DEPARTMENT OF FOOD HYGIENE

Address: BUDAPEST, István u. 2., Pf: 2. HUNGARY, H-1400 
Phone: (+ 36 1) 478 4150
Fax: (+ 36 1) 478 4155 
E-mail: foodhyg@univet.hu

Short history of the department

From the beginning of 1792 professor S. TOLNAY initiated lecturing - as part of discipline of animal epidemiology - the official regulations of meat-inspection. Nearly a century later (1888) professor F. HUTYRA established the meat-inspection as independent discipline and introduced for the students the regular slaughterhouse exercises. After turning of this century professor A. BREUER started to manage the meat-inspection and simultaneously, professor O. FETTICH the milk-hygiene subdisciplines at the most advanced professional level. In 1929 professor G. SEMSEY (Burghoffer) was appointed to lecture both disciplines: meat-inspection and milk-hygiene simultaneously. In 1949 professor V. CSISZÁR established the newly organised, combined Department for every scientific subdiscipline of food-hygiene. In 1976 professor J. TAKÁCS - as internationally acknowledged scientist and founder of National Veterinary Control Service for Meat-Industry - was taken over the Department. In 1980 professor G. BIRÓ was appointed as chairman of the Department who saved the traditional professional values of this combined discipline. From 1998 professor B. SAS managed the Department for a year and he was followed by the present chairman P. Laczay from the end of 1999.

Courses

Research activities

Profile of department

Education (graduate, post-secondary including specialist), research, contract work, support to legislation and industry, domestic and international cooperation

Teaching facilities

• The teaching panel for undergraduate students includes: lectures, laboratory practicals, practical training in meat inspection and in production technology of meat products, extramural food hygiene practice. Laboratory practicals take place at the practical room of the department, whereas practical trainings in meat inspection and production technology are organized at a private slaughterhouse and a technical school, respectively, in both cases on a contractual basis. The extramural food hygienic exercises - conducted by appointed state veterinarians - proceed in abattoirs, meat processing plants, other food factories, food control laboratories, retail food trade units, deep-freezing plants, etc.
• The graduated veterinarians - after having 3 years professional experience - could apply for postgraduate training in special food hygiene/safety courses (food microbiology, food toxicology, advanced food inspection, food-safety public management).
• Both types of students (under- and post-graduate) for completing their studies must elaborate and submit a diploma-assay and as part of the final exam professionally defend it. The best of graduate veterinarians could apply for participating in Ph.D.-studies and the related research projects.