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2021/2022

Food Legislation

Code: 103236 ECTS Credits: 3
Degree Type Year Semester
2501925 Food Science and Technology OB 4 1
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Jordi Serratosa Vilageliu
Email:
Jordi.Serratosa@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
catalan (cat)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
Yes
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Other comments on languages

Some lectures may be given optionally in English

Teachers

Joan Amenós Álamo

Prerequisites

Although there are no official prerequisites, it is convenient that the student revises the material covered in the following second and third year courses:  

  • “Anàlisi i control de la qualitat dels aliments” (food-quality analysis and control)
  • “Gestió de la Seguretat Alimentària i Salut Pública” (food safety and public health management) 

Objectives and Contextualisation

The course of Food Legislation is transversal and fundamental. It aims to leave students with the knowledge of the legal framework necessary to interpret, apply and develop the normative principles of food legislation. Specific rules that regulate the entirety of the agrifood sector from primary production to consumption will be covered. 

 

General objective

 

Identify, analyse and apply the normative system in each and every one of the phases of food production and commercialization. 

 

Specific objectives

  • To give students of the Food Science and Technology programme the legal tools, techniques and practices required for an accurate understanding of the Spanish, European and international legal framework. This knowledge should be generally applicable in a professional setting.
  • Expound on the objectives of the normalization and legalization of foods, which aim to: 

-       protect the consumer

-       establish equitable practices 

-       determine priorities 

-       publish and disclose said rules 

Competences

  • Adopt an ethical stance and attach importance to quality in work.
  • Communicate effectively with both professional and non-professional audiences, orally and in writing, in the first language and/or in English.
  • Interpret and apply agrofood regulations.
  • Provide auditing and legal, scientific and technical advisory services to the agri-food industry.
  • Search for, manage and interpret information from different sources.
  • Show sensitivity to environmental, sanitary and social issues.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Adopt an approach that is holistic and respectful of legal provisions when applying the technical knowledge acquired.
  2. Adopt an ethical stance and attach importance to quality in work.
  3. Carry out technical surveys based on scientific, legal and ethical data.
  4. Communicate effectively with both professional and non-professional audiences, orally and in writing, in the first language and/or in English.
  5. Describe the scientific sources of the law governing the agrofood business and comply with its principles.
  6. Evaluate legislation in several different countries and write the reports on these.
  7. Explain and provide a basis for the historical mechanisms of codes of conduct, legislation and civil responsibility in accordance with the cultures and degree of development of each country.
  8. Explain the profession's ethical principles.
  9. Issue expert reports taking into account existing legislation.
  10. Recognise and explain the factors that influence the degree of compliance with legislation.
  11. Recognise the risks of failure to comply with the law.
  12. Search for, manage and interpret information from different sources.
  13. Show sensitivity to environmental, sanitary and social issues.
  14. Use legal terminology correctly.

Content

Topic 1. –Course presentation- 1.1.General Introduction. 1.2 course assignment for ethics and food law 

 

Administrative Law

 

Introduction to legislative vocabulary in English/Spanish/Catalan

 

Topic 2. –What it means to be a State. What is ‘the Law’. What is the Public Administration and which are its different types.

 

Topic 3.-The legal system. The constitution, laws and regulatory norms.

 

Topic 4.-Administrative decisions. Resources and administrative control. 

 

Topic 5.-The public function.

 

Topic 6.- Administration, the citizen and the company from a legal point of view. The freedom of a company. The public services. 

 

Food Legislation

 

Topic 7.- Ethics and Deontology in professional praxis. Ethical principles. Deontology. Codes of conduct and current regulations. Examples and analysis of case studies. 

 

Topic 8. Legal expertise and civil responsibility in the food field. 11.1 Concept of civil and professional liability, 11.2. Constituent elements for litigation. 11.3. Concept of legal expertise 11.4. Civil and criminal reports. 11.5 Testimony of the legal expert. 11.6. Consumer rights at the community level.

 

Topic 9.  Science and Food Legislation. The role of scientific principles within European food legislation. 9.1. Regulation 178/2002. 9.2. Risk analysis, Risk assessment, management and communication. 9.3. The role and structure of AESA (EFSA). 9.4 The operation of EFSA and its legislative impact in different sectors.

