Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course the student is expected to be able to:
-to know the role of microorganisms in food processing and storage
-to know the role of environmental and process parameters in the development and inactivation of microorganisms
-to know predictive models for the study of the behaviour of microorganisms in food
-to know the potential of predictive tools, experimental designs and challenge tests for the formulation of new products and food processing processes, shelf life prediction, safety assessment, risk analysis and HACCP.
-know the principles underlying the microbiological risk analysis process.
Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course the student is expected to be able to:
-apply predictive models for assessing the behaviour of microorganisms
-choose the most appropriate predictive approach for the analysis of microbial behaviour
-Interpreting data from predictive analyses to assess the impact of the presence and development of microorganisms and/or their metabolites on food quality and safety
-develop simple experimental designs and plan challenge tests to assess the behaviour of microorganisms and/or the production of specific metabolites.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledges of general microbiology and food microbiology, mathematics and statistics.
Course unit content
In this part of the course, laboratory practices (2 CFU for 3 groups for a total of 90 hours) are proposed on the set-up and execution of microbiological challenge tests, the evaluation of antimicrobial activities and the application of experimental designs. Group activities are also offered in which students investigate epidemiological cases related to the consumption of contaminated foodstuffs and present the respective cases to the class.
Full programme
The origins of predictive microbiology, the first models and application fields.
Definitions of primary, secondary and tertiary models. Probabilistic, cinetic, empirical and mechanistic models. Structural and non structural models.
Primary models. Growth modelling (Gompertz equativo, Baranyi model). Survival models (linear, biphasic, Weibull model).
Secondary models. Ratkowsky model. Experimental design. Polynomial equations.
Tertiary model. Use of Combase.
Challenge test: applications to foods and processes.
Bibliography
Fausto Gardini, Eugenio Parente. Manuale di microbiologia predittiva. Concetti e strumenti per l'ecologia microbica quantitativa (suggested/optional). Springer Italia
Educational material used during frontal lessons (necessary) represented by slides. The slides will be available on the course’s Elly page in pdf format for students. The slides will be uploaded to Elly before each topic.
Teaching methods
This part of the course includes laboratory practices (2 CFU, 30 hours for three groups for a total of 90 hours) covering challenge test simulations, evaluation of antimicrobial activities, application of experimental designs and critical evaluation of epidemiological cases with presentation and methods for the determination of microorganisms in food. Attendance at the laboratory lectures is compulsory and the student will be admitted to the examination if he/she has attended 80% of the scheduled exercises.
Assessment methods and criteria
Work on the critical analysis of epidemiological cases, carried out in small groups, will be assessed with a maximum mark of 2, which will be added to the mark obtained in the examination. At the end of the course will take written exam consisting of part A (10 closed questions) and part B (10 open questions). The questions will also include the topics covered during the laboratory exercises. You will be assigned 1 point for each correct answer related to Part A and up to 2 points for each answer related to Part B. The time available will be 75 minutes. The test will be passed with the achievement of a score of 18.
The student will have to demonstrate, with the scientific language and the specific lexicon of predictive microbiology, the acquired concepts. The assessment of the level of knowledge acquired takes into account the ability of the student to express himself correctly, with the specific scientific language of predictive microbiology.
The assessment of the level of knowledge acquired takes into account the ability of the student to express correctly, with the specific scientific language of food microbiology.
Other information
2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
