SLEK16001U Advanced course in Microbiological Food Safety AFLYST 2019!

Volume 2019/2020
Education

MSc Programme in Food Science and Technology

 

 

Content

This course deals with Microbial food safety topics both in theory and practice. The course will be focused at 1) how we detect food borne pathogens, 2) how we find the source of outbreaks of food born disease as well as the methods employed, and 3) novel advanced strategies for biological interventions for future applications. In relation to detection of pathogens, different principles will be discussed and evaluated. For investigations of food borne outbreaks, typing methods will be addressed including traditional methods such as PFGE and MLST as well as new approaches involving whole genome sequence analysis. Finally, examples of biological interventions such as bacteriophages and their enzymes will be discussed and evaluated. The results of the practical part of the course will be communicated in a course report. The course will address timely microbial food safety issues such as Listeria monocytogenes in meat products and will cover new food safety challenges such as the risk associated with transmission of antibiotic resistant bacteria like MRSA in food products.

The major topics covered in the course are  
- Zoonotic diseases and importance in food production with a focus on reservoir, transmission, clinical manifestations as well as prevalence and development/acquisition of antimicrobial resistance. 
- Detection of food borne pathogens. Theoretical and practical knowledge of molecular methods used for detection of pathogens with focus on detection principles and the importance of rapid detection, sensitivity and specificity.

- Tracing of food borne pathogens. Theoretical and practical knowledge of molecular methods used for tracing the source of food borne outbreaks including the principle of various typing methods, their advantages and limitations and their applications in studies of evolution and population analysis.

- Using biological interventions. Theoretical and practical knowledge of novel biological intervention in the food chain, their advantages and limitations and the current status in implementing such novel methods in the food chain.

The specific theoretical and practical subjects will vary in extent and content to reflect timely food safety issues.

Learning Outcome

The purpose of the course is to provide an understanding of microbial food safety in the entire production chain and to provide tools to identify and solve problems pertinent to food safety. Furthermore the course will provide basic knowledge of selected food production systems and will allow students to assess risks at various steps in these systems. 

Knowledge: 
- Mention common infectious agents and toxins of relevance to food safety in the food production with focus on their habitat, route of transmission, survival and enrichment in animal production as well as the risk they pose for human and animal health. 

- Describe the principles behind detection of food borne pathogens
- Understand tools and methods for identifying and solving food borne outbreaks

- Understand the application of advanced biological intervention strategies.

Skills: 
- Use principles and methods for identifying and solving problems of importance to food safety. 
- Work in the laboratory with selected experimental techniques that are applied in food safety. 
- Communicate knowledge on issues within the food safety area 

Competences: 
- React on food safety issues including recommendations for correcting actions and communication of these recommendations to decision makers at each step in the food production chain. 
- Evaluate the extent to which existing and novel interventions strategies are fulfilling current legislation. 
- Cooperate with technical staff and fellow students on setting up, performing and evaluating laboratory experiments to address food safety issues.

- Reflect on future needs and approaches to ensure safe food

Literature

Articles, reports and other to be handed out during the course

Pathogens and Toxins in Foods: 
Challenges and Interventions

Edited by Vijay K. Juneja and John N. Sofos (Wiley, 2009)

 

Qualifications similar to SLEA10274U Fødevaremikrobiologi
SBIF10141U Mikrobiologi
The course will be a combination of lectures, colloquia, theoretical/practical experiments and e-learning activities. Part of the time will be devoted to project work.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Colloquia
  • 20
  • Exam
  • 1
  • Guidance
  • 10
  • Lectures
  • 10
  • Practical exercises
  • 30
  • Preparation
  • 55
  • Project work
  • 50
  • Theory exercises
  • 30
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 30 min
Oral examination in the written report and pensum - without preparation time
Weight: 100 % oral examination.
Exam registration requirements

Written report (the basis of the oral exam)

Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
Criteria for exam assesment

See learning outcome