| CODE | BIO1523 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | An Introduction to Industrial Microbiology | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Biology | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit aims to train future professionals working in the food, beverage, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries, and will include an overview of the following topics: - An introduction to industrial microbiology. Prokaryotes and the classification of microbes. Factors affecting the growth, survival and death of microorganisms. The contamination, spoilage and biodeterioration of different industrial products. Manipulation of environmental factors to control microbial growth. - Action of physical and chemical agents on microorganisms: antimicrobial effects of moist and dry heat, ionising radiations, ultraviolet radiations, gases, antimicrobial effects of chemical agents, sterilisation, disinfectants and preservatives. - A familiarization with the equipment and methods used in the industrial microbiology lab. Microbial detection, sampling, identification and counting. Microscopy and staining. Biochemical testing. Sterility testing. Microbiological assays. - Brief overview of the regulation and legislation relevant to industrial microbiology. Shelf life. Packaging. - Microbe and antimicrobial discovery via recent advances in genomics and bioinformatic techniques. - A modern accelerated approach in microbial strain selection versus traditional screening methods. Microbial metabolism as a factory in miniature. Enzymes, Secondary metabolites. The discovery of novel natural products. Biomass production. Scale up: from lab to industry. - The important application of specific examples of microbes applied in different industries. These will include examples from the food and beverage industries, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. - Practical sessions will include tests that are normally carried out in a specialized industrial microbiology lab. Study-Unit Aims: - To provide familiarity with the identification of microbes and a recognition of the economic importance related to the biodeterioration of industrial products, the role of laboratory tests and techniques used in the prevention and management of microbial infection, and the principles of regulation. - To help recognize that the majority of microorganisms are beneficial and to discuss the application of microorganisms to the industrial production of foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Understand and apply basic techniques used in the microbiology lab; - Name and recognise the main types of microbes that deteriorate industrial products; - Describe the main steps and techniques used in microbial identification; - Define the factors that affect microbial growth and apply appropriate testing and control procedures via the use of appropriate microbiological methods; - Understand the use and importance of preservatives and product shelf life; - Appreciate the fact that even though some microbes spoil industrial products and are thus of considerable economic importance, the majority of microbes are beneficial, and most microbial biodiversity still remains undiscovered; - Recognize that new genomic and bioinformatic processes are nowadays applied to microbe and microbial product discovery and that the newly discovered biochemical processes of microorganisms have the potential to be manipulated and scaled up for application in industry. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Able to utilise equipment in the microbiology lab via a thorough understanding and practice of microbiological processes and techniques; - Able to apply knowledge of identification techniques to recognise the major groups of microbes; - Able to employ and appreciate the importance of microbiological tests; - Able to identify processes and products used in industry to mitigate damage caused by microbes; - Familiar with relevant directives and legislation; - Able to acknowledge microbe and microbial product discovery, with huge potential for industrial application; - Able to critically review literature about industrial microbiology. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Dart R. K. (1996) Microbiology for the Analytical Chemist. The Royal Society of Chemistry. - Aulton M.E. and Taylor K. M.G. (2021) Aulton's Pharmaceutics: The Design and Manufacture of Medicines, 6th ed., Elsevier. - Waites, M. J., Morgan, N. L., Rockey, J. S., & Higton, G. (2009). Industrial microbiology: an introduction. John Wiley & Sons. - Various journals and articles on the topic published recently in peer-reviewed journals that are available via the university library. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Independent Study, Practicum & Tutorial | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Paul Herrera Gabrielle Zammit (Co-ord.) |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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