BEC-21306 Food Safety Economics

Course

Credits 6.00

Teaching methodContact hours
Lectures26
Practical extensively supervised26
Project learning11
Course coordinator(s)dr. ir. AGJ Velthuis
Lecturer(s)dr. ir. AGJ Velthuis
dr. ir. MCM Mourits
prof. dr. ir. H Hogeveen
dr. ir. MPM Meuwissen
Examiner(s)prof. dr. ir. AGJM Oude Lansink

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

LAW-30806 Food Law

Contents:

The course focuses on the economic aspects of the decision-making process in the field of food safety. It aims to set out the general principles of food safety economics with emphasis on the decision making process. Attention is paid on concepts and methods used to get insight into the economics of food safety. The entire chain of food production, processing, retail and consumption is considered and the effect of food safety measures on consumer perception, consumer demand and trade is explained. Next to the lectures, students will follow computer practicals where the acquired knowledge will be applied on specific decision-making problems in the field of food safety. By doing role plays the students learn to feel the psychology behind of some economic concepts (e.g. willingness to pay, moral hazard and information asymmetry).

Learning outcomes:

At the end of this course a student is expected to be able to:
- understand the basic underlying economic principles to analyse food-safety issues;
- recognize the economic aspect of food-safety issues;
- to conceptualise food-safety problems from different point of views;
- to identify simple quantitative economic methods and modelling approaches;
- to apply economic methods to provide a quantitative economic base for the decision-making problem in food safety.

Activities:

- lectures;
- computer practicals;
- study of textbooks and supporting literature.

Examination:

Examination will be based on a written exam.

Literature:

A reader will be available at WUR shop.

ProgrammePhaseSpecializationPeriod
Compulsory for: MFSFood SafetyMSc5AF