This integration course will discuss new applications of functional microbes in food processing and products and in the human gut. Selected topics will be used to illustrate the rapid development but also limits of basic knowledge for applications of functional microorganisms to produce food with high quality and safety, and for health benefits for consumers.
Learning objective
To understand the principles, roles and mechanisms of microorganisms with metabolic activities of high potential for application in traditional and functional foods, and for benefiting human health. This course will integrate basic knowledge in food microbiology, physiology, biochemistry, and technology.
Content
This course will address selected and current topics targeting functional characterization and new applications of microorganisms in food and for promoting human health. Specialists from the Laboratory of Food Biotechnology, as well as invited speakers from the industry will contribute to different topics:
- Probiotics and Prebiotics: human gut microbiota, functional foods and microbial-based products for gastrointestinal health and functionality, diet-microbiota interactions, molecular mechanisms; challenges for the production and addition of probiotics to foods.
- Protective Cultures and Antimicrobial Metabolites for enhancing food quality and safety: antifungal cultures; bacteriocin-producing cultures (bacteriocins); long path from research to industry in the development of new protective cultures.
- Legal and protection issues related to functional foods
- Industrial biotechnology of flavor and taste development
- Safety of food cultures and probiotics
Students will be required to complete a Project on a selected current topic relating to functional culture development, application and claims. Project will involve information research and critical assessment to develop an opinion, developed in an oral presentation.
Lecture notes
Copy of the power point slides from lectures will be provided.
Literature
A list of topics for group projects will be supplied, with key references for each topic.
Prerequisites / Notice
This lecture requires strong basics in microbiology.
Performance assessment
Performance assessment information (valid until the course unit is held again)
Performance assessment as a semester course
: Special students and auditors need a special permission from the lecturers