DairySafe

Throughout its trajectory, the group has combined basic and applied research with the aim of improving the quality and safety of foods, mainly dairy products. To this end, two complementary lines of research are addressed: 1. Study of the functionality of starter and protective lactic acid bacteria to foster a sustainable dairy food chain providing optimized starters with improved technological traits that prevent failed fermentations. 2. Development of appropriate antimicrobials to ensure the quality and safety of food throughout the production chain (biopreservatives). The study has focused on: a) Bacteriocins, including isolation, characterization and mode of action. B) Bacteriophages against pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, to prevent their development in food and on surfaces. C) Phage proteins with antimicrobial activity (enzybiotics) and antibiofilm activity, including genetic engineering of these proteins.