Department of Food Hygiene, Technology and Safety

Characteristics of the department

The Department of Food Hygiene and Technology provides teaching in 1st degree programs (Feed and Food Safety, Animal Science), 2nd Grade of Higher Education (Food Quality and Trade), combined 1st and 2nd Degrees of Higher Education (General Veterinary Medicine, Food Hygiene) and 3rd level of higher education (Food Hygiene Study Program). The field of Animal Science and General Veterinary Medicine is also provided in English language. Graduates of study programs acquire expertise in the field of state administration, laboratory practice, in the private sphere of agriculture and food industry. The study includes a wide range of food science disciplines such as general hygiene and food technology, food microbiology, plant food and feed hygiene, hygiene and technology of by-products, meat hygiene and technology, milk hygiene and technology, meat inspection, hygiene and technology of poultry, eggs, fish and game meat. The priority is to prepare and raise the level of knowledge for the qualified use of information, the ability to analyze risks throughout the chain from primary production to the consumer, to know how to deal with environmental issues and the epizotoological as well as epidemiological situation. The emphasis is placed on the importance and application of microbiology in practice, the toxicological aspects of drugs, substances used to control pests as well as plant protection and the penetration of foreign substances into the food chain, as well as addressing environmental issues throughout the agro-complex. In the food chain, it is geared to food security, but also to quality throughout the whole food production process. Teaching includes waste disposal technologies and environmental protection and creation. We provide knowledge about active animal and human health protection, modern trends in rational nutrition, and ways of reducing health risks from food. In addition to planned university education, students consolidate and deepen the theoretical knowledge and skills during professional practice in the food industry, state veterinary institutes, private food research laboratories, and regional veterinary services.

Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology

Students have available spatial and technological conditions in the premises located in the university area and also participate in practical lessons made in the form of excursions to food premises. The aim is to practice the necessary steps to perform a health inspection of slaughter animals, including poultry and fish, dressing of carcasses, meat processing and production of meat products. The lessons consist of an examination of slaughtered animals before killing, with a current assessment of the welfare state of animals during transport and at the time of killing, accompanying documentation, post mortem inspection, meat cutting and meat production technology. Good manufacturing practices and HACCP and their compliance with current legislation are also the part of education. Education is performed in the Institute and Meat Hygiene and Technology and a in the special room for meat processing and production of meat products. In the Master's degree program "Food Quality and Trade" students get an overview of legislation and laboratory analyzes related to food quality. The study aims at mastering chemical, biological, technological knowledge in the field of food, in order to apply the principles and forms of the common agricultural policy. Students control the quality and food quality standards of domestic producers, control legislation and are able to control the quality of plant and animal products subject to the common organization of the market in the European Union within the framework of the Common Agricultural Policy. They also control the principles of price monitoring and intervention in food trading. The graduate has an application in the inspection bodies performing control activities within the framework of the common organization of the food market for the needs of the Slovak Agricultural Paying Agency, to perform the quality manager's duties in food businesses and to perform food analyzes with a focus on quality parameters. In the Bachelor's degree program "Feed and Food Safety", students acquire knowledge related to the quality and health hazards of food and are oriented to legislation regulating the quality and health hazards of food. At the same time, the students are provided with knowledge from the basis of food production technology as the primary basis for managing the implementation of safety systems in the production and handling of food. The study is aimed at mastering the knowledge of possible aspects of the occurrence of hazardous influences, factors, substances and biological agents endangering the health food safety. The conclusion of the study is focused on risk analysis and safety systems (HACCP, Hygiene Practice Guide) for individual food production sectors.

Institute of Milk Hygiene and Technology

The Institute of Milk Hygiene and Technology is in its scientific-pedagogical activity focused on the study of cow´s, sheep´s and goat's milk from a hygienic point of view and in terms of a basic ways of its technological processing. The institute is dedicated with the area of minimizing of health risk from commodities of milk and dairy products. In addition, it is focused on a human nutrition, hygiene and plant commodity technology, food technology and technology, and food sensory analyses.

Institute of Plant Commodity Technology and Gastronomy

The Institute of Plant Commodity Technology and Gastronomy in its scientific and research activities is focused on the study of the processing of plant commodities, hygiene requirements and quality parameters of produced food of plant origin. The department also focuses on biotechnological processes, technological steps, hygiene of processing, health risks and quality of produced foodstuffs. The department is also involved in teaching and research in the field of gastronomy with a focus on current trends in gastronomy, Students will gain knowledge about the technology and equipment used in gastronomy. They study the heat treatment of food and the changes that take place in food during heat treatment. A special training room for gastronomic food preparation is used in the teaching, where students gain practical knowledge.