Learning objectives
The course “principles of food microbiology”provides the elements of the general microbiology needed to
understand the meaning and role of microorganisms in food production.
During the teaching the student must be able to
understand the microbial potential, the meaning of the microbial
presence in foods, the concept of microbial contamination and the effect
of microbial development in a food, be it negative, in terms of
transmission of food-borne diseases and in terms of alteration of food,
which is positive in terms of positive food processing.
Through the lectures and the comparison with the teacher, the student
will acquire the specific vocabulary related to the food microbiology
sector. The expected learning outcomes are independent judgment,
communication and learning skills, in accordance with what is defined in
the specific objectives of the Degree Course.
Students who have attended the course must be able to deepen their
knowledge on the microbiology of the food industry through the
independent consultation of specialized texts. At the end of the course,
the student must be able to transmit the main contents of the course. The course "food and beverage" aims to give the student the tools to better understand how the main categories of food are produced, starting from the characteristics of the raw materials up to the finished product, considering the qualitative aspects and the physical and chemical modifications undergone during the production processes and of conservation. Other training objectives include: Independent judgment: thanks to the information received, the course aims to provide the student with the tools to critically discuss the quality and stability of foods. Communication skills: the course aims to enable the student to acquire an adequate technical-scientific language for communicating the knowledge learned to specialist and non-specialist interlocutors. Ability to learn: the course aims to enable the student to acquire the learning skills necessary to undertake subsequent studies with a high degree of autonomy.
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
The course “principles of food microbiology” will cover microorganisms, their natural environments, and their impact on human life quality, with a specific focus on food microorganisms. In particular, the following topics will be addressed:
i) Structure and functions of microbial cells: prokaryotes and eukaryotes, cell parts and their roles. ii) Transport of nutrients necessary for microbial cells and metabolism. iii) Microbial growth and kinetics: cell division, microbial growth curve, growth parameters, and microbial classification. iv) Microorganisms in foods: sources of contamination and roles. v) From contamination to growth: factors influencing growth in food, measures for microbial growth control, evaluation of microbial presence/absence. vi) Spoilage microorganisms, pathogenic microorganisms, probiotic microorganisms. vii) Microorganisms in various foods: milk, meat, fish, eggs, vegetables.
The course “food and beverage” will cover the main categories of food products, including raw materials and finished products, and their related quality aspects. It will also discuss major food preservation techniques used in the food industry, with illustrative and practical references to specific food products, and the effects of these techniques on food quality.
Full programme
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Bibliography
MICROBIOLOGIA ALIMENTARE APPLICATA,
Cocolin, Gobbetti, Neviani Casa editrice Ambrosiana (Zanichelli) 2022
Cabras & Martelli, Food chemistry, Piccin-Nuova libraria, 2004.
Slides of course in Elly Platform
Teaching methods
The course of principle of food microbiology will be conducted through face-to-face lectures.
During the course, however, there will be space for active learning
activities (group work-project work) to enhance critical and reflective
thinking, argumentation skills, and problem-solving abilities. The teaching
will be supported by slides that will serve as teaching material. The slides
will be available online on the Elly website in PDF format for students.
During the lectures, the basics of general microbiology and the
applications of microorganisms in food will be discussed. The appropriate
use of technical language will be reiterated, and the connections between
various parts of the course will be emphasized. For this reason, students'
attendance and active participation are strongly encouraged. Specifically,
during the course, cycles of experiential learning will be activated where
students, on a voluntary basis, can decide to apply theory to an empirical
research project (project work), with a case study that will be assigned to
them and which must be developed according to the methodological
criteria illustrated in the lectures and in the bibliographic and teaching
materials.
The course of food and beverage will includes frontal lectures and interactive activities among students and seminars delivered by experts
Assessment methods and criteria
The exam of the course principle of food microbiology can be taken in two ways: a) oral presentation of the project
work + written exam with 20 closed questions OR b) oral exam.
a) PROJECT WORK and written exam: The project work, which will be
presented by the group in class, will correspond to an overall score on a
scale of 0-20. Additionally, a written exam will be conducted on the Elly
platform with 10 closed questions (max 10 points). The duration of the
test will be 10 minutes. The final grade will be the sum of both scores
(project work plus written exam). In case of a maximum grade (30/30),
honors can be awarded. Honors are given to those students who
demonstrate a systematic understanding of the topic, an excellent ability
to apply the acquired knowledge, autonomy in judgment, and particular
attention in the presentation of the project work.
b) oral exam: For students who choose NOT to do the project work, the
final exam will consist of an oral test where the student must
demonstrate the ability to correctly express, using the scientific language
specific to microbiology, the acquired competence. The oral exam will be
graded on a scale of thirty. The exam of the course food and beverage includes a written test based on 31 multiple choice questions and one open-ended question. The final test score is calculated as the sum of the closed-ended and open-ended questions. The maximum score expected for this test is 30 and the test is passed if a score of at least 18 points is achieved. Honors are awarded if the maximum score is achieved plus mastery of the disciplinary vocabulary.
As an alternative to the final written test, the student can decide to present at least three work group carried out in class during the course (further info related to the methods and timing indicated by the teacher).
Students who choose this method will be able to access the written exam, which will consist of an open question which aims to verify the skills acquired during group work.
The final exam grade is derived from the average of the grades obtained in the two aforementioned courses.
Other information
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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
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