Corinne Gantenbein,
Professor in Food Microbiology (retired)
Food Microbiology (Course: Food and Meat Hygiene 2A)
Namibian University of Science and Technology
Faculty of Health & Applied Sciences
Virtual Volunteering
May 3 - 31, 2021
Corinne Gantenbein
subject matter taught
Experiencing food microbiology not only in theory but also in practical exercises is certainly a prerequisite to sensitize students to the topic of food safety. Due to Corona, most of the lessons had to take place in virtual classrooms. Nevertheless, thanks to the support of colleague Dr. Rudolf Schmitt and the kind team at NUST, the students were able to gain an insight into the laboratory analysis of a food product. In the group project "World Food Safety Day" students were guided to discuss relevant aspects of food safety and food spoilage using local products such as mopane worms. "Stand for food safety - stand for life!" - this key message formulated by a Namibian student last year will certainly be remembered hopefully by all of them.
Personal Note
I think it was mainly the logistical challenges that were the biggest hurdle for the Namibian students. And the fact that the virtual classroom suddenly felt very lonely probably had less to do with a lack of interest in the course content than with the lack of abundant internet access. Despite these challenges, the students' great commitment to their group work on the topic of "World Food Safety Day" and their great curiosity during the practical part in the on-site lab showed that they had gained an understanding for the essential aspects.
