University of Jordan
Faculty of Agriculture
Department of Nutrition and Food Technology
Course title: Food Microbiology (0603401)
Credit hours: 3 hours
Prerequisite (s): General Microbiology (0603301)
Level: Fourth year
Classes for the First semester 2015-2016
Lectures: 10:00-11:00 Mon, Wed
Lecture room: FABCO
Laboratories: 15:30– 18:30 Mon., 12:30 – 15:30 Wed.
Instructor: Dr. Ghadeer Mehyar
Lab Room: lab 190 Agric Bld
Room: 157 (Ground floor) Phone Ext.: 22421
Office hours: 8:00-9:00 Sun, Tue & Thu 12:30-15:30 Mon
e-mail: g.mehyar@ju.edu.jo
Course description
This course provides information on foodborne microorganisms and their role and
significance in quality and safety of foods. Factors affecting life and death of microorganisms
in foods. Microbiology of selected food commodities with emphasis on safety and quality.
Role of microorganisms in food processing. Practical part provides basic knowledge and
skills needed in food microbiology laboratory.
Learning outcomes/objectives
By the end of this course student will be able to:
1- Identify foods as microbial ecosystems,
2- Appreciate the role and significance of microorganisms in food,
3- Recognize important microorganisms affecting food quality and safety,
4- Understand factors affecting life and death of microorganisms in foods,
5- Identify methods of microorganism control to preserve food and make food
consumption safe,
6- Identify microbial flora and microorganisms of public health importance to selected
food commodities.
7- Acquire skills needed in food microbiology laboratory to enumerate, isolate and
identify microorganisms relevant to food quality and safety.
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Course content
Theoretical part
1- Role and significance of microorganisms in foods
- Primary sources of microorganisms in foods
- Food as an ecosystem
- Food-borne microorganisms as spoilage flora and as pathogens
2- Bacteria important to foods
- Taxonomy of bacteria
- Bergye’s Manual and the Prokaryotes
- Gram negative and gram positive bacteria important to food
- Use of bacteria in food production and preservation
- Spoilage bacteria
- Bacterial foodborne infections and intoxications
3- Yeasts important to foods
- Taxonomy of yeasts
- Use of yeasts in food production
4- Molds important to foods
- Taxonomy of molds
- Use of molds in food production
- Molds as spoilage microorganisms
- Mycotoxins
5- Factors affecting life and death of food-borne microorganisms
- Intrinsic factors
- Water activity
- pH and acidity and organic acids
- Oxidation-reduction potential
- Nutritional content, anti microbial constituents and biological structures
- Extrinsic factors
- Temperature
- Relative humidity and gases in the environment
- Implicit factors and microbial interactions
6- Microbiology of selected commodities
- Vegetable and their products
- Fruits and their products
- Cereals
- Spices
- Sugars, cocoa, chocolates and confectionery
7- Food fermentations and introduction to food biotechnology
- Food fermentation
- Traditional biotechnology
- Role of biotechnology in food
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Practical Part:
1. Food sampling and sample handling in the laboratory and preparation of sample
homogenate.
2. Microscopic examination of foods and tests generally used for the identification of foodborne microorganisms: Gram stain, spore stain, catalase test, oxidase test, oxidationfermentation test and motility test.
3. Effect of temperature on the growth of microorganisms in foods - Enumeration of
mesophilic aerobes, the agar plate methods, in samples of hoummos.
4. Faecal contaminations of food - Enumeration and identification of coliform bacteria and
Escherichia coli in a salad sample.
5. Role of gram negative bacteria in spoilage of food - Enumeration and identification of
Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonadaceae in a meat sample.
6. Spoilage of acidic foods -Enumeration of yeasts and molds in a labaneh samples.
7. Foodborne infections -Enumeration and identification of Salmonella in a poultry sample.
8. Foodborne intoxications -Enumeration and identification of Staphylococcus aureus in a
cheese sample.
9. Role of spore forming bacteria in the spoilage of foods- Enumeration of mesophilic and
thermophilic spores in a flour samples; Enumeration of flat sour spores and sulfide
spoilage spores in a sugar sample.
10. Vegetable fermentation- Lactic acid bacteria and halophilic microorganisms.
11. Microbiological examination of equipment and containers- swab and rinsing methods.
12. Microbiological examination of canned foods
Grade distribution and exam time
Exam
%
Expected Date
Midterm exam
30
11 Nov 2015
Lab midterm exam
10
18 Nov 2015
Reports of the practical part and performance
10
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Final theory exam
35
Between 9 -18 Jan 2016
Final lab exam
15
To be determined
Total
100
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Learning Resources
Required texts
1- Adams, M. R. and Moss, M. O. 2004. Food Microbiology. The Royal Society of
Chemistry, Cambridge.
2- Jay J.M., Loessner, M. J. and Golden, D. V. 2005. Modern Food Microbiology. 7th
edition Springer, New York.
3- Ray, B and Bhuna, A. 2008. Fundamental Food Microbiology. 4th edition. CRC Press.
Taylor & Francis Group, NW.
* Selected reference chapters will be available*
Recommended references
1- Forsythe, S. J. and Hayes, P. R. (1998). Food Hygiene, Microbiology and HACCP. 3rd
edition. Aspen Publishers, Inc.
2- Ray, B. (2001). Fundamental Food Microbiology. CRC Press, Boca Raton.
3- Doyle, M. P., Beuchat, L. R. and Montville, T. J. (1997). Food Microbiology:
Fundamentals and Frontiers. American Society for Microbiology.
4- Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition (2001). Bacteriological Analytical
Manual Online U.S. Food & Drug Administration, U. S. Department of Health and
Human Services. (http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~ebam/bam-toc.html)
5- Harrigan, W. F. (1998). Laboratory Methods in Food Microbiology. Academic Press,
London.
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