Food Microbiology and Safety (FOOD20006)

Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

You’re viewing the 2025 Handbook:
Or view archived Handbooks

Overview

Availability
Semester 2
FeesLook up fees

Microbes (viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites and other agents) can be associated with food in several ways:

  • As components of the fermentation processes that are associated with the development of flavours and textures of food and its preservation
  • As the normal microflora that is associated with the origins of the food and persist during storage, possibly contributing to food spoilage
  • As contaminants that enter food during processing or through subsequent mishandling, often posing public health risks

However, as foods must be safe and fit for human consumption, this subject aims to familiarise students with major food spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms.

The content will cover:

  • The kinetics of bacterial growth and the factors that may alter this (water activity, low pH, temperature, preservatives)
  • The principles of modelling growth
  • The principles of hazard and risk assessment in microbiological safety
  • The role of microbes in food processing, including examples of specific fermentation processes and waste treatment

Practical exercises and case studies will be undertaken to provide an in-depth understanding of the regulatory framework of food safety

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of the subject students should be able to:

  • Describe concepts of normal flora and pathogenic microbes
  • Understand how microbes interact and impact on food
  • Understand the basics of identifying, classifying and enumerating microbes important in agri-food systems
  • Use bright field light microscopy as a tool for identifying microbes
  • Describe aseptic techniques for the transfer and handling enumerating and identifying microorganisms in food samples

Generic skills

On completion of this subject students should have developed the following generic skills:

  • Enhanced skills in preparing reports based on practical experience
  • Ability to analyse and integrate information from published and publicly available literature
  • Teamwork capability for completion of case study tasks in a timely fashion

Last updated: 20 March 2025

Eligibility and requirements

Prerequisites

One of

Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
AGRI10050 Agricultural Systems Biology
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
BIOL10002 Biomolecules and Cells
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
BIOL10008 Foundational Biology: Life's Machinery
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
BIOL10009 Biology: Life's Machinery
Not available in 2025
 12.5

AND

One of

Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
AGRI10051 Genetics for Agriculture
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
BIOL10010 Foundational Biology: Life's Complexity
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
BIOL10011 Biology: Life's Complexity
Not available in 2025
 12.5
BIOM10002 Exploring Biomedicine
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5

Corequisites

None

Non-allowed subjects

None

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

Students are expected to be familiar with word processing, data management and graphical software packages and to be competent in electronic search techniques. This subject requires attendance at lectures and active participation in practicals.

The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.

Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home

Last updated: 20 March 2025

Assessment

DescriptionTimingPercentage

Assignment approximately due in week 9

  • 1500 words
Week 925%

Mid semester test

  • 1 hours
Week 725%

Examination

  • 2 hours
During the examination period50%

Last updated: 20 March 2025

Dates & times

  • Semester 2
    Principal coordinatorKelly Tivendale
    Mode of deliveryOn Campus (Parkville)
    Contact hours36 lectures/workshops and 18 hr practicals
    Total time commitment170 hours
    Teaching period28 July 2025 to 26 October 2025
    Last self-enrol date 8 August 2025
    Census date 1 September 2025
    Last date to withdraw without fail26 September 2025
    Assessment period ends21 November 2025

    Semester 2 contact information

    Email: kellyat@unimelb.edu.au 

What do these dates mean

Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:

  • Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
  • And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
       -  Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
     

    Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.

Last updated: 20 March 2025

Further information

Last updated: 20 March 2025