Agri Food Chain Microbiology

Connecting animal production and animal health with food safety concepts should be more integrated into modern food microbiology curricula. Within the concept of One Agri-Food Health, this includes all factors that influence the microbiological risks from the farm to the market.

The overall microbiological safety of food of animal origin should include the impact of measures and interventions at pre-harvest and post-harvest levels, such as feed safety and feeding modulations, hygiene and housing of farm animals, farm biosecurity, epizootiology/epidemiology of current biological hazards transmitted through the food chain, slaughterhouse hygiene and food processing hygiene. Furthermore, recent progress in laboratory tools and methods may significantly enhance the microbiological risk assessment applicable within the Agri-Food Chain approach.

During the course, practical training will be provided at several different locations: farms, slaughterhouses, molecular, -omics and microbiological laboratories and a computer classroom. The majority of lectures and seminars will be organized as Distance Learning.

Upon completion of this course students will be able to:
– explain the impact of feeding, biosecurity, and welfare of farm animals on (microbial) risks in the food chain;
– analyze food chain information (FCI) and harmonized epidemiological indicators;
– assess the microbiological risks in the food chain;
– conduct microbiological/serological/molecular analyses of food-chain samples and interpret results;
– explain the integrated meat safety system from farm to slaughterhouse; and
– select and implement the technological/hygiene interventions to reduce microbiological risks in the food chain.

ECTS credits: 60 ECTS
Duration: 2 semesters – 1 year
Price per semester: 6.000 EUR
Leader: Associate Professor Nevijo Zdolec, DVM, PhD
email: nzdolec@vef.hr

Agri Food Chain Microbiology
21. Apr
Great news!

Great news!

This postgraduate master course has entered the final stage of accreditation at the University of Zagreb. So we expect to be enrolling new students in the Fall of 2021. Stay tuned and watch the news on our webpage!  

prof. dr. sc. Nevijo Zdolec

redoviti profesor
Nevijo Zdolec

izv. prof. dr. sc. Mario Ostović

Predstojnik; izvanredni profesor
Mario Ostović

izv. prof. dr. sc. Hrvoje Valpotić

izvanredni profesor
Hrvoje Valpotić

prof. dr. sc. Marina Pavlak

Predstojnica; redovita profesorica
Marina Pavlak

The student can obtain a certificate of course attendance (PG certificate) for the following courses:

Integrated meat safety system (10 ECTS credits)

Detection of microorganisms in the food chain (5 ECTS credits).

The same courses will be recognized to the student if they choose to enroll in the complete postgraduate master study in Agri-Food Chain Microbiology.

Mandatory courses

Farm biosecurity
Impact of animal feeding on the  safety of food of animal origin
Animal welfare and meat safety
Antimicrobial resistance in the food chain
Integrated meat safety system
Epidemiology in the food chain
Food microorganisms: introduction
Food preservation
Microbial spoilage of food
Beneficial food microorganisms
Alimentary infections and intoxications
Detection of microorganisms in the food chain

Elective courses

From the studies “Forensic Veterinary Medicine”, “Farm biosecurity” or “Veterinary epidemiology”

Are you thinking of studying Veterinary Medicine in Zagreb?

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