Learning objectives
This part of the Food Microbiology course aims to enable the student to autonomously draw conclusions regarding the microbiological analysis of a food in accordance with what is defined in the specific objectives of the Degree Course in Food Science and Technology and 'area of food microbiology.
In particular, the student must be able to understand the meaning of a direct and indirect microbiological analysis and express the result in the correct way.
The expected learning outcomes are: 1) Knowledge of the analytical parameters to be determined and of the methods to be applied for both qualitative and quantitative microbiological analysis of a food matrix. 2) Application skills: apply methodologies and techniques for the microbiological analysis of food. 3) Autonomy of judgment: to evaluate the microbiological quality of a food based on the result of a microbial count. 4) Communication skills: communication of a result of a microbiological analysis of a liquid and solid food. 5) Ability to learn: Ability to critically consult databases and websites relating to microbial counting methods for specific microorganisms.
Prerequisites
Knowledge of general and food microbiology is required.
Course unit content
The course completes the contents of Food Microbiology and concerns the microbiological analysis of a food. 1 CFU of exercise includes 15 hours of lessons divided between classroom and laboratory exercises.
The first part of the exercises foresee the explanation and the meaning of the microbiological counting techniques. Therefore a part of practical application in the laboratory is foreseen. This part is offered to students who want to use it but it is not mandatory in order to achieve the teaching objectives because the colonies of the plates and the application of the microbial count formulas will be carried out in the classroom
Full programme
The purpose of the microbiological analysis of food.
Direct and indirect methods of microbiological counting
The decimal dilution
The media for microbiology counts
Count it in the plate
Expression of the result of a microbiological analysis of a food
Principles of microscopy applied to the microbiological analysis of food
Online research of the microbiological characteristics of foods and methods of counting for the different microorganisms in different foods
Bibliography
Ann Elizabeth Vaughan Pietro Buzzini Francesca Clementi. Laboratorio didattico di microbiologia (2008) Casa Editrice Ambrosiana. Distribuzione esclusiva Zanichelli. ISBN: 9788808183224
Teaching methods
The teaching will be carried out in a mixed mode through lectures / exercises in the classroom and simultaneous on-line synchronous lesson; the lessons will be held with the help of slides that will represent didactic material, in addition to the recommended texts. The slides will be available online at https://elly.saf.unipr.it/2020/ in pdf format for students and some videos useful for viewing the operational sequences of the plate count analysis. During the lessons, the appropriate use of technical language will be reiterated, and the links between the various parts of the course will be emphasized.
The course also offers non-compulsory laboratory practice lessons that allow you to learn the manual skills of the operations.
The content of the practical lessons, held in the classroom, will be an integral part of the final evaluation.
Assessment methods and criteria
The content of this part of the teaching is an integral part of the learning assessment.
In particular, 3 of the 21 questions included in the written test relate to this part of the teaching. One question relates to the concepts underlying the methods of analysis, two questions relate to the application of the microbial count formula (weighted average formula) and the correct expression of the result.
Each correct answer is worth 1.5 points.
Other information
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