The objective of the course is to acquaint students with the role of microorganisms in the transformation processes of food products and their influence on the quality and safety of food, the factors that determine the presence, growth and survival of microorganisms in food and ability to apply physical, chemical and biological agents for microbiological food control. In addition, the course aims to: raise awareness of the major microbial groups involved in the production of fermented foods and the growing significance starter; know the main diseases originating from microorganisms through the consumption of food and microbial changes of food; know the microorganisms responsible of food decay (alteration; deterioration); understand the process conducted by spontaneous fermentation and fermentation inoculated.
teacher profile teaching materials
1. Microbiology: basilar concepts
2. Structure and function of microbial cells: Prokariotes and Eukariotes
3. Microbial metabolism. Nutrition and energy production
4. Microbial growth: principles and measurement methods
5. Molecular microbiology. Bacteria genetics
6. Microbial genomics
7. Metabolism regulation
Food microbiology: Special section
1. History of food microbiology. General principles. Microbial fermentations: role in food
transformation processes
2. The main microorganisms in food: taxonomy. Contaminations
3. Ecology and physiology of microorganisms in food: environmental factors affecting
microbial development
4. Classic and molecular methods for quantitative e qualitative microbial determination in food
5. Control of microbes in food: inhibition of microbial growth
6. Food pathogens
7. Microbiological analysis of drinking waters
8. Introduction to the microbiology of main non-fermented foods and drinks
Madigan et al. Brock - Biologia dei microrganismi (XIV edizione). Pearson Italia (Milano), ISBN
978-88-9190-0944. Chapters 1-7.
Special section
G. A. Farris et al. Microbiologia dei prodotti alimentari. CEA (Rozzano, MI), ISBN 9-788808-
182463. Chapters 1-7.
Programme
Food microbiology: General section1. Microbiology: basilar concepts
2. Structure and function of microbial cells: Prokariotes and Eukariotes
3. Microbial metabolism. Nutrition and energy production
4. Microbial growth: principles and measurement methods
5. Molecular microbiology. Bacteria genetics
6. Microbial genomics
7. Metabolism regulation
Food microbiology: Special section
1. History of food microbiology. General principles. Microbial fermentations: role in food
transformation processes
2. The main microorganisms in food: taxonomy. Contaminations
3. Ecology and physiology of microorganisms in food: environmental factors affecting
microbial development
4. Classic and molecular methods for quantitative e qualitative microbial determination in food
5. Control of microbes in food: inhibition of microbial growth
6. Food pathogens
7. Microbiological analysis of drinking waters
8. Introduction to the microbiology of main non-fermented foods and drinks
Core Documentation
General sectionMadigan et al. Brock - Biologia dei microrganismi (XIV edizione). Pearson Italia (Milano), ISBN
978-88-9190-0944. Chapters 1-7.
Special section
G. A. Farris et al. Microbiologia dei prodotti alimentari. CEA (Rozzano, MI), ISBN 9-788808-
182463. Chapters 1-7.
Reference Bibliography
Reading scientific articles in English with reference to the program topics, for further information and additions.Type of delivery of the course
Frontal lectures with Power Point presentations. Students are asked to do questions and in turn to answer questions to assess the degree of understanding and preparation during the course of the program. Practical exercises in the microbiology laboratory.Attendance
In consideration of the way the program is run, attendance is strongly suggested. Attending classroom lessons is necessary in order to carry out laboratory exercisesType of evaluation
Oral exam: questions about the general part and the special part. It is required the ability to highlight links between the two parts, and to evaluate specific and application aspects of different elements of food microbiology starting from the knowledge of basic microbiology topics.