Characteristics and activities of bacteria, yeasts, and moulds associated with foods as well as intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting microbial growth and activity in food will be covered. The importance and role of microorganisms in food processing; sampling and enumeration of microorganisms in foods; and the microbiology of sanitation and sanitary practices as related to food and food industries will be treated. Microbiological quality assurance, standard guidelines, specification index/indicator organisms including food preservation methods and food infection and intoxication will be covered. The concept of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) will be introduced. Investigation of foodborne disease outbreak will be treated. The course will also treat the metabolism of microorganisms of industrial importance (yeasts, moulds, bacteria and actinomycetes) as well as the microbiological and chemical aspects of fermentation with special emphasis on processes in the brewery and pharmaceutical industries. Use of microbes as food for humans (single cell protein) and steroid transformation will be treated. Techniques for the production of mutants and screening methods employed in the search for new antibiotics as well as industrial methods for the production of vaccine and microbial enzymes will be covered. Petroleum microbiology with emphasis on the microorganisms in oil exploration and decomposition will be introduced.

In Level 1 and 2 you studied the morphology of different parts of vascular plants. This concerned specifically the external structures of higher plants that are important for plant identification. In BOTS4106, you are going to familiarize with the internal structure of vascular plants; this require the use of microscope. Thus of the end of the course, you will able to:
1- Use a microscope to do observation of plant cells and structures;
2- Describe some specificity of plant cells;
3- Describe plant tissues involved in plant growth (meristematic tissues);
4- Differentiate the various primary and secondary tissues of vascular plants;
5- Give the organization/arrangement of tissues in vascular plants according to the plant parts and taxonomic groups.