Course coordinator
Professor Mark Turner
Consultation is by appointment. To make an appointment, please email.
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Agriculture and Food Sustainability School
Introduction to food microbiology; microbial ecology of foods (effects of water activity, pH, temperature, etc); significance, characteristics and control of important foodborne pathogens; (bacteria, viruses, fungi, seafood toxins, parasites, prions); food borne illness; indicator organisms; methods for examination of foods, regulatory standards; food borne illness; practical culture-based microbiological examination of foods; outbreak investigations.
Assuring the microbiological safety of their products is imperative to all food production companies. The most important reason for this is that outbreaks of foodborne illness may result in substantial suffering and loss of life among consumers eating contaminated food. In addition to the obvious public health effects, companies may also suffer high financial losses through recalls and loss of consumer confidence in their product. This course provides students with an understanding of the main characteristics of many commonly encountered foodborne pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. It covers the ways in which these pathogens contaminate and survive in foods, possibly produce toxins and subsequently go on to cause disease.ﾠThe significance of indicator organisms and potential emerging foodborne pathogens are also examined.ﾠAustralian and international standards relating to microbiological criteria for foods are also explained.ﾠImportantly this course teaches students basic practical skill techniques necessary to isolate and identify microorganisms in a safe and aseptic manner in a food microbiology laboratory.
Each week this course will have a 2 hr lecture throughout the semester and either a 3 hr practical in the first half of semester or a 1 hr tutorial in the second half of semester.
Course requirements
Assumed background
It is recommended that students have completed at least one first year biology and chemistry course before taking this course. No prior microbiology study is required.
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
MICR7003 (co-taught)
Jointly taught details
This course is jointly-taught with:
Note that this course has some shared teaching activities with MICR7003.ﾠ Tutorials and 3 weeks of lectures are different.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Adjunct Professor Deon Mahoney
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
Understand the important roles microorganisms in foods can play in the food industry with regards to economic and health aspects.
Develop theoretical knowledge of how to work in a food microbiology laboratory.
Improve group interaction and oral presentation skills through work on a defined project.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Categorise the broad microbe groups in foods and general factors that influence their contamination and growth.
LO2.
Distinguish between the infection, intoxication and toxicoinfection modes of foodborne illness.
LO3.
Categorise important foodborne disease-causing microorganisms based on their characteristics, epidemiological features, and diseases they cause.
LO4.
Illustrate relevant control methods for preventing food poisoning at different stages of food production and processing.
LO5.
Work individually or as part of a team to illustrate how lab techniques could be used to solve experimental problems involving the accurate isolation, enumeration, and confirmation of the identity of microorganisms from foods.
LO6.
Work as part of a team to source information and prepare and deliver an oral presentation explaining a single foodborne poisoning outbreak.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination |
In-semester exam
|
35% |
11/09/2024 6:00 pm
Note: this exam will be held on a different day/time to normal contact classes. |
| Presentation |
Analysis of a food poisoning outbreak
|
25% |
25/10/2024 1:00 pm |
| Examination |
End of semester exam
|
40% |
End of Semester Exam Period 2/11/2024 - 16/11/2024 |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
In-semester exam
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 35%
- Due date
11/09/2024 6:00 pm
Note: this exam will be held on a different day/time to normal contact classes.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L05
Task description
The in-semester exam will cover topics in selected lectures and practicals taught thus far.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person.
The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| Planning time | no planning time minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series or UQ approved , labelled calculator only |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Analysis of a food poisoning outbreak
- Team or group-based
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
25/10/2024 1:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L06
Task description
Bacterial foodborne pathogens cause significant illness around the world and need to be understood from a consumer, industry and regulatory body standpoints. In this task working as groups you will retrieve and analyse important information about ONE food poisoning outbreak that occurred (recently if possible) from a microorganism that will be provided to the group.
Students in groups of 4 will investigate one food poisoning outbreak and prepare a 10 minute oral presentation using Powerpoint and record the presentation using Zoom. Tutorial time slots have been allocated for group work to allow the group to come together and assemble the presentation, however group work will likely be required outside of these set times in order to complete the task. The Zoom file needs to be submitted before the due date/time through an Assignment submission link in Blackboard.
Food poisoning outbreak reports are available from searching databases (eg. Google Scholar, PubMed, Food Science and Technology Abstracts) or from CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/outbreaks/multistate-outbreaks/outbreaks-list.html ). In the analysis of the food poisoning outbreak you should provide details of where it happened, how many people became ill, what symptoms presented, what the average incubation period was, what food(s) were implicated and then confirmed, how the outbreak was investigated, what pathogen caused the illness (how was this pathogen confirmed?). How the organism contaminated the food and/or was allowed to multiply should be made very clear. Details on how the outbreak could have been avoided should also be discussed. The case analysis should clearly demonstrate relationship between the most common symptoms and incubation periods with that typically caused by the pathogen. You should provide some detail on the characteristics of the foodborne pathogens in context of the outbreak analysis.
