GenoMilks

About the project

Information The disadvantage of heat treatment through pasteurization – High-temperature-short-time method (HTST) of “fresh pasteurized milk” is the impossibility of controlling the spores found in it. A typical example of this case is the sporogenous bacterium Bacillus Cereus which is a result of contamination of milk on the farm and can potentially lead to food poisoning or sweet coagulation leading to organoleptic rejection of the product. The identification process of the specific bacterium is based on classic microbiological analyses, which, for the full protection of consumers, should be carried out on all finished products, which makes them economically and practically unprofitable. Therefore, it is considered appropriate to search for new methods such as the control and identification process through a system that will be based on prevention and prediction.

Until now, the commercial life of “fresh pasteurized milk” did not make it necessary and necessary to monitor and control the presence of spores of the bacteria in fresh and pasteurized milk. A recent legislative change, however, has led to an increase in the commercial life of the product, making it imperative to adapt and redesign quality and safety management systems as the responsibility now shifts entirely to the food industries.

Through the collaboration of the scientific groups of MEVGAL, AUTH and EKETA in the “GENOMILKS” research project, the development and combination of innovative tools and methods to mitigate the risk of the bacterium through the development of a predictive control model is sought. A fact that will lead to the improvement of the quality and safety of fresh pasteurized milk while simultaneously extending its shelf life, reducing the cost of quality control and, by extension, to significant benefits both for MEVGAL and for the Greek dairy industry in general.

My contribution

Being in close collaboration with MEVGAL S.A., the Microbiology Lab of — and my colleagues at INAB-CERTH.