Course Title: Perform microbiological tests pertaining to the food industry

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2013

Course Code: ONPS5236

Course Title: Perform microbiological tests pertaining to the food industry

School: 155T Vocational Health and Sciences

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5184 - Diploma of Food Science & Technology

Course Contact: Sam Cutri

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4876

Course Contact Email: sam.cutri@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 50

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

VBP035 - Perform microbiological techniques in the food industry,
VBP038 - Apply hygiene and sanitation practices
VBP044 - Apply principles of food spoilage and control

Course Description

This unit covers the skills and knowledge required to perform common tests and analysis in a food based microbiological laboratory


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

VBP067 Perform microbiological tests pertaining to the food industry

Element:

Apply rapid microbiological techniques and other relevant technology for the identification of microbes related to plant hygiene.

Performance Criteria:

1.1 The major bacteria responsible for food poisoning and
spoilage are identified.
1.2 The types of processes used in the control of microbial
growth in food products are evaluated.
1.3 The effect of a standard food preserving technique, e.g. over
a range of pH, on the growth patterns of microbes is
ascertained.
1.4 The effectiveness of this food preserving technique in
controlling food poisoning and spoilage microbes is
evaluated.
1.5 The usefulness of this technique, as part of process control of
food poisoning and spoilage microbes is assessed.
1.6 The findings in (1.5) in terms of the Food Standards are
assessed.
1.7 A report in regard to the above, including statistical data, is
prepared.

Element:

Apply the principles of microbiological quality control.

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Standard microbiological techniques to identify and
enumerate food poisoning and spoilage organisms, from a
food sample, are used.
2.2 The type of toxins, produced by the major food pathogens,
are identified.
2.3 Documented food borne disease outbreaks, from the past,
are investigated.
2.4 The ramifications of product contamination in terms of Public
Health and product shelf-life quality are determined.
2.5 Specimens and waste are handled in accordance with
enterprise OHS guidelines.

Element:

Identify food poisoning and spoilage bacteria, including methods of control.

Performance Criteria:

3.1 The spoilage patterns of specific foods at different
temperatures of storage are ascertained.
3.2 The relationship between spoilage patterns and the growth
cycle of the specific food spoilage/poisoning organisms is
determined.
3.3 A microbiological quality control program for a specific food is
designed.
3.4 The above quality control program is evaluated in terms of
the Food Standards.
3.5 The importance of plant hygiene and how it can affect the
finished product is determined.
3.6 Specimens and waste are handled in accordance with
enterprise OHS guidelines.

Element:

Perform basic microbiological techniques for the identification of food borne disease.

Performance Criteria:

4.1 The principles of accelerated culture techniques are critically
examined.
4.2 The relevance of rapid microbiological technology, as related
to control of plant hygiene, is identified.
4.3 A series of tests to determine the adequacy of plant sanitation
procedures, by rapid microbiological or other techniques, is
performed.
4.4 Specimens and waste are handled in accordance with
enterprise OHS guidelines.

Element:

Perform techniques involving microbial fermentations.

Performance Criteria:

5.1 The types and characteristics of micro organisms used for
fermentation within the food industry are identified.
5.2 Standard microbiological techniques to isolate and identify
yeasts and bacteria in given food samples are used.
5.3 Sub-culturing and pure culture techniques for “scale up” to
“starter” cultures are performed.
5.4 New culture strains after fermentation are maintained using
standard techniques.


Learning Outcomes


Apply rapid microbiological techniques and other relevant technology for the identification of microbes related to plant hygiene.
Apply the principles of microbiological quality control.
Identify food poisoning and spoilage bacteria, including methods of control.
Perform basic microbiological techniques for the identification of food borne disease.
Perform techniques involving microbial fermentations.


Details of Learning Activities

Learning activities for this course may include:
• Teacher directed face-to face delivery of lessons
• Whole class Discussion
• Pair/group discussion
• Small group workshops
• Revision quizzes
• Worksheets
• Laboratory experiments
• Record keeping of experiments
• Presentations
• Research activities


Teaching Schedule

Week Topic/Activities/Assessments
1 Introduction Safety Prac 1 Safety
2 Microbiology review Prac 2 Spoilage Activities
3 Microflora of Food Prac 3 Direct Microscopic Examination Using Viability Stains
4 Microbial Swabs Prac 4 Survey of a Food Processing/Preparation area
5 NO LAB
6 Microflora of Raw Milk Prac 5 Thermal death point and thermal death time
7 Microbial spoilage Prac 6 Microbial Spoilage of Refrigerated Meat
8 Microbial Testing Prac 8 Computer Pathogen Modelling NOT IN MICRO LAB
9 Intrinsic Extrinsic Factors Prac 7 Chemical Control Of Microbial Populations
10 Microbial Testing Prac 9 Microbial testing of cheese
11 Food Preservation Prac 10 Coliform Testing
12 Microbial Pathogens Prac 11 Rapid Methods
13 Microbial Pathogens Prac 12 Pathogen Identification - The Outbreak! Game NOT IN MICRO LAB
14 Microbial Fermentation


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References

The recommended text for this subject is Modern Food Microbiology (6th Edition) By: Jay, James M. © 2000 Springer - Verlag - which is available free as an electronic book via RMIT library at
http://www.knovel.com/knovel2/Toc.jsp?BookID=1162


Other Resources


Overview of Assessment

Assessments for this course consist of:
• Class activities
• Assignments
• Presentations
• Exam


Assessment Tasks

Practicals 50 % Due 24/10/13
Test 50 % Due 31/10/13


Assessment Matrix

Course Overview: Access Course Overview