Isolation and characterization of lactic acid bacteria for the valorization of goat cheese local production in the Lessinia area (Verona province, Veneto region, Italy)

Starting date
April 1, 2017
Duration (months)
36
Departments
Biotechnology
Managers or local contacts
Felis Giovanna

The present project aims at establishing a close connection with the partner company Malga Faggioli 1140, a small farm breeding goats and producing goat cheese in the Prealps close to Verona. The technical part will be dedicated to the investigation of the evolution of microbiological components during ripening of one of their most important cheeses, a hard-cheese called Ponk. Analysis of microbial biodiversity will also be performed at company's premises and surroundings, to try to find peculiar strains possibly useful to be used as non starter adjunct cultures to increase typicality of the product. Strains will be identified and characterized, with particular attention to the safety aspects, and the production of experimental cheeses, completed with chemical and a sensory analysis to verify their overall acceptability, will constitute the experimental study.
Furthermore, a study on the feasibility of realizing a microbial culture collection following international standards will be evaluated.
Finally, results will be disseminated, both in the scientific community and among customers of company’s products as well as citizens of the province of Verona, as a marketing strategy but also to increase attention over small productions of the Lessinia mountain area.

Sponsors:

Funds: assigned and managed by the department

Project participants

Giovanna Felis
Associate Professor
Research areas involved in the project
Biotecnologie ambientali: bioenergie, bioraffinerie e biorisanamento
Applied biotechnology (non-medical), bioreactors, applied microbiology
Biologia, fisiologia e biochimica delle piante
Food sciences

Activities

Research facilities

Share