The course will survey why chemical substances in food, such as additives, processing contaminants, pollutants, natural toxins and drug residues, may represent a health risk. Starting with the toxicological characteristics of the compounds, the course will explain how their health risk may be evaluated, how acceptable and tolerable intakes may be derived, how benefit and risk may be weighed, how cocktail effects may occur, and how the substances are regulated by law.  It is given an introduction to how toxicological risk evaluation of substances in food is performed in scientific committees such as VKM and EFSA.     

Basic knowledge in food toxicology and how chemical food safety may be secured. Comprehension of: toxicity, dose-response relationships, toxicokinetics, establishing critical limits (such as ADI, TDI/TWI, MRL), genotoxic and non-genotoxic carcinogens, use of Benchmark Dose (BMD) and BMDL, use of Margin of Exposure (MOE). Comprehend the principles of toxicological risk assessment of food, how they are practiced in the scientific committees of food safety, and know how the substances are regulated in Norway and the EU. 

Lectures and discussion groups. Group tasks in given themes with oral group presentations.  

Students may contact the course responsible Tove Devold (tovede@nmbu.no). Canvas.

Bachelor in Food Science or comparable

Biology, anatomy/physiology, chemistry

Oral presentation of group tasks.

Written exam (counts 80 %). Oral presentation of group tasks (Counts 20 % of final grade).

Lectures/discussion groups/group presentations 24 hours, group tasks 20 hours, self study 106 hours

Natural sciences.

4 hours per week including lectures, discussion groups and group presentations.

Textbook in Norwegian, lectures in Norwegian in a trial period.

An external examiner evaluates a minimum of 25 selected exam papers.