MNS-UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, MULTAN

Department of Food Science and Technology

BRIEF COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Course No.: HND-514

Course Tile: Food Toxins & Allergens
Program: B.Sc. (Hons.) Human nutrition, and Dietetics
Semester: Spring 2022
Session: 2021-2025
Credit Hours: 3 (3-0)
Resource Person Dr. Shabbir Ahmad
Contact Information shabbir.ahmad@mnsuam.edu.pk

COURSE INTRODUCTION:
Food allergy is an immune system reaction that occurs soon after eating a certain food.
Even a tiny amount of the allergy-causing food can trigger signs and symptoms such as
digestive problems, hives or swollen airways. In some people, a food allergy can cause
severe symptoms or even a life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis. Food allergy
affects an estimated 8% of children under age 5 and up to 4% of adults. While there's no
cure, some children outgrow their food allergies as they get older. It's easy to confuse a
food allergy with a much more common reaction known as food intolerance. While
bothersome, food intolerance is a less serious condition that does not involve the immune
system. For some people, an allergic reaction to a particular food may be uncomfortable
but not severe. For other people, an allergic food reaction can be frightening and even
life-threatening. Food allergy symptoms usually develop within a few minutes to 2 hours
after eating the offending food. Rarely, symptoms may be delayed for several hours.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

The course will enable the students to:

• Distinguish between the different types of adverse reactions to food.
• Discuss the prevalence of food allergy and the natural history of the disease,
including risk factors.
• Analyze the data on strategies to prevent food allergy.

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EVALUATION/GRADING POLICY:
Following are the criteria for the distribution of marks to evaluate final grade in a
semester.
Evaluation Criteria Marks Distribution

Assignments/Quizzes 6

Mid-Term Examination 18

Final-term examination 36

Total 60

Grade % Marks
A 80% – 100%
B 65% – 79%
C 50% – 64%
D 40% – 49%
F 0% – 39%
* The evaluation criteria can be revised/modified as per university policy.

COURSE PREREQUSITES (IF ANY):

• Only students of B.Sc. (Hons), 6th Semester, Human nutrition and Dietetics can
enroll this course.

COURSE REQUIREMENT OR RULES:

Several rules or subject requirements are mentioned as:

• Students are requested to visit your course related WhatsApp Group and LMS as per
given schedule of the course. Participants should check their subject related accounts
regularly and respond accordingly because PPT slides with audio narration, course
material, assignments etc. will be shared in LMS and WhatsApp Group.
• Ddifferent activities will be generated on Physically/LMS on weekly basis and each
activity will have weightage.
• The student will have to fulfil attendance requirements as per university policy. The
student who fails to fulfil attendance requirements will not be allowed to sit in the
final term exam.
• In the wake of incidents of students misbehaving or passing inappropriate remarks to
the teacher in online groups/physically, any such issue would be reported to Students
Affairs Committee, who will take appropriate action against the concerned students
after inquiry within 24 hours.
• Students can withdraw from a course if they are facing severe issue of internet
connectivity or related issues in case of online study. However, he or she will have to
apply for withdrawal of the course either via email or written application. The case
will be accordingly forwarded to Controller Examinations for final approval and
record.
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• The students will have to follow the university rules and regulations being
implemented time to time.

RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOK/READING MATERIAL:

1. Awan, J.A. and F.M. Anjum. 2010. Food toxicology. Unitech Communications,
Faisalabad, Pakistan.
2. CAC (Codex Alimentarius Commis sion). 2007. Codex Alimentarius Commission-
Procedural manual. Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme. FAO, Rome,
Italy.
3. ISO. (International Standards Organization). 2005. Food safety management
systems- requirements for an organization in the food chain. Case Postale, Geneva,
Switzerland.
4. Shibamoto, T. and L. Bjeldanes. 2009. Introduction to Food Toxicology. 2nd Ed.
Academic Press, London, UK.

KEY DATES:

Following are the tentative key dates for the given course:

Sr. No. Activity Key Dates

1. Commencement of Classes 06-02-2022
2. Quiz 1 After 4th Week
3. Quiz 2 After 12th Week
4. Assignment I During 3rd Week
5. Assignment II During 11th Week
6. Presentation During 15th Week
7. Mid/Final Examination Mid during 9th Week and Finals after 17th Week
8. Result Declaration As per announced by the Office of Controller
Examination
* The key dates are flexible and depends upon academic calendar.

TIME AND VENUE OF CLASS/TIMETABLE:

Day Time Venue

Tuesday 01:10am.-02.00am. Physical: Room :128

Wednesday 09:00am.-10.40am. Physical: Room :128

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Lesson Plan:
Calendar of weekly course contents to be covered during
semester
Week Course Contents Suggested readings
Toxicology: Definition, dose-response, absorption, Book 1
1 translocation, storage excretion, food toxicology Chapter 1
Pg. 1-6
Book 1
Toxicity by naturally occurring food toxins: Plant origin,
2 Chapter 2
accidental toxicity, haemagglutinins, Pg. 11-15
Book 1
Toxicity by naturally occurring food toxins: goitrogens,
3 Chapter 2
cyanogens, lathyrogens, others Pg. 15-19
Book 1
4 Animal origin: Honey, quail, eggs Chapter 3
Pg. 23-25
Book 1
5 Animal origin: milk, meat, fish Chapter 3
Pg. 26-33
Book 1
Toxicity by extraneous chemicals: Agricultural chemicals,
6 Chapter 4,5
food processing Pg. 35-48
Book
7 Toxicity by extraneous chemicals: packaging, additives Chapter 5,6
Pg. 48-58
Book 1
Toxicity by extraneous chemicals: adulterants; Toxicity
8 Chapter 6,7
from water; Pg. 58-74
9 Mid Exams
Book 1
Toxicity by extraneous chemicals: Microbial toxins:
10 Chapter 8
Mycotoxins Pg. 75-80
Book 1
11 Toxicity by extraneous chemicals: moulds, mushrooms Chapter 8
Pg. 81-84
Book 1
Toxicity by extraneous chemicals: bacterial food
12 Chapter 9-10
intoxication, bacterial food infections Pg. 85-111
Book 1
Toxicity by extraneous chemicals: Food allergy and
13 Chapter 11
intolerance; Pg. 113-119
Book 1
14 Systems for food safety surveillance: GMP Chapter 12
Pg. 121-123
Book 1
Chapter 12
15 Systems for food safety surveillance: TQM Pg. 122

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Week Course Contents Suggested readings
Book 1
16 Systems for food safety surveillance: HACCP Chapter 12
Pg. 123-124
Book 1
Systems for food safety surveillance: FSMS-IS0
17 Chapter 12
22000:2005 Pg. 124-125
18 FINAL Exams

Class Activities (Assignment/Quiz):=

The detail of class activities is given as:

Assignment Determination and Evaluation of Novel Food Processing During 3rd

No 1 Technologies for Toxin Reduction Week
Assignment Integration of Nanotechnology for Targeted Detection and Mitigation During 11th
No 2 of Food Allergens Week
Presentation Development of Novel Biosensors for Rapid Detection of Food During 15th
Toxins in Food Products Week

PPTs and Handouts

PPts and handout along with audio narration would be uploaded on LMS.