FOOD LAW AND FOOD FORUM
11:400:314 (2 credits)
Wednesday 4-6PM
Instructors: Joseph D. Rosen, Ph. D. and Stacey A. Zawel, Ph. D.
Why do you need to take this course? (What will you learn?)
By this time in your academic career you have learned a
great deal about the science of food in your chemistry, biology, engineering
and nutrition courses. In the next year
or so, you will learn how to manufacture processed food and how to develop new
types of processed food. But no matter what you do after concluding your
academic career you should be aware that the food industry is a heavily
regulated industry and there are government regulations for what you permitted
to add to food, how you package it and
what you put on the label (even the size of the print on the label). There are a number of laws with which you
must become familia and, even more importantly, you must learn how to access
the countless regulations that have arisen from these laws.
In addition to the labyrinth of rules and regulations that
beset the food industry, we will introduce you to some of the current food
policy issues that make working in food science so much fun—genetic
engineering, irradiated food, organic vs. conventional food, antibiotics in
feed, mad cow disease, “health” foods, to name just a few.
This course will increase your awareness about the issues
and the roles of Congress, the White House, trade associations, consumer
activist groups, and regulatory agencies in the food policy debates—and
increase your understanding of career opportunities in these areas.
What will we
required of you?
You will be
expected to understand the fundamental laws and regulations, the roles of the
regulatory agencies, consumer groups, trade associations, and apply these in
analysis of issues that are being discussed and debated in the Washington
policy arena as well as in international regulatory setting bodies, such as
Codex Alimentarius.
WEEK TOPICS
1
Introduction to course, the players: government
departments and agencies, Congress, consumer groups, and the major food laws. JR
2
Chemistry and function of food additives, Federal Food
Drug and Cosmetic Act, Adulteration, GRAS list. JR
3
The Delaney Clause, FIFRA, Cancer risk from food and
pesticides, FQPA JR
4
Review (30 min); EXAMINATION (40 min); Code of Federal
Regulations SZ
5
Good Manufacturing Practices, HACCP, Inspections,
Enforcement SZ
6
Misbranding, Standards of Identity, Nutritional Labeling
& Education Act JR
7
Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act, Health
claims FDAMA, Structure function claims
SZ
8
Exam (40 min)
9,10 Biotechnology – the debate and the impact
11 Functional Foods and Health and
Wellness SZ
12 Natural, Organic, and
conventional foods JR
13 Risk Assessment, Management, Analysis and
the Precautionary Principle and the debate in Codex Alimentarius SZ
14 The
public comment process SZ
Text books and other materials used – no textbooks but use internet and many handouts
Mode of instruction – lecture and video tapes
Number of students in the class – 10
Work required of students – participation in class discussion and taking exams
Grading format – exams and class participation