Food Microbiology and Food Safety

Course Description Food microbiology is about the understanding of microorganisms that grow or multiply in or contaminate the food which we consume. Food microorganisms could be either beneficial or harmful. The key aspect of food microbiology is food safety which focuses on the disease-causing microorganism and their toxins which may contaminate the food. That is why it becomes essential to recognize the possible role of microorganisms to ensure public safety. The major learning objectives of this course will be to study: the scope of food microbiology and food safety; to obtain the knowledge about important genera of microorganisms associated with food and their characteristics; to learn various techniques for enumeration and control of microorganisms in food; to gain the essential knowledge and applications of various techniques (traditional to advance) for preserving food; to understand the role of different microorganisms in food spoilage, food fermentation, and foodborne diseases; to comprehend the microbiological quality control and foodborne illnesses investigation procedures for ensuring food safety and hygiene; to understand current national and international food safety rules and regulations; to know the requirements and components of food safety management system (FSMS) and use of microbiological risk assessment (MRA) tools for assessing microbiological risks in the food sector.Course Credit: 4Course HighlightsLearner will acquire the knowledge about: Scope of food microbiology and food safety Important genera associated with food Techniques for enumeration of microbes and methods (traditional to advanced) for preserving food Role of different microorganisms in food spoilage, food fermentation and foodborne diseases Microbiological quality control and foodborne illnesses investigation procedures for ensuring food safety & hygiene The food safety rules and regulations, Food Safety Management System (FSMS), and Microbiological Risk Assessment.