Food Quality Management (MFQ) / MSc

Introduction

Quality problems in food and other perishable products are generally tackled using either a technological or a management approach. In the past years, a concept has been developed that combines both the technological and the management aspects: the 'techno-managerial' approach. This approach forms the basis of the MSc programme Food Quality Management and provides a comprehensive and structured overview of quality management for predicting food systems behavior and generating adequate improvements in these systems from a chain perspective. The Food Quality Management programme is an interactive learning programme. Teaching methods, theory, and practical assignments are continuously interrelated. The programme can be approached from a variety of disciplines, such as food science, plants sciences, animal sciences, management, economics and consumer studies. The programme is thesis-oriented and tailor-made.

Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of this MSc programme graduates are expected to be able to:
- recognize, analyze and understand factors in the agri-food processes and in the agri-food chain that influence the quality of agri-food products. Graduates are expected to be able to analyze these factors with the integrated use of technological (such as product and process aspects) and management knowledge (such as policy, consumer demands, and organization structure);
- describe and explain technological and managerial options and restrictions for realizing desired quality levels, both within organizations in the food chain and for the chain as a whole;
- analyze, understand and explain the consequences of governmental quality rules on the processes in the agri-food chain;
- describe, analyze, and evaluate quality problems in the organization of the agri-food chain or the chain as a whole, caused by these governmental policies and regulations, taking into account legislation, policy, economics, and ethics;
- determine external influences on quality and able to describe, develop, and evaluate quality systems and quality policies;
- describe, develop, and evaluate processes of quality design, quality control and improvement, and to understand and integrate management aspects (such as sales, marketing) and technological aspects (such as product development, process design, control measures) in these fields of quality;
- search and critically evaluate various scientific concepts and realize that the choice for a certain concept or model determines the diagnosis and options to optimize food quality levels or standards;
- develop a clear perception, diagnosis and analysis of a quality issue and be able to choose appropriate scientific approaches in a multi-methodological way covering both managerial and technological aspects. This should result in certain applications and implementations of certain food quality management tools based on the selected theories;
- understand, communicate and work with people with a different knowledge standard and knowledge background;
- design, conduct and evaluate policy relevant research on quality subjects. This means that graduates are able to analyze and evaluate practical situations and issues from a theoretical perspective, while critically evaluating the role and position of the researcher.

Specializations

Depending on the student's educational background and interest in a certain field, a cluster of discipline courses can be selected.

Programme Director

Ir G.C. van Nieuwenhoven
Phone: 0317-(4)82500
Email: gerry.vannieuwenhoven@wur.nl

Study Adviser(s)

Ir J. de Jong
Phone: 0317-(4)84633
Email: jamila.dejong@wur.nl

Programme Committee

Chair: Prof. dr mr B.M.J. van der Meulen
Secretary: Ir G.C. van Nieuwenhoven

Internet

http://www.mfq.wur.nl

Study Association

Mercurius Wageningen, Hollandseweg 1, 6706 KN Wageningen
Internet: http://www.mercuriuswageningen.nl