Microbiology and fermentation

Food Microbiology, Gut Health, and Fermentation

The section conducts research within gut health, food fermentation and starter culture functionality, food preservation and spoilage including biocontrol, microbial food safety and hygiene, gut microflora and probiotics in humans and animals, and microbiological quality assurance.

The research covers basic and applied studies from the molecular and single cell level to the operational food production level. We investigate foodborne bacteria, yeasts, moulds and phages, as well as their interactions with food, equipment surfaces or gastrointestinal matrices.

The ecological and metabolic studies carried out facilitate the deliberate use of microbes for improving sensory characteristics, increasing shelf life, designing new products, improving health or preventing growth of pathogenic bacteria. New processing technologies are also investigated in relation to microbiological quality and safety of food, feed or water.

The section has a wide range of analytical techniques including high through-put qPCR and specialized equipment for studying and manipulating single cells.

Research areas

  • Food fermentation
  • Probiotics
  • Food quality and safety
  • Food processing technology 
  • Gut microflora
  • Hygiene and sanitation

Contact

Dennis Sandris Nielsen
Head of Section
Tel: (+45) 35 33 32 87
E-mail: dn@food.ku.dk


Lisbet Snedstrup ChristensenLisbet Snedstrup Christensen
Secretary
Tel: (+45) 35 33 32 38
E-mail: lsm@food.ku.dk