challenges to set- up Quality assurance systems in primary production as well as the processing industry. Also some visits are scheduled to a farm, a slaughterhouse and food (fish, meat, dairy, vegetables) processing companies to witness the implementation of Quality assurance systems in the field. Furthermore lectures are foreseen on validation and verification of food safety management systems and traceability and crisis management. Module 6 : Control on food safety in the agri- food chain In this module the principles of inspection/audit are discussed and the organization of the European food safety agencies. Module 7 : Case study food safety problem in home country In this last module, the participants are invited to work out a case study relating to a particular food safety problem in their home country. Possible preventive measures in the food chain, control strategies and risk analysis application should be evaluated to tackle the problem. All collected knowledge during the ITP Food Safety should be applied for the case study. A presentation and defense of the case study is foreseen. Course application? With the support of the Belgian Directorate- General for Development Cooperation (DGDC), VLIR- UOS has awarded 15 scholarships to participants from developing countries to attend the ITP Food Safety program. Additional persons may still attend the ITP Food Safety course as a whole or some modules. The course fee to follow the whole program is 4000 EUR (excl. VAT). Citizens of developing countries may attend at a reduced course fee of 2500 EUR (excl. VAT). The course fee includes access to the UGent intranet application set- up for managing the course material but participants will also receive a print- out of the course material. Additional persons attending the course (or a particular module) will have to take care of their own travel and accomodation costs. Course fee per module: Moduel 1 : free of charge 4

5 Module 2 : 800 EUR Module 3 : 1200 EUR Module 4 : 1700 EUR Module 5 : 1500 EUR Module 6 : free of charge Module 7 : free of charge Upon notification and agreement with the lecturer also some of the individual sessions can be attended. Fee for a 3 hours session : 200 EUR (excl. VAT) More information? The website link is Or contact the Veg- i- trade Training Manager Liesbeth Jacxsens (liesbeth.jacxsens@ugent.be) or Veg- i- trade coordinator Mieke Uyttendaele (mieke.uyttendaele@ugent.be) 5