Learning objectives
Knowledge of: Microorganisms structure, physiology, genetic and metabolism , Microbial growth, survival and metabolites production DNA, RNA and protein expression. Genetic modification of prokaryote and eukaryote cells Intrinsic and extrinsic enviromental factors affecting microbial growth and phenotype expression
The course is aimed to give a critical insight about the microbiology applied to food systems and food industry.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge statistics and mathematics
Course unit content
Knowledge of: Microorganisms structure, physiology, genetic and metabolism , Microbial growth, survival and metabolites production DNA, RNA and protein expression. Genetic modification of prokaryote and eukaryote cells Intrinsic and extrinsic enviromental factors affecting microbial growth and phenotype expression
The course is aimed to give a critical insight about the microbiology applied to food systems and food industry. The possible applications (i.e. formulation of innovative products, shelf life determination, evaluation of safety, HACCP, risk analysis, etc.) will be discussed. The most important statistical and mathematical instruments available will be analyzed in relation to the interpretation of resultsand their significance
The different sections in which the course is subdivided will be structured in theorical lessons and practical examples regarding food fermentations and food microbiology. In particular, case studies will be proposed inherent to microbial growth under different conditions, death kinetics following sanitizing treatments (thermal and not thermal), shelf life evaluation of foods and growth of pathogenic bacteria or toxin production.
Full programme
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Bibliography
Lecture notes on industrial microbiology.
Materials provided during the lessons.
Lecture notes.
Teaching methods
The theoretical topics of the course are explained by means of lectures.
Basis and applications of industrial and predictive microbiology will be dicussed during lessons. The study, elaboration and discussion of specific "study cases (exercises and business cases)" are proposed on the practical parts of the course and could permit to verify the student comprehention and elaboration capacity
Assessment methods and criteria
Specific lessons aimed to assessing the state of learning will be carried out at the end of each part of the course. During the course, some lessons will be devoted to student presentation and discussion of "study cases (business cases are discussed as examples of the main theoretical arguments of the course)" useful to understand and verify the state of comprehension and the elaboration capacity reached concerning food microbiology application fields.
Final examination will be carried out by a written test. The final evaluation will depend on the percentage of correct answers.
Other information
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