Development of a scientific infrastructure for the study, conservation and exploitation of the biodiversity of the microbial communities of the traditional fermented foods and wines of the Peloponnese region

Co-financed by Greece and the European Union

"Development of a scientific infrastructure for the study, conservation and exploitation of the biodiversity of the microbial communities of the traditional fermented foods and wines of the Peloponnese region" (MIS 5047289)

Operational Program "Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation 2014-2020"

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

Budget: €2,056,250.00

Description

The objective of this project is to establish a scientific infrastructure dedicated to researching, conserving, and harnessing the microbial biodiversity found in the traditional fermented foods and wines of the Peloponnese region. We investigate the microbial communities within various products, including "Kalamata" PDO table olives, pickled eggplant, traditional sourdough, PDO Sfela cheese, traditional sheep yogurt, traditional fermented sausages, and PDO wines from Mantineia and Nemea.

Fermented foods are the result of a biotransformation process where microorganisms transform raw materials into new products with distinct compositions, organoleptic properties, nutritional values, and shelf lives. The quality of these products heavily relies on the microorganisms involved, which can either be indigenous to the raw materials or introduced through inoculation with pre-fermented products (backslopping). On an industrial scale, commercial starter cultures are commonly employed. These well-characterized microorganisms are often isolated from different sources than the final product, especially in the case of local traditional items. Consequently, the use of commercial starter cultures can potentially alter the unique characteristics of traditional fermented foods. Conversely, the indigenous microorganisms from raw materials and those introduced through backslopping can contribute to the creation of an identity recognized as unique by consumers.

The project implementation includes several key components: registration of producers of selected traditional fermented foods and wines from the Peloponnese region, metagenomic analysis and isolation of microorganisms from samples, qualitative and organoleptic analysis of samples, characterization of microbial communities in terms of their technological and probiotic properties, genomic and metabolomic analysis of strains with high potential in controlled fermentations, and the production of traditional fermented foods and wines in laboratory scale using the most promising strains. The final fermented products are subjected to further analysis for quality and organoleptic characteristics. Upon project completion, we will establish a relational database linking strains to their properties, as identified through technological and probiotic testing, as well as qualitative and organoleptic evaluations of fermentation products.

As part of this project, funding has been allocated for state-of-the-art laboratory equipment, including:

This modern equipment will enhance the development and competitiveness of our scientific infrastructure.

Benefits

The industrial production of traditional fermented foods using commercial starter cultures poses a threat to the biodiversity of fermentation microbial communities and can lead to the degeneration of the unique characteristics of these products. Our project aims to identify and showcase the distinctive attributes of traditional fermented foods and wines from the Peloponnese region, emphasizing the competitive advantages of these products, which are produced within the region.

This project will create the necessary infrastructure to preserve the microbial diversity of microorganisms used in the production of traditional fermented foods in the Peloponnese region. Our ultimate goal is to establish a collection of well-characterized microorganisms that can be employed to produce fermented foods with consistently high-quality characteristics. These products will strengthen the "Peloponnese" identity in both domestic and foreign markets. Our objectives align directly with the priorities set for the Peloponnese region in the field of Agri-Food and Processing. Achieving these goals will involve providing microorganisms to SMEs in the Peloponnese region, guiding them in their proper use, and recommending best practices for maintaining high and consistent product quality.