C – Microbes in food: risks and benefits
| This pillar studies the improvement of food safety, considering the risks of contaminations with microbial pathogens and chemical agents. The main goal is the establishment of strategies to reduce the risks to human health, helping industries to overcome bottlenecks and to boost their competitiveness in international trade. |  |
Research Projects
- Project C.1: Evaluation of microbial risks and risks in food - from primary production to consumption
- Aims: To collect data on the occurrence of emerging pathogens in the target foods, their characterization and efficacy of the control measures.
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Subprojects:
C.1.1 - Characterization and control of microbial hazards in organic and non-organic vegetables;
C.1.2 - Modeling of cross-contamination of meat and meat products at the retail level.
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Project C.2: Beneficial effects of interactions between microorganisms in foods (quorum-sensing, cross-talk, signaling molecules, etc.).
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Aims: To explore the benefits of these interactions for the control of undesirable microorganisms in food, improving safety and quality.
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Project C.3: Bioactive compounds produced by lactic bacteria: Potential applications in food to improve quality and safety.
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Aims: to evaluate the potential of the compounds produced by the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (enzymes, vitamins, sweeteners, exopolysaccharides, antimicrobial agents) as functional ingredients in foods.
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Subprojects:
C.3.1 - Application of bacteriocins producing lactic acid bacteria for food biopreservation;
C.3.2 - Prospecting of vitamin-producing bacteria in milk for the production of biofortified dairy products;
3.3.3 - Exploring the proteolytic activity of lactic acid bacteria for the reduction of allergy to milk proteins.
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Project C.4: Metagenomic and metabolomic approach for microbiological characterization and safety of Canastra cheese
- Aims: to determine the composition and variation of the microbiota of milk, cane and Canastra cheese, aiming to determine the influence of the microbial community on the quality and safety of the final product.