The Department is engaged in the basic, applied and contract research. Research is focused on properties of milk as a raw material and the development of technological processes in dairy industry and their application in production of milk based foods. In this context, innovative technologies for production of functional foods based on probiotics, prebiotics and biological active components of milk are explored. An indispensable part of the research is study of the main sources of microorganisms in dairy and fat products and of their influence on the shelf life and microbial safety of products. Research in microbiology further focuses on development of starter cultures and their use in the dairy and fat industry. The properties of lactic acid bacteria, their preservative and probiotic effects are investigated as well. Research in the processing of fats includes processes for recovery and refining of oils and fats, modifications of fats and improvement of technologies for production of fat foods and technical fats. Study of physico-chemical properties of surfactants and their use in technology of detergents, industrial and household chemistry and rheological properties of dairy, fat and cosmetic products are other important research areas covered by the Department.
Current research topics and areas of expertise:
• Technology of milk and milk products, especially technology of whey processing, cheeses, processed cheeses, butter, fermented milk products, evaporated milk and long life milk products
• Fractionation of whey proteins, lactose hydrolysis and galactoologosaccharides preparation and isolation
• Products based on mixture of milk and vegetable fat
• Properties and utilization of colostrum
• Instrumental analytical methods in the dairy industry
• Membrane processes in dairy industry
• Rheological properties of milk products
• Modeling of processes for cheese production
• Applied microbiology in dairy, fat and cosmetics industry. Methods for improvement of the microbial quality and shelf stability of products. Introducing HACCP
• Instrumental methods in dairy microbiology
• Probiotic properties of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria
• Production of antimicrobial substances by lactic acid bacteria and research on bacteriocins
• In vitro cholesterol transformation by lactic acid bacteria
• Isolation of new strains of lactic acid bacteria with functional properties
• Influence of prebiotic on lactic acid bacteria growth
• Emulsion encapsulation of probiotic microorganisms
• Characteristics and applications of antimicrobial substances of natural origin
• Recovery and refining of oils and fats. Modifications of fats, structured fats
• Technology and rheological properties of plastic and emulsified fats
• Instrumental analytical methods in fat industry
• Issue of 3-chloropropane-1,2-diol formation in vegetable oils
• Synthesis and determination cholesterol oxidation products
• Synthesis of phenolic antioxidants and determination of their activity
• Chemistry, technology and properties of surfactants, detergents and cosmetic products
• Measurement of skin parameters after application of cosmetic products
• Influence of activators on the physic-chemical properties of detergents
Contacts
Prof. Vladimir Filip, Ph.D., Department Head
Tel: +420 220 44 3268, E-mail: Vladimir.Filip@vscht.cz