 

Topic 10. -Introduction to food law. 7.1. Food control. 7.2. Standardization, technical certification and food product safety 7.3. Transversal themes in Food Legislation: Food Additives. Labeling and packaging. Water

 

Topic 11.- Introduction to Community Law (EU). 8.1. Primary Law. Derivative Law- (Regulations-Directives-Decisions-Recommendations and Opinions). 8.2. Jurisprudential Law. 8.3. Legislative processes in the food field. 8.4. The U. E.’s legislative bodies. European rules in the food sector.- Vertical and Horizontal Regulations. 8.5. Priorities in regulations (tables) and their implications. The Safeguard clause. Degree of compliance with Community law, practical consequences. Intra-community and non-food controls of food products.

 

Topic 12.International Food Law. 10.1. Technical harmonization of international agreements. 10.2. Còdex Alimentarius Mundi. Rules. Recommendations. Processing phases - (procedural scheme) and degree of commitment of the different countries within said Codex. 10.3. FDA. GRASS products. GATT/WTO agreements and implications for food law.

Methodology

This course is divided in two parts: the first focuses on Introduction to Law, and the second is focused on Ethics and Food Legislation.

 The methodology of the lectures, seminars and tutorials  will be carried out in a mixed way: Presential and not presential  

1)     Theory Lectures: magistral lectures with the support of TICs. In those, the fundamental concepts and topics of the subject will be explained. A certain number of lectures will be optionally held in English.  

2)     Seminars: of resolution and presentation of the activities completed during self-directed study. Four such seminars will be held, during which each group will have to expose, with visual aids (e.g. PowerPoint), the most important aspects of their joint work. 

 3)     Tutorials: The student will have to attend tutorials throughout the course to accompany their self-directed work, and other aspects of the course. The tutorials will aim to steer the student’s work in the right direction, and resolve any of their doubts. Said tutorials can be held individually or in groups, depending of their particular objective.

 

Self directed study

 

1)        Activities of Self-directed study, in groups: students will have to hand in coursework related to the subject of Food Legislation. Such coursework consists of researching information relevant to the various course topics. Their assignments will have to be delivered in written format and presented orally at an arranged date within the semester. 

 

2)        Further self-directed study, in groups: students will have to immerse themselves in the problems posed by course lecturers, often following formal guidelines. The content for such study will be similaracross groups, whom will discuss and expose their conclusions about such problems in seminar sessions. 

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Lectures 12 0.48 1, 2, 12, 5, 3, 8, 9, 7, 11, 10, 14, 6
Seminars 8 0.32 1, 2, 4, 13, 5, 9, 7, 11, 10, 14
Type: Supervised      
Seminars- tutorials 8 0.32 4, 10, 14
Type: Autonomous      
Preparation of practical cases and and exercises for the continuing evaluation 17 0.68 1, 2, 12, 5, 3, 8, 9, 7, 11, 10, 14, 6
Self Learning 28 1.12 1, 12, 5, 8, 9, 7, 11, 10, 14, 6

Assessment

The competences of this subject will be evaluated through:

 

1)     A Food Legislation exam, weighing 40% of the course’s final mark 

 

2)     An Introduction to Law exam, weighing 20% of the course’s final mark

 

3)     Coursework in Ethics and Food Legislation, weighing 40% of the course’s final mark 

 

The two parts of this course i) Introduction to Law and ii) Ethics and Food legislation will have to be passed separately with a grade of over 50% each. If one of these parts is failed with a grade of under 50%, and does not add to 50% when weighted and combined with the coursework, the student will fail the course. 

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Examination: Ethics and food legislation and . 40% Ethics and food law ; 20% introduction to the legal right 2 0.08 1, 5, 3, 8, 9, 7, 11, 10, 14, 6
Written assignement in 3 seminars , exposición and discussion by the student 40% (dealing with ethics and food law). 0 0 1, 2, 12, 4, 13, 5, 3, 8, 9, 7, 11, 10, 14, 6

Bibliography

Software

There are no programs for this subject