NF7004 - Food Microbiology and Safety (2023/24)
| Module specification | Module approved to run in 2023/24 | ||||||||||||
| Module title | Food Microbiology and Safety | ||||||||||||
| Module level | Masters (07) | ||||||||||||
| Credit rating for module | 20 | ||||||||||||
| School | School of Human Sciences | ||||||||||||
| Total study hours | 200 | ||||||||||||
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| Running in 2023/24(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) |
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Module summary
This module is designed to integrate theory and practice of food microbiology and microbial risk assessment. It covers the mechanisms and factors affecting the microbial growth, microbial risk analysis with respect to food safety, predictive microbiology, foodborne diseases and emerging pathogens, microbiology from farm to fork, control of spoilage microorganisms and pathogens, and introduction to molecular microbiology. This module reflects current thinking in this subject area and places emphasis on the behaviour of pathogenic microorganisms in foods, pathogenicity and control.
Aims of the module
By completing this module you will develop:
• particular theoretical knowledge on the role of microorganisms in food spoilage, food borne diseases, food production and food preservation
• practical skills on characterisation of microorganisms
• theoretical and practical skills in molecular identification microorganisms
• a deep understanding of microbial risk analysis of food
• the ability to apply advanced theoretical knowledge to complex real world problems.
Syllabus
• Mechanisms of microbial growth, survival and death [LO1, 2]
• Current models of risk analysis for microbial food safety [LO3]
• Predictive microbiology and its use in food safety assurance [LO4]
• Emerging pathogens and new concepts of foodborne diseases [LO1, 2]
• Pathogenicity and the basis of foodborne disease [LO1, 3, 5]
• Microbiology in primary agriculture and in the production and consumer environment [LO1, 2, 3]
• Control of pathogens by traditional and novel processing technologies and through hygiene control systems [LO1, 2, 5]
• Introduction to molecular microbiology [LO5]
• Food spoilage and preservation [LO2]
Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity
The basic principles will be developed in lectures using case studies as teaching examples. Students will undertake an extended exercise in which they will identify and quantify the microbiological hazards specific to a product using a combination of laboratory and theoretical work. Students will identify likely hazards based on their incomplete knowledge of the product and process. This will be linked with ingredient-associated (intrinsic) and the process-associated (extrinsic) hazards will be identified. Students will determine prevalence and numbers of microorganisms by isolation and identification techniques. Relevant product properties (e.g. pH, aw) will also be determined. A predictive program will be used to determine growth under different conditions. Students will be expected to demonstrate use of the data in the development of risk analysis and to generalise their findings to other situations. Students will be expected to undertake a significant amount of self-directed study including reading of appropriate papers and textbooks.
Learning outcomes
On completing this module students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate critical understanding and awareness of foodborne diseases and emerging pathogens
2. Critically analyse the causes of food spoilage, foodborne diseases and methods for controlling microorganisms in food
3. Practically apply the microbiological risk analysis of food
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the application of modelling techniques in food safety
5. Demonstrate the skills for cellular and molecular microbial identification and assessment of virulence factors in pathogenic microorganisms
Assessment strategy
This module will be assessed by time restraint on-line open book progress tests (3 x 30 minutes), covering lecture, tutorial and practical topics. The tests will be given in teaching weeks 3, 7 and 10 to ensure their continued engagement with theoretical and practical elements of the module. The average of 3 on-line tests has a weighting of 30% towards the module. Students have one attempt to take each test.
The learners also expected to submit a coursework (food microbiology & safety laboratory report) based on the food microbiology practicals conducted in this module. The coursework should demonstrate their ability to apply a range of techniques to food safety problems and will be summatively assessed and feedback will be provided.