Learning objectives
The student will acquire the basic knowledge of the
microbiology, concerning the structure and
physiology of the microbial cell, which are essential
for understanding the food microbiology topics.
During the course the student will acquire extensive
knowledge on biodiversity existing among the
microorganisms and it should be able to understand
the different cellular response to environmental
factors. Knowledge on microbial physiology will be
influenzano la crescita dei microrganismi negli
alimenti: temperatura, pH, Aw, potenziale redox e
disponibilità di ossigeno, composizione di un
alimento; Microbiologia degli alimenti di origine
animale; Microbiologia degli alimenti di origine
vegetale
useful to evaluate the development of
microorganisms in food. The course aims to put the
student in a position to draw conclusions about the
effect of the presence and development of different
microorganisms in food as defined in agreement
with the specific objectives of the Master of Science
in Food Gastronomy and of the food microbiology.
The student should be able to appropriately utilize
the scientific language and the specific lexicon of
the subject, showing the ability to describe and
transfer in oral and written form the acquired
concepts.
Prerequisites
- - -
Course unit content
The course is composed by two partial courses. The
course of General Microbiology focus on cellular
structure and physiology of prokaryotic
microorganism and on the basic microbial
taxonomy. The course of Food Microbiology focus
on the microbial contamination, the factors that
influence the growth of microorganisms in foods, the
modalities of prevention or reduction of microbial
contamination in foods and on the effect of different
microorganism in foods.
Full programme
PART 1 -GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO MICROBIOLOGY
.Microbiology science; Microbiology History;
microorganisms and their natural environments; the
impact of microorganism of humans; prokaryotic and
eukaryotic cell. CELL STRUCTURE AND
FUNCTIONS.The cytoplasme; Cell membranes;
Cell walls; Microbial locomotion; Surface structures
and inclusion of prokaryotes; Sporulation;
Microscopy; Cell morphology. NUTRITION AND
METABOLISM OF MICROORGANISMS. Nutrition
and the transport of nutrient in the cell; Bacteria
metabolism: energetic and enzymes major catabolic
pathways. MICROBIAL GROWTH. Bacterial cell
division; growth of bacterial population;
environmental effects on microbial growth; stress
response; Biofilm; Evaluation of microbial growth;
laboratory cultures. INTRODUCTION TO
MICROBIAL TAXONOMY. An overview of the
phylogenesis; Classical and molecular taxonomy;
main bacterial groups. OTHER MICRORGANISM:
Fungi:characteristics, riproduction, metabolism;
Virus and batteriofage
PART 2-FOOD MICROBIOLOGY
The microbiological quality of foods. The
microorganisms in fermented and non fermented
foods. Microorganisms in foods: bacteria, yeasts
and moulds. Microorganisms as indicators of
process and contamination. Pro-technological
microorganisms, modifiers, pathogens. Modifying
microorganisms: food degradation. Pathogenic
microorganisms: pathogenesis. Infections and food
poisonings: definition. Virulent and toxic factors.
Pathogenic microorganisms in foods: Gram – and
Gram +. The contamination of foods. Factors which
influence the growth of microorganisms in foods:
temperature, pH, Aw, potential redox and availability
of oxygen, food composition. Microbiology of animal
origin food. Microbiology of vegetal origin food.
Bibliography
Michael T. Madigan, John M. Martinko Brock
“Biologia dei microrganismi. Microbiologia generale,
ambientale e industriale” (2016) Editore: Pearson.
ISBN: 889190094X
Giovanni Antonio Farris, Marco Gobbetti, Erasmo
Neviani, Massimo Vincenzini “Microbiologia dei
prodotti alimentari” (2012) Casa Editrice
Ambrosiana ISBN: 978-88-08-18246
Lessons' slides
Teaching methods
The teaching will be carried out through frontal
lessons using slides that represent teaching material
available online in pdf format for students.Specific
lessons aimed to assessing the state of learning will
be carried out at the end of each part of the course.
Assessment methods and criteria
The evaluation of the partial course Generally Microbiology will be carried
out through a written examination consists of three parts.
1. The first part consists of 10 closed-ended questions. The complete
correctness of the answers to this first part is binding for the second and
third part correction.
2. The second part consists of 21 closed-ended questions, each correct
answer is 1.5 point. The achievement of the threshold of sufficiency
(18/30) of this second part is binding for the correction of the third part.
The mark of this second part will weigh 70% on the final mark of the first
module.
3. The third part consists of an open-ended question where the student
must demonstrate that he knows how to correctly understand the
acquired concepts with the specific scientific microbiological language.
The answer will be evaluated in thirtieths. The mark in this third party will
weigh 30% on the final mark of the first module.
The evaluation of the second partial course Food Microbiology will be
carried out by a written exam, 1.5 hours long, consisting of three parts:
I. PART
• consists of 10 questions whose correct answer is necessary for the
subsequent parts to be corrected
II. PART
• consists of 21 questions. Each correct answer is worth 1,5 points. The
achievement of the sufficiency threshold (18/30) of this second part is
binding for the correction of the third part. The vote achieved in this part
will weigh 70% on the voting of the first module
III. PART
• consists of an open-ended question where the student must
demonstrate that he is able to correctly express the acquired concepts
with the specific scientific language of food microbiology. The answer will
be evaluated in 30ths. The vote achieved in this part will weigh 30% on
the voting of the first module.
Basic questions are asked concerning the aspects of contamination,
development and protection of food from microbial development and
specific questions concerning different foods.
“30 cum laude” is assigned in the case of reaching the maximum score in
each part to which is added the mastery of the disciplinary lexicon.
The rating obtained in each of the two modules will weigh for 50% on the
final grade of the integrated course
Other information
- - -
