Food and Dairy Microbiology

Food and its constituents: carbohydrates, proteins, fats and oils, vitamins, minerals, fiber and water- properties and significance. Food as substrate for microorganisms. Extrinsic and intrinsic factors influencing microbial growth. Microbes important in food- molds, yeast and bacteria.

Food Spoilage: spoilage of fruits, vegetables, cereals, meat, eggs, and canned food. Food borne infection and intoxication: Bacterial (Clostridium, Shigellosis), fungal (Aspergillus), nematode (Trichinella spiralis) and protozoa(Giardia,). Preservation of foods – General principles, physical methods of food preservation (high temperature, low temperature), radiation, chemical methods of food preservation (food additives), biological methods of food preservation.

Starter cultures their biochemical activities, production and preservation of the following fermented foods. a. Soy sauce fermentation by molds b. Fermented vegetables – Saurkraut c. Fermented Meat – Sausages. Food produced by Microbes: Microbial cells as food (single cell proteins) – mushroom cultivation; Bioconversions - production of alcohol-fermented beverages (beer and wine).

Milk – Definition, compositions, food and nutritive value of milk, properties and its constituents, microbiology of milk. Microbial Contamination, preservation and spoilage of milk. Biochemical activities of milk- souring, lactosis, proteolysis. Prebiotics and Probiotics and their importance. Fermented milk products - cheese, yogurt, buttermilk.

Food safety laws and standards, international – HACCP, ISO 9000 Series, GMP and LP, India – PFAA, FSSAI, FPO, MPO, CSO, the Agmark Standards, Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS).