DEPARTMENT  OF MICROBIOLOGY

The Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Engineering within the Department of Microbiology was established in November 2020 for the needs of research and development conducted at the Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology related to biotechnology, systems biology, genomics and genetic engineering. The research conducted in the laboratory uses innovative “omics” technologies, i.e. high-throughput next generation sequencing (NGS), including genome and transcriptome analyses, proteomic and metabolomic analyses using mass spectrometry (LC / MS), as well as the latest genomic engineering methods based on CRISPR / Cas enabling targeted and precise editing of the genome based on cisgenesis and recombination of DNA with the use of expression vectors. Activities in the field of innovative research are focused on the development strategies of the food market aimed at producing healthy food, oriented, inter alia, at the prevention of human civilization diseases.

The research activities include:

• identification and functional analysis of the metagenome and metatranscriptome of microorganisms and their metabolites for potential application in industrial biotechnology,
• functional genetic modification of microorganisms, including over-expression of functional proteins, as well as the interaction of microorganisms with eukaryotic cells,
• identification of new metabolic pathways and their protein metabolites to use their natural bacteriocinogenic activity to develop new bