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Food Product Safety I

Course developer

Course abstract

The study course examines the potential microbial contamination of food products and its effects on the health of the consumer. Students acquire theoretical and practical skills in determining contamination in food products and the regulation in legislation, and are able to analyze the possibilities of preventing such contamination. Master students independently analyze literature about possible contamination of a food product and propose the options to limit it.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Knowledge of microbiological safety of food products and microorganisms causing their spoilage – lectures and written test
Skills to assess microbiological contamination of food products according to standard methods – lectures and lab works
Competence to choose appropriate methods for analysing microbiological safety of food and competent evaluation of the obtained results – lab works and independent work

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Characterization of the types of contamination of food products. Risk analysis.
2. Regulatory enactments on food safety. Definitions and terminology.
3. Overview of the classification of micro-organisms. Bacteria, microscopic fungi, viruses.
4. Factors contributing to the development of micro-organisms
5. Food infections, toxicosis and toxic infections, their sources.
6. Food infections, toxicosis and toxic infections, their sources. Bacterial toxins.
7. Characterization of pathogenic microorganisms.
8. Characterization of pathogenic micro-organisms.
9. Microscopic fungi and their toxins (aflotoxins, patulin, ergotism, etc.) in foods.
10. Microbiological testing methods.
11. Methods for identifying micro-organisms.
12. Methods for the detection of pathogenic micro-organisms in foodstuffs.
13. ISO standards for the determination of micro-organisms in foodstuffs.
14. Introduction in the use of technological processes to reduce microbiological contamination.
15. Recent research on microbial contamination in food (review of publications published in databases). Workshop.
16. Independent work defense.

Requirements for awarding credit points

For accumulative exam student has to particiapte in all laboratory works, successfully pass theoretical test (grade 4 or above), and defend both indipendent work presentations.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Independent analysis of literature on possible contamination of a food product – two presentations (one on plant based product and one on animal based product).
Each presentation should include the following chapters (structure of individual work):
1. Problem statement
2. Characteristics of the chosen product
3. Microflora of the chosen product
4. Factors and risks which affect microbial safety
5. Sources of microbial contamination
6. Food-borne illness and food contamination cases
7. Main possible pathogens in chosen product
8. Detailed characterisation of one pathogen (possible in chosen product)
9. Ensuring microbiological safety of chosen product
10. Mandatory safety and quality requirements
11. Detection methods of microorganism/s
12. Summary
13. References

Each presentation should contain references that are given at the end of the presentation in the “References” slide. At least 60% of the literature sources (not including images or other graphs / tables) should be scientific publications in order to receive the maximum score.

Volume of report - presentation of at least 14 slides (students can use a template file on Moodle: course-paper_template).

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The examination mark is formed as the mean arithmetic of the tests results and the presentations of the independent work. The test is successfully written if at least 50% of the answers are correct.

Compulsory reading

1. Nikolajeva V. Pārtikas mikrobioloģija. 2. izd. [Rīga]: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2011. 127 lpp. ISBN 9789984453958.
2. Dudeja P., Gupta R. K., Minhas A.S. Food safety in the 21st century: public health perspective. London: Academic Press, 2017. 584 p. ISBN 9780128017739
3. Wallace C. A. Food safety for the 21st century: managing HACCP and food safety throughout the global supply chain / Carol A. Wallace, William H. Sperber, Sara E. Mortimore. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011. 328 p. ISBN 9781119053576

Further reading

Pieejamas estudijās / Available on Moodle
1. Forsythe S. J. The microbiology of safe food. 2nd ed. Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.;Ames, Iowa: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010. 476 p. ISBN 9781405140058.
2. Roberts D., Greenwood M. Practical food microbiology. 3rd ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2003. 294 p. ISBN 1405100753.
3. Lawley R., Curtis L., Davis J. The Food Safety Hazard Guidebook. Cambridge: The Royal Society of Chemistry, 2008. 422 p. ISBN 9780854044603
4. McLandsborough L. Food Microbiology Laboratory. London: CRC Press, 2005. 203 p. ISBN 9780849312670

Periodicals and other sources

1. Handbook of Microbiological Culture Media https://ej.uz/mbiolhandbook
2. Food Safety Authority of Ireland. Guidance note no.3: guidelines for the interpretation of results of microbiological testing of ready-to-eat foods placed on the market (revision 1). Dublin: FSAI; 2014 https://www.lenus.ie/handle/10147/332049
3. Scientific peer-reviewed papers' database, SCIENCEDIRECT. http://www.sciencedirect.com/
4. Scientific peer-reviewed papers' database, SCOPUS. http://www.scopus.com/

Notes

Study course for Master study programm “Food Science” students