Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding: The student will acquire the methods and knowledge necessary to understand the effect of the presence and development of different microorganisms in raw materials of plant and animal origin. Specifically, at the end of the course the student will know the meaning (for food and for the consumer) of microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts and filamentous fungi) which cause food diseases, spoilage and virtuous effects in different raw materials also in preparation for the different possible transformations . The student will also be able to analyze the different raw materials with different analytical techniques based on the different purpose of the analysis.
Application skills: evaluate the safety and microbiological quality of raw materials, identify and predict which food-borne, spoilage and virtuous microorganisms may be present and how to analyze the raw material to identify them according to the various regulations in force.
Autonomy of judgement: critically evaluate the presence of different microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts and filamentous fungi) in a raw material whether of vegetal or animal origin and establish the most appropriate analysis methodology based on their different meaning (cause of food diseases, spoilage and virtuous) for food and for the consumer and the regulations in force.
Communication skills: written and oral communication through scientifically correct vocabulary relating to the microbiology of raw materials for agri-food and ability to communicate microbiological aspects that can have an impact on foods
Ability to learn: Ability to consult current regulations, bibliographic material and critical processing of the sources consulted
Prerequisites
Full knowledge and mastery of what has been learned from the teaching of Microbiology of raw materials and microbiological analysis techniques
Course unit content
The teaching includes a general part to understand the meaning of the different microorganisms in foods and specific parts relating to the microorganisms causing foodborne diseases and spoilage microorganisms. It includes a part relating to the main regulations in force on food safety and a specific part relating to the analysis methods for the different microbial quantifications. Detailed study of the meaning and quantification of spore-forming bacteria.
Full programme
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Bibliography
Microbiologia alimentare applicata. Cocolin Luca, Marco Gobbetti, Erasmo Neviani. Editore: CEA ISBN: 8808120074. Materiale didattico relativo alle lezioni (slide)
Teaching methods
The teaching will be carried out through frontal lessons in the classroom with the aid of slides which will represent teaching material, in addition to the recommended text. The slides will be available online on Elly's website in pdf format for students. During the lessons, the appropriate use of technical language will be reiterated, and the connections between the various parts of the course will be underlined. For this reason, the presence and active participation of students is strongly encouraged.
Assessment methods and criteria
At the end of the course, the level of learning of the expected results for all the contents offered during the lessons will be verified. The final learning test will be carried out through a written test divided into three parts. The first part consists of 10 closed-ended questions which will test the knowledge of the fundamental contents of the course and the achievement of the minimum knowledge of the fundamental concepts of the course. For this reason, the correctness of all the answers in the first part is binding for the correction of the second. It is specified that 2 of the 10 questions in this first part will be related to the Laboratory module. The second part consists of closed-ended questions in which the student must demonstrate the level of knowledge acquired. In particular, 10 of the 31 questions provided in this second part will be related to the Laboratory module. Each correct answer is worth 1 point. The grade of the second part (expressed in thirtieths) counts for 70% of the final grade. The third part will consist of an open-ended question in which the student must demonstrate the ability to accurately express, using specific microbiological language, the acquired competence. The grade of the third part (expressed in thirtieths) accounts for 30% of the final grade."
Other information
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