COURSE OVERVIEW

Food sampling is a process used to check that a food is safe and that it does not contain harmful contaminants, or that it contains only permitted additives at acceptable levels, or that it contains the right levels of key ingredients and its label declarations are correct, or to know the levels of nutrients present. A food sample is carried out by subjecting the product to physical analysis. Analysis may be undertaken by or on behalf of a manufacturer regarding their own product, or for official food law enforcement or control purposes, or for research or public information.
The purpose of this course is to present the theory and practical application of biological sampling in the food processing chain from farm through to processing plant. The course will cover basics of food safety, introduction to common organisms associated with food spoilage and poisoning including bacteria, fungus and moulds, introduction to sampling theory, explanation of how microorganisms move through the food chain and practical sampling techniques.