Extra information:
Remember that you will be delivering this presentation to your classmates so it is important that your group make sense of the material and present it in a clear understandable manner. The number of slides should be around 10-12 and it should go for at least 9 minutes and no longer than 11 minutes. The slides should have not too much text and there should be a good mix with diagrams, pictures, tables etc. The sources of all figures etc should be acknowledged in the particular slides that they are used.
Tips for food poisoning bacteria oral presentation slide organisation.
-Always have bacterial names in italics (for the first time, write the bacterial name in full [e.g. Escherichia coli], then every time after that you can abbreviate the genus [e.g. E. coli]
-Use dot points and not sentences (less text is better)
-Include pictures, diagrams and tables (but make sure you explain them)
- Include one final summary slide which summarises the main points of the talk.
Useful link:
Bad Bug Book: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/intro.html
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Submission guidelines
Submission via Turnitin. An electronic copy of the assessment (video recording file) must be submitted through the Turnitin link on the course Blackboard website by the submission deadline. You should also keep an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.
Legal Declaration:
By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy (https://policies.uq.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=149) and understand its implications.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL). See 6.1 Assessment Related Policies & Guidelines for links to the University Guidelines and Applications for Extensions.
If an extension of due date is required, one representative of the group can apply on behalf of the group before the due date of the assessment item, online via the My Requests tab https://portal.my.uq.edu.au/#/dashboard.
End of semester exam
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
2/11/2024 - 16/11/2024
- Learning outcomes
- L03, L04
Task description
Aspects of the course covered in lectures and tutorials (and lab videos) will be assessed during the end of semester examination. The exam will be an on-campus exam.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
Refer to Course Grading and Assessment Hurdles in Additional course grading information.Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series or UQ approved , labelled calculator only |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 0 - 34% |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 35 - 46% |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: 47% - 49% |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 50% - 64% |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 65% - 74% |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 75% - 84% |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 85% - 100% |
Additional course grading information
Course Grading Rules and Assessment Hurdles
Students must achieve 50% or higher in the End of Semester (Final) Exam in order to pass the course.
If a student obtains an overall percentage greater than the cut-offs set to achieve a 4 or higher for the course based on marks from a combination of progressive assessment and the final exam and the student does NOT score 50% or higher in the final exam, they are unable to achieve a grade higher than a 3 (failing grade) for the course.
Students must address any additional assessment requirements identified in this eCP.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Assignment writing
You must not re-use past work from previous assessments in your assignments.
You are encouraged to:
- read the instructions for assignments carefully and ensure that you address all the requirements,
- refer to references both in the readings and beyond, and cite references in the appropriate manner,
- reflect on your own experience and provide insight and critical thinking,
- write clearly and concisely.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools
Students are not permitted to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT or text-to-speech (voice over) generators to produce any assessment material, including graphs, unless instructed to do so by the Course Coordinator. All submitted written assessment must be your own work and all oral assessment (including presentations or narration) must use your own voice unless an alternative has been arranged as part of a Student Access Plan (SAP).
Turnitin Assignments
Assignments that are required to be submitted through TurnItIn, must only be uploaded to the assessment specific Turnitin link on the relevant course Blackboard site. ﾠIf you submit any version of your assessment item to any other Turnitin link, this is considered cheating, and you will be held liable for this action.
Release of marks
Where there is an end-of-semester exam in the course:
Unless specifically indicated by the lecturer involved, every attempt will be made to have the results for progressive assessment tasks available within 3 weeks of submission. ﾠFor items of assessment submitted in the last 2 weeks of the semester, the results will be available before the day of your end of semester examination in the course, unless otherwise indicated by the Course Coordinator. ﾠResults and feedback availability will be advised to you by email or announced via the course Blackboard site.
Re-mark Applications – refer to the University's Re-mark Policy to check your eligibility.
Before applying for a remark, students should consider the following:
- You have consulted the course coordinator for feedback.
- Your academic grounds for remark have been discussed and are valid.
- Wanting a higher grade is not grounds for a remark. A remark can decrease your grade.
Remark applications will not be considered without first having contacted your Course Co-ordinator.
Information for students can be found at : https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/querying-result
Deferred and Supplementary assessment (including Deferred Examinations)
Deferred and Supplementary information can be located on the my.UQ website
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Lecture |
Food microbiology and foodborne disease Contains lectures on important microbes in foods, microbial ecology of food, microbiological examination of food, indicator organisms and general types of food poisoning and the causative agents. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
Multiple weeks From Week 2 To Week 7 |
Practical |
Food Microbiology Practical work Hands-on techniques for the isolation, enumeration and confirmation of bacteria from food. Learning outcomes: L05 |
Multiple weeks From Week 9 To Week 13 |
Tutorial |
Group oral presentations of foodborne pathogen Groups of students will prepare and present an oral presentation detailing a food poisoning outbreak. Learning outcomes: L06 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.