GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY OF FOODS

Integrated educational activity

Course Sheet

Course code:

SAS006

Academic Year of enrolment:

2022

Year of supply:

2022/2023

Degree:

Course of 2nd Cycle Degree in FOOD AND HEALTH SCIENCES

Language:

Italian

Moduls:

GENERAL MICROBIOLOGY - 5 credits
MICROBIOLOGY OF FOODS - 5 credits

Location:

CHIETI

Credits:

Programme Year:

Cycle:

First semester

Hours of classroom activity:

Objectives

The aim of the course is to make students to acquire knowledge related to the factors that influence microbial growth in food.
The student will acquire knowledge on methods for assessing the quality and microbiological safety of foods as well as on the relationship between foods and the microorganisms that develop in them, both from the point of view of their conservation and as a vehicle for foodborne diseases.
The applied part of the course will provide the student with skills related to the microbiological analysis of foods with classical and molecular methods.

The course will held in the first semester of the first year with frontal lessons and laboratory exercitations with the aim to deepen the scientific knowledge of topics related to Food Microbiology using a quantitative assessment approach.

Contents

FRONTAL LESSONS
Introduction to the course
Biological risk (Classification of biological agents, Bioaerosol, PPE, IMA, social hand washing)
Structure and functions of the prokaryotic cell, viruses, fungi, parasites. Culture media for microorganisms and seeding techniques
Bacterial survival strategies: spore, L-forms, viable non-cultivable bacteria, biofilm production.
Pathogenicity and microbial epidemiology: host-microorganism relationships, microbial virulence factors.
Sterilization, disinfection and antiseptics
Antibiotic Resistance: one health approach
Antimicrobial and antivirulence activity of natural compounds
The human microbiome. Probiotics, Prebiotics, Postbiotics.

EXERCITATIONS:
Social hand washing, serial dilutions, CB determination. Microscopic analysis of the colonies
Evaluation of the air microbial index (IMA) and cultural techniques on elective, selective and differential media. Application of seeding techniques on the surface and on the whole mass. Preparation of a fixed slide. Gram stain. Optical microscope observations. Colony analysis. Serial dilutions, bacterial counts
Intestinal microbiota (biological functions for humans), probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics
Intrinsic and extrinsic parameters that influence microbial development in food (Free water, pH, presence of antimicrobial constituents)
Food storage (Physical, chemical, physicochemical methods)
Food contamination (protechnological, alterative and pathogenic microorganisms, sources of contamination)
Foodborne diseases (Food poisoning and food infections: Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium botulinum poisoning, Clostridium perfringens toxins, Bacillus cereus, Salmonella infections, Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae, Brucella)

Extended Syllabus

Introduction to the course (Role of microorganisms in different ecosystems, L.U.C.A., Microbial Taxonomy)
Culture media for microorganisms and seeding techniques (Elective, selective and differential media, isolation and enrichment media, in vitro cultivation)
Biological risk (Classification of biological agents, Bioaerosol, PPE, IMA, social hand washing)
General bacteriology (Characteristics of prokaryotic cell, Structure and functions of the cell wall, Cell membrane, accessory structures)
Antibiotic Resistance: one health approach
Antimicrobial and antivirulence activity of natural compounds
Gene recombination (Transformation, Conjugation and Transduction; bacteriophages)
Bacterial virulence factors (Host-organism relationship, exo-endotoxins)
Viruses (Structure, replication, replication classes, cultivation)
Microbial survival strategy:
Biofilm
Viablenot cultivable state
sporulation
Intestinal microbiota (biological functions for humans), probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics
Sterilization, disinfection and antiseptics
Intrinsic and extrinsic parameters that influence microbial development in food (Free water, pH, presence of antimicrobial constituents)
Food preservation (Physical, chemical, physicochemical methods)
Food contamination (protechnological, alterative and pathogenic microorganisms, sources of contamination)
Main food poisoning

EXERCITATIONS:
Evaluation of the air microbial index (IMA)
Application of seeding techniques on the surface and on the whole mass
Preparation of a fixed slide, Differential Gram staining
Optical microscope observation
Colony analysis
Serial dilutions, bacterial counts
Evaluation of the adequacy of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophylus concentrations in yogurt. Microscopic analysis of the colonies
Determination of the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of natural products and application of the antibiogram with the Kirby Bauer method
Determination of the viable microbial load (TVC) on food (ice cream) and specific research of S. aureus, E.coli, Listeria monocitogenes, Microscopic analysis of colonies
Social hand washing, serial dilutions, CB determination. Microscopic analysis of the colonies
Intestinal microbiota (biological functions for humans), probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics
Intrinsic and extrinsic parameters that influence microbial development in food (Free water, pH, presence of antimicrobial constituents)
Food storage (Physical, chemical, physicochemical methods)
Food contamination (protechnological, alterative and pathogenic microorganisms, sources of contamination)
Intestinal microbiota (biological functions for humans), probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics
Main factors (extrinsic and extrinsic parameters of food) that control microbial development in food (temperature, radiation, water activity, acidity, redox potential, atmosphere of the storage environment, additives, naturally occurring antimicrobial substances, competition microbial). Food storage (Physical, chemical, physicochemical methods)
Food contamination (protechnological, alterative and pathogenic microorganisms, sources of contamination)
Main foodborne diseases (infections, poisoning, food poisoning).
Bacteria as agents of alimentary diseases (Food poisoning and food infections: poisoning by Staphylococcus aureus, by Clostridium botulinum, toxic infections by Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus cereus, infections by Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae, Brucella). Clinical manifestations, laboratory diagnosis, prophylaxis, therapy.
Viruses as food-borne disease agents. Clinical manifestations, laboratory diagnosis, prophylaxis, therapy
Parasites as agents of food diseases. Clinical manifestations, laboratory diagnosis, prophylaxis, therapy

Procedures for controlling the microbiological quality of food with classical and molecular methods: application of the main safety standards in the agri-food sector.
EXERCISES:
Evaluation of the air microbial index (IMA) and sowing on elective, selective and differential media of isolated colonies.
Social hand washing, serial dilutions, CB determination. Microscopic analysis of the colonies.
Evaluation of the adequacy of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophylus concentrations in yogurt. Microscopic analysis of the colonies.
Cross contamination (chicken-knife-salad, bread-cutting board) analysis of the results.

Recommended Bibliography

Any university-level text conforming to the course syllabus. Students will be provided with notes, slides, scientific or paper articles or in digital format downloadable from the unich e-learning platform. The same unich e-learning platform is useful for administering checks and in-depth questions to be carried out even remotely

Methods of Provision

Conventional

Teaching Methods

The course is organized in frontal contributions offered by the teacher (lectures / presentations); seminars with national and international guests (monographic lessons / seminars); exercises with ongoing assessments; collective reviews and punctual meetings.

Evaluation methods

Verification of learning:

oral exam.
In itinere evaluations relating to the exercitations and presentations which will contribute to the final judgment.

Università degli Studi
"G. d'Annunzio"

Chieti - Pescara

Aree