1. General introduction
The Department of Food quality assurance and Food safety, formerly known as the Department of Post-Harvest Technology, was established in 2010. It operates under the direct purview of the Institute of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry. This specialized unit plays a pivotal role in training high-quality human resources to meet the escalating demands for quality management and food safety assurance in the context of global integration and the development of high-tech agriculture.
The department serves as a core entity in delivering various academic programs, including Food quality assurance and Food safety, Food Technology, and other university-wide initiatives. Furthermore, the department actively engages in scientific research across a broad spectrum of areas, such as: preservation and processing of agricultural products and foods; human nutrition; plant nutrition; quality management and food hygiene and safety; and the production of microbial preparations and medicinal products. In addition, our faculty members are deeply involved in numerous science and technology transfer projects related to the preservation and processing of crop products, the chemistry of natural compounds, and medicinal materials. These endeavors collectively contribute to the Institute of Biotechnology and Food Technology and the University's mission to foster high-quality human resources and generate valuable scientific and technological products, thereby promoting sustainable development in the Northern Midlands and Mountainous region of Vietnam, and the nation as a whole.
2. Training activities
The Department of Food Quality Assurance and Food Safety offers high-quality courses with practical applicability in production. Our curricula are meticulously designed to ensure alignment with program learning outcomes and the evolving demands of the labor market.
2.1. Undergraduate training:
Bachelor of Food quality assurance and Food safety: 4.0 years
The training program is structured to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical application, closely linking with actual production practices and international standards (e.g., ISO, HACCP, GlobalGAP, GMP, GHP…). This comprehensive approach aims to equip students with specialized knowledge, professional skills, and ethical attitudes essential for the food industry.
2.2. Current courses offered
|
Course title |
Brief description |
|
Quality management systems |
This course provides students and managerial staff with fundamental knowledge of food safety, methods to ensure food safety, types of food enterprises, and regulations, policies, and laws related to food safety. It covers basic concepts of food quality, quality management and inspection activities, sampling techniques, and quality control planning in production, along with data processing. Students are also introduced to various food quality management systems. |
|
Food biochemistry |
Explores chemistry and molecular structure of food, biochemical transformations in living cells, and applications in preservation, processing, and quality control. It includes: (1) biochemical changes in raw crops, dairy, meat, etc.; (2) transformations during processing (e.g., fermentation, enzymatic browning); (3) quality–degrading reactions (lipid oxidation, unwanted flavors in dairy). Students gain comprehensive insight into biochemical foundations of food science. |
|
Nutrition science |
As a foundational course, Nutrition Science provides knowledge about nutrients in food (e.g., glucose, proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals). Students explore nutrient absorption, digestion, and transport in the human body, as well as nutrition-related health issues. The course also covers physiological characteristics, nutritional requirements for different population groups, and methods for conducting dietary surveys in practice. |
|
Food laws and Policies |
This course provides comprehensive and detailed knowledge of laws, ordinances, and regulations governing food production, processing, and preservation. It describes procedures for registering food quality standards, declaring food standards, labeling requirements, obtaining food safety certifications, and regulations for food import and export. Students gain insights into specific regulations for importing and exporting agricultural and food products in compliance with Vietnamese and international standards. |
|
Hazard analysis in Food |
his course equips students with fundamental knowledge of food hazard analysis, including understanding, evaluating, and classifying hazards. It enables students to assess hazard severity, identify preventive measures, and apply hazard analysis and control in food processing. |
|
Sensory analysis and Evaluation of Food |
A specialized course focusing on sampling methods, principles, procedures, and result analysis for chemical, microbiological, and sensory evaluation of food. It enables students to master biochemical, microbiological, and sensory analysis techniques to control the quality of raw materials and food products during processing and preservation. |
|
Applied Informatics in Food Quality Management |
An elective specialized course equipping students with knowledge of statistical comparison standards, principal component analysis, multivariate correlation analysis, and clustering techniques in the field of Quality Assurance and Food Safety. Students learn to simulate, predict, and analyze data and processes in practical food production. |
|
Quality control and Assurance of Plant-based products |
This course covers quality control and assurance processes for plant-based products, including industrial crops, fruits and vegetables, and cereals, across post-harvest handling and processing stages. It introduces key concepts such as product quality, quality assurance, quality control, quality planning, quality policies, objectives, and systems. The application of ISO and 5S quality management systems tailored to specific plant-based products is discussed, along with current regulations on plant product quality management. This enables students to evaluate quality control processes for plant-based products in the food industry. |
