Laboratory of Food Microbiology - Cesena

The laboratory of applied food microbiology is located at the Campus of Food Science in Cesena. Currently, the staff involved in the lab is composed by Prof. Rosalba Lanciotti, Prof. Fausto Gardini, Prof. Francesca Patrignani, Prof. Lucia Vannini, Prof. Andrea Gianotti, Dr Giulia Tabanelli, Dr Chiara Montanari, Dr Lorenzo Siroli, Dr Davide Gottardi, Dr Lorenzo Nissen and Dr Giacomo Braschi.

The staff involved in the laboratory carries out research activities within regional, national, and international projects and teaching activities. In addition, research contracts commissioned by agro-food and environmental industries are also performed.

Research Fields

The main research fields deal with:

• Selection, technological and functional characterization of new microbial strains to be used as starter, co-starter or bioprotective cultures in food sector

• Evaluation of microbiological shelf-life and safety of food products in the context of formulation and process innovation, including also innovative non-thermal technologies

• Selection and taxonomic and functional characterization of new potential probiotic strains to be used in food products

• Validation of the obtained results in pilot plant and support for the industrial scale-up

• Valorisation of Agri-food byproducts and waste by tailored biotechnological approaches based on GRAS microorganisms.

Laboratory equipment

The laboratory of applied food microbiology is equipped with instruments for microbiological, chemical and molecular analyses as well as pilot plants. , and specifically:

• Fermenters (5-10L)

• High Pressure Homogenizer (HPH)

• Gas-chromatographs coupled with mass spectrometry detectors

• Digesters simulating the main steps of intestinal digestion

• Scanning electron microscope (SEM)

• Flow cytometer (BD Accurri)

• Equipment for molecular analyses (PCR, RT-PCR, DGGE, HRM)

• Digesters MiniBio (Applikon)

• Electrophoretic chambers, autoclaves, spectrophometers UV-VIS, laminar flow hood and small laboratory equipment

• Optical and fluorescence microscopes.

Services and consulting

Within the laboratory of Applied Food Microbiology, consultancy, technology transfer and innovation activities are carried out for industries working in the Agri-food sector. Specifically, the laboratory can validate the results in pilot plants and at industrial scale in relation to the innovative development concerning:

• Taxonomic, technological, and functional characterization of new microbial strains to be used as starter, co-starter or bioprotective cultures to allow product diversification and innovation.

• Evaluation of microbiological shelf-life and safety of food products in the context of formulation and process innovation, including also innovative non-thermal technologies, by using also molecular techniques.

• Probiotic strains to be used in food products and formulation and beneficial for different purposes.

All the activities available as contract research commissioned are reported in a special tariff.

Teaching activities

The Laboratory offers its resources to support:

• Lab activities for bachelor and master courses in the field of applied food microbiology

• Development of bachelor and master’s thesis

• Development of research projects of PhD students and postdoctoral students

• The set-up of training activities for companies and institutions in the field of food microbiology.