1. DAIRY SCIENCE University of Ljubljana Biotechnical Faculty

2. RESEARCH GROUP Milk and Dairy Products Development of Probiotic Preparations – Study of Functional Properties “in vitro” and “in vivo” Slovenian Cheeses with Geographical Origin – indicators of recognition, quality and safety CURRENT RESEARCH PROGRAM AND PROJECTS Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food D. Sc. Ph.D. Students Consultants 7 322 Technicians  Analysis of Bacteriocin Genes and Expression Studies on Two Probiotic Strains, Lactobacillus gasseri LF221 and K7

3. CHRONOLOGY Collaboration - Prof. L.Morelli; University of Piacenza 1991 BACTERIOCINOGENIC LAB Lactobacillus LF221 METHODS, COLLECTION OF BACTERIOCINOGENIC STRAINS AND INDICATOR STRAINS

4.  SCREENING of LAB from different sources  ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY  BACTERIOCINS ACTIVITY  BACTERIOCINS PRODUCTION STUDIES  TESTING FOR BASIC PROBIOTIC PROPERTIES: resistance to bile, low pH, antibiotic resistance, adhesion STUDIES (in vitro) 1996  PURIFICATION OF BACTERIOCINS Collaboration - Prof. I.F. Nes; Laboratory of Microbial Gene Technology, Agricultural University of Norway  AMINO ACID SEQUENCE

5. 1998 STUDIES (in vivo) – ANIMAL MODELS  BACTERIOCIN SPECIFIC PROBE  NEW HUMAN ISOLATE - Lactobacillus K7 1997 CLASSIFICATION OF LF221 BACTERIOCINS BASED ON THEIR GENETIC DETERMINANTS Collaboration - Prof. T.R. Klaenhammer; Food Science and Microbiology, North Carolina State University, USA 2000 FINAL IDENTIFICATION OF STRAINS

6. CLASSIFICATION OF K7 BACTERIOCINS BASED ON THEIR GENETIC DETERMINANTS 2002 STUDIES (in vivo) – gnotobiotic pigs + 2001 TESTING OF TECHNOLOGICAL PROPERTIES 2003 CLINICAL STUDIES

7. In vivo TRIALS TECHNOLOGICALTRIALS Survival Adhesion Competitive exclusion Immune stimulation Survival Technol. properties Food - carrier Protective culture

8. Origin and Authenticity of cheeses CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINE (8 Cheeses/1 hold this distinction) Legal designation awarded to cheeses of unique quality where traditional methods of production are used. Regulations govern Region Breed of milk producing animal Cheesemaking process Cheese composition and Physical Attributes Flavour, Texture, Colour and Aroma

9. WP1 Selection of producers, Description of traditional procedure WP2 Analyses of milk and cheeses Microbiology, Chemistry, Organoleptic evaluation WP3Selection of methods and indicators, Validation of methods Collection of tipical microflora PRELIMINAR – ANALYTICAL BLOCK METHODICAL - EDUCATIONAL BLOCK EVALUATIONAL - SINTHETICAL BLOCK Slovenian Cheeses with Geographical origin – indicators of recognition, quality and safety WP4Education of producers, presentation of indicators WP5 Evaluation of results, report