208-216 Food Microbiology

The objective of this subject is to enable students to:

• describe the micro-organisms of importance to the manufacture of food products and explain the effects they exert upon manufacturing practice and quality;

• explain the effect of manufacturing processes upon the activity and survival of particular types and species of micro-organisms;

• analyse problems associated with micro-organisms that occur within food factories and dairy foods;

• describe the role of microbes in the treatment of factory effluent; and

• describe new applications of microbes and microbial by-products in the food industry.

The content includes microflora of dairy products; food spoilage; public health hazard; characteristics of Salmonella, S. aureus. Clostridium, E. coli, B. cereus, Yersinia, Campylobacter, Listeria; control of micro-organisms in food manufacturing; sampling and line and environmental survey techniques; and applications of microbial genetics to new technologies.

Three practical reports of 1000 words (10% each); two 2-hour examinations (30% each); assignment of 1500 words (20%).