Faculty of Agriculture Guest Lecture: Biofilm Formation and AMR in the Food Industry with Prof. Etinosa O. Igbinosa

 

Faculty of Agriculture • University of Mauritius

Deep Dive into Food Safety and Microbiology: Guest Lecture by Prof. Etinosa O. Igbinosa

On Friday, June 19, 2026, The Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Mauritius (UoM) organised a guest lecture, delivered by Prof. Etinosa O. Igbinosa from the University of Benin, Nigeria, for a deep dive into the complex world of food safety and microbiology.at the R. Burrenchobay Lecture Theatre (RBLT). Prof. Etinosa O. Igbinosa was our external examiner for the final year of the BSc Microbiology Programme for the academic year 2025/2026.

About Professor Etinosa O. Igbinosa

Professor Etinosa O. Igbinosa is an internationally recognized molecular and environmental microbiologist whose pioneering research has significantly advanced understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), waterborne pathogens, and environmental health in Africa and globally. His work integrates molecular epidemiology, genomics, and public health surveillance to address critical challenges at the human–environment interface. Prof. Igbinosa has led highimpact, policy-relevant research on multidrug-resistant bacteria in food, aquatic and clinical ecosystems, informing risk assessment and control strategies. He is a prolific scholar, distinguished research leader, and mentor, whose scientific contributions have strengthened research capacity, fostered international collaboration, and influenced evidence-based public health interventions across low- and middle-income countries.

His talk, titled

"Biofilm Formation, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Emerging Foodborne Pathogens: Implications for Food Safety, Risk Assessment, and Hygiene in the Food Industry"

From how emerging pathogens evolve to outsmart standard antibiotics, to the practical risk assessments required to keep our global food supply safe, Prof. Igbinosa’s insights provided us a reminder: maintaining food hygiene isn’t just about routine scrubbing—it’s about understanding microbial behaviour at a survivalist level.

click here for more info on the AMR and One Health

What happens when bacteria team up, build a microscopic shield around themselves, and become completely resistant to traditional cleaning methods? You get one of the food industry's biggest modern hurdles: biofilms.

click here for a summary of the talk on biofilm

As pathogens evolve more sophisticated defence mechanisms like biofilms and drug resistance, our food safety management systems (like HACCP) must evolve just as quickly to keep consumers safe.

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