|
Microbiological Control in Food |
A specialized course addressing the beneficial and harmful roles of microorganisms in food, as well as their applications in food preservation and processing. It provides information on microbial levels, thresholds, and permissible limits in food. The course also covers microbiological testing methods and strategies for controlling microorganisms in food. |
|
Quality control and assurance of Sugar and Confectionery products |
This course provides fundamental knowledge about sugar production from sugarcane, including processing stages and control of factors affecting sugar quality. It also covers raw materials for confectionery production, their quality control, and technologies for producing various confectionery products, ensuring quality throughout the production process. |
|
Preservation of Agricultural products and food |
This course equips students with knowledge about the importance of preserving agricultural products and food in processing and production. It covers the properties of agricultural products during preservation, biological phenomena during storage, activities of pests affecting agricultural products, and preservation and processing techniques. Students gain practical knowledge applicable to professional practice and daily life. |
|
Quality management and Food safety |
An elective specialized course providing knowledge about food quality, food safety and hygiene, causes of food poisoning, principles for ensuring food safety in processing, prevention of poisoning and infectious diseases, and requirements for food production facilities and public canteens. The course also covers methods for inspecting and evaluating food quality and introduces various food quality management models and systems. |
|
Preservation and processing technology of Fruits and Vegetables |
This course equips students with knowledge about the chemical composition of fruits and vegetables and the physiological and biochemical changes occurring post-harvest. It provides methods for preserving and processing fruits and vegetables at both household and industrial scales. |
3. Scientific research and technology transfer
The Department of Food quality assurance and Food safety is fully capable of leading and participating in scientific and technological tasks at various levels. This includes conducting training courses and workshops (for small and medium-sized enterprises, cooperatives, or individual production and business households), and providing technical consultation on food preservation, processing, hygiene and safety, medicinal product manufacturing, and biological preparations. The knowledge and experience gained from these research projects, initiatives, and consulting activities significantly enhance the quality of lectures delivered by our faculty for their respective courses, thereby contributing to the overall improvement of training quality within the Institute and the University.
Key research directions:
- Food product quality control
- Developing standards and criteria for evaluating sensory, chemical, microbiological quality, and pesticide residues.
- Applying rapid testing methods and novel technologies (molecular biology, biosensors, spectroscopic analysis, etc.) in food quality monitoring.
- Food safety and hazard analysis
- Analyzing biological, chemical, and physical hazards in food production.
- Developing and implementing food safety management systems: HACCP, ISO 22000, GHP, GMP, GAP.
- Assessing risks, proposing preventive solutions, and ensuring food traceability.
- Food testing
- Developing methods for quantifying microorganisms, pesticide residues, heavy metals, and food additives.
- Collaborating with ISO 17025 accredited laboratories for research and practical training.
- Food safety education, communication, and risk management
- Researching consumer behavior and levels of food safety awareness.
- Developing communication models to foster behavioral changes toward safe food consumption.
- Supporting businesses and local authorities in establishing chain-based food safety control models.
- Technology transfer and business consulting
- Consulting on the design of quality management systems in food processing plants.
- Providing specialized training and workshops for businesses on quality control, traceability, and risk management in food production.
- Consulting on techniques for preservation, processing, and the production of medicinal materials and biological preparations.
4. List of staff and lecturers
The Department of Food quality assurance and Food safety boasts a team of highly competent, experienced, and dedicated faculty members with strong professional networks and a high adaptability to change. The table below provides a list of our lecturers and links to their scientific profiles.
|
No. |
Full name |
Positions |
Academic rank, degree |
Link to Lecturer's scientific profile |
|
1 |
Nguyen Duc Tuan |
Deputy Head of Department (in charge), Principal lecturer |
M.Sc. |
|
|
2 |
Tran Van Chi |
Vice Director of Institute, Lecturer |
Ph.D. |
|
|
3 |
Luu Hong Son |
Lecturer |
M.Sc. |
http://mysite.tuaf.edu.vn/luuhongson |
|
4 |
Pham Thi Vinh |
Lecturer |
Ph.D. |
http://mysite.tuaf.edu.vn/phamthivinh |
|
5 |
Dinh Thi Kim Hoa |
Lecturer |
Ph.D. |
|
|
6 |
Trinh Thi Chung |
Lecturer |
M.Sc. |
http://mysite.tuaf.edu.vn/trinhthichung |
|
7 |
Nguyen Thi Huong |
Lecturer |
Ph.D. |
https://mysite.tuaf.edu.vn/nguyenthihuongcnsh |
Contact information:
Department of Food quality assurance and Food safety, Institute of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry.
Deputy Head of Department: M.Sc. Nguyen Duc Tuan
Phone/Zalo: +84 983 781 381
Email: nguyenductuan@tuaf.edu.vn