Requisites: AND Pre-requisite: The equivalent of 20 credits microbiology SCQF Level 7 and/or 8, including laboratory classes.

The achievement of food security is a key priority of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). In this module, you will focus on three aspects that impact on food security namely - reduction of food spoilage, production of fermented foods, and managing the risk of food-borne disease. The module will include laboratory classes, in which you will develop skills in microbiological analysis of food, including culture and molecular-based methods for determining microbial load, diversity and identity. Module content: Food spoilage – microbial contribution to food spoilage, factors influencing the growth of microorganisms in food, preservation techniques and death kinetics/predictive microbiology. Food-borne disease - the farm to fork concept and complexity of the food chain, HACCP as a risk management system; techniques for identifying an outbreak and the microorganism responsible. Food fermentation – metabolic activity of microorganisms contributing to fermented food production, a fermented food production process, the use of starter cultures in food fermentation. Microbial analysis of food – using a range of culture-based and molecular methods.

Upon completion of this module you will be able to

LO1: Relate the nature of microorganisms to their ability to cause food spoilage.

LO2: Relate the nature of microorganisms to their application in food production.

LO3: Evaluate approaches used in limiting the risk of food-borne disease and interpret case study reports.

LO4: Apply and interpret experimental methods to the microbiological analysis of foods.