Topic outline

  • Microbiology analytical tools

    This course, led by Dr. CHERIF-ANNTAR, is designed for first-year students of the Professional Degree in "Food Industry Technology"

  • Course description

    Why do we get sick? Why does our food spoil and perish? How is milk transformed into yogurt or cheese? These processes are driven or influenced by microscopic organisms, invisible to the naked eye, which can be either beneficial or pathogenic.


    • Microbiology analytical tools

    • Microbiology is concerned with the study of microorganisms, whether bacteria, fungi, protozoa or viruses. A thorough knowledge of their physiology, genetics and interactions between them facilitates our understanding of the living world at the microscopic scale. The study of bacteria has been fully developed since methods were developed to cultivate, isolate and identify them. The acquisition of the main technical skills in microbiology will be achieved through the 08 chapters offered in this course.


  • Practical Work 1

    Objectives of Practical Work 1: Rules to follow during practical work in microbiology

    • Become familiar with a microbiology laboratory,
    • Discover the essential equipment for the application of microbiology techniques,
    • Know the operating principle and the usefulness of each equipment,
    • Learn the safety instructions and hygiene measures to follow and respect in the microbiology laboratory.

  • Practical Work 2

    Objectives of Practical Work 2: Demonstration of the presence of microorganisms in a microbiology laboratory

    • Detect the presence of microorganisms in a microbiology laboratory,
    • Discover the different sources of contamination,
    • Understand the need for sterilization.

  • Practical Work 3

    Objectives of Practical Work 3: Sterilization

    • Deduce from the previous chapter the need for sterilization,
    • Know the different types of sterilization,
    • Differentiate between the use of different sterilization methods.

  • Practical Work 4

    Objectives of Practical Work 4: Bacterial culture techniques/Preparation of culture media

    • -Know the favorable conditions for microbial growth,
    • -Know the different types of culture media,
    • -Learn how to prepare culture media,
    • -Learn how to use the different types of culture media.

  • Practical Work 5

    Objectives of Practical Work 5 : Bacterial culture techniques / Inoculation techniques

    • Know the inoculation techniques,
    • Learn the interest of each technique,
    • Master the manipulation of the different inoculation techniques.

  • Practical Work 6

    Objectives of Practical Work 6 :
    • Understand the Principle of Serial Dilution.
    • Learn how to systematically reduce the concentration of a microbial sample to obtain countable colonies.
    • Determine the concentration of microorganisms in a sample using the plate count method.

  • Practical Work 7

    Objectives of Practical Work 7:
    • Use a light microscope and focus;
    • Observe microorganisms in their fresh state, i.e., in their living state (bacteria, yeasts, and molds);
    • Determine the motility characteristics of bacteria

  • Practical Work 8

    Objectives of Practical Work 8:

    • Prepare bacterial smears;
    •  Perform a simple stain;
    •  Determine the morphology of bacteria after a simple smear stain;
    •  Determine the grouping of bacteria after a simple smear stain;
    •  Understand the advantages and disadvantages of simple staining.

  • Practical Work 9

    Objectives of Practical Work 9:

    • Perform double staining;
    • Classify bacteria according to their Gram type;
    • Determine the shape and grouping of bacteria;
    • Understand the advantages and disadvantages of Gram staining.