By: Azman Zakaria
Photo: Noor Azreen Awang
SERDANG - Researchers from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) have successfully developed HAR-GO Board (HACCP Ready Go), a HACCP board game based on the classic Monopoly game, for the implementation of a food safety management system.
HACCP or Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System is an internationally recognised food safety management system tool designed to evaluate and control hazards so that manufacturers can develop an HACCP plan in producing safe food products.
Thus, the board game will demonstrate the challenges that a HACCP team leader will encounter in developing and implementing a HACCP plan in producing food products.
Head researcher, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maimunah Sanny, from the Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, said HACCP is a module taught formally in higher Education Institutions.
She said the innovation is a very useful teaching and learning tool, capable of helping students identify their strength and weaknesses on the basic knowledge of HACCP.
According to her, there are 13 steps in the development of a HACCP plan, and the board game was designed to ensure that seven HACCP principles are introduced and applied correctly out of the 13 steps.
She added that educationists face the challenge to attract students’ attention during the teaching and learning process.
“Therefore, board games such as HAR-GO introduce novelty into the curriculum that is fun and interactive, suitable to be used as a material for blended learning.
“It also promotes self-learning in understanding the principles of HACCP as well as active learning through group discussions,” she said.
She said HACCP board game was designed to formatively assess learning among food science and technology students following the module taught prior to the summative assessment.
She said, in the game, players will act as HACCP team leaders and move around the board game to develop a food safety management system for the company they serve.
If they stopped at any Action Box, they would need to take one card that would determine their next action.
The action card requires players to refer to two documents i.e. the ‘Developing HACCP Plan’ document that has been prepared for a series of food products and the Malaysia Standard MS 1480 2019 Food Safety According to Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) System.
By doing so, students are able see the way in which requirements of the Malaysia Standard MS 1480 Standards relate to practical application and therefore, they can better understand the HACCP concepts introduced to them in lectures.
It is also applicable to pharmaceuticals and cosmetics industries.
The HAR-GO board was first showcased during the UPM 2018 Educator Day Exhibition.
Other team members who helped in developing the HAR-GO board include Naziruddin Mat Ariffin, Dr. Radhiah Sukri, Prof. Dr. Jinap Selamat, Nur Amalina Muhamad Darif, Nur Ezzaty Akmal Mohamad Razi, Siti Norazlina Shafiue, Huraiyah Shariruzi, Hazwani Malek, Hew Khai Shin, Kuek Su Lee, Farah Zahira Mohd Nadzri, Muhammad Azhar Hasanuddin, Muhd Zulfahmi Zuraimi, Siti Nur Syahirah Ahmad, Nor Amirah Roslan and Nur Amirah Ayob. - UPM
