University Of Johannesburg Faculty of Science Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology

Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology

What is Biotechnology?

Biotechnology offers a diversification of biological knowledge, predominantly of microorganisms, to equip you in the identification and characterisation of bacteria contaminating industrially significant products. Your local supermarket supplies beverages and food products that can be infected with fungi and bacteria. Your girlfriends’ make-up can also be contaminated with microbes. Knowledge of the potential contaminants and techniques to screen these products are essential to maintain product quality. Biotechnology trains graduates with the necessary skills, knowledge, and subject excellence to meet and exceed the requirements of the Biotechnology Industry. The graduates must be able to apply Biotechnology and they must be able to convey their expertise to the Industry in order to develop applied research to the benefit of students, staff and industry.

What is Food Technology?

Welcome to Food Technology. Do you know what food technology is though? Many people are under the misconception that in food technology we either teach our students how to cook, or how to plan diets. This is very far from the truth since food technology is about the science behind the manufacturing of food products on an industrial scale. It incorporates many disciplines such as food microbiology, food chemistry and food engineering. Food technologists fulfil important positions in food manufacturing companies such as quality control, production management and new product development. We pride ourselves on the fact that our students are competently prepared for this exciting career and that they are well sought after in the food industry.

Our Vision and Mission

To provide quality teaching with strong core science concepts and an application-oriented undergraduate and post-graduate education along with a solid foundation in the rapidly expanding fields of biotechnology and food technology that will enable the Department to produce high-quality professionals. Our goal is to provide students with sound knowledge and understanding of current theories, concepts and laboratory practices in Biotechnology and Food Technology. In so doing, we strive to:

Generate high-quality Biotechnology and Food technology professionals by offering Under Graduate (Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Honours) and Post Graduate (MSc and PhD) programmes in the Biotechnology and Food Technology disciplines. We would also endeavour to develop a premier Biotechnology and Food Technology teaching and research Department to cater for the needs and challenges of the country and the world at large.
Initiate a level of attitude in research scholars that will provide solutions to environmental, industrial, agricultural, food and health-based problems.
Equip and subsequently graduate students who can compete, with advantage, within the relevant academic and commercial markets in the world.