Food Microbiology I

(Pre-requisites: MCB 102 & either MCB 201 or MCB 202)

 Introduction and Scope of the food microbiology. Microbial groups important in food and food industries. Sources of food contamination/ contaminants- green plants and fruits, animals, sewage, water, air, handling and processing etc. Food Spoilage- concept, origin and specificity of spoilage types, principles underlying food spoilage. Concept of spoilage association in food contamination/ microbial ecology of foods – intrinsic factors, processing, extrinsic factors, implicit influences on primary association. Contamination, spoilage and preservation of specific foods and products – cereals, flours and pastas, sugars, syrups, starches and sweeteners, fruits and vegetables, meat and meat products, fish/shellfish/fish products and other marine foods, poultry and poultry products, dairy and dairy products, eggs and egg products, beverages (fruits juices and soft drinks). Microbiological indicators in food spoilage / food quality. Principles of food processing and preservation – asepsis, anaerobiosis and controlled environment, high temperature, low temperature, dehydration, irradiation, chemical additives, multiple hurdle techniques, introduction to HACCP; food and plant hygiène and sanitation, others. Food borne diseases – microbial food borne infections, microbial food borne intoxications, mycotoxins and mycotoxicosis, other gastrointestinal illnesses of food origin.