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During the Fall 2011, Spring and Fall 2012, Dr Jennifer Patterson conducted hands-on food safety, microbiology activities in local high and middle schools (Columbia High School, Chapman Middle School, Challenger Middle School, Lee High School). The total number of students who participated in the activities were 496; 253 (grades 9-12); 243 (Grades 7-8). The various modules and performance objectives are given below here. They were given a pre and a post test. The assessment results are given in Figure 1.
During September 2012, high school students were brought from regional high schools to the Alabama A&M University. Students were first given an overview of careers in food science and then broken up into various groups led by guides from the department. Students then went through all the different areas of food science and were given opportunity for hands-on experiments in food safety by Dr. Jennifer Patterson (Post-doctoral research associate in Food Safety). Lastly, they were explained the importance and application of food safety in the food industry by graduate students.
During the summer 2012 (month of June), high school students were part of a 4 week program in the hands-on application of food science/food microbiology and food safety at Alabama A&M University. The students learned basic microbiological techniques in enumeration of bacteria. The training was given by graduate students.
A total of 55 students were brought to Alabama A&M University on 5 Saturdays during the Spring 2012 (February and March) to conduct Food Science/Food Safety hands on activities. During the introduction session students were explained the objectives of the workshop and then divided into groups. Several demonstrations and hands-on activities were included in addition to pre and posttests in food safety/science. The sessions were presented by graduate students. Students were also exposed to the daily applications of microbiology in everyday life in the development of food products such as yogurt. They made yogurt and were able to eat their products.
Alabama A&M University hosted an 8-week food science summer program during 2012 for high school students. The program emphasized Food Microbiology, food product development, and HACCP. Students were given hands-on experience through the process of product development to learn basic food safety and principles of HACCP. They were taken through the steps in product development, studied shelf life, and were given hands-on experience in microbial enumeration and plate counts. Graduate students served as mentors to the summer interns in the areas of Food Science (Food Biochemistry, Food Toxicology, Food Microbiology, and Food Process engineering) with a special emphasis on food safety during product development. For more information contact Martha Verghese martha.verghese@aamu.edu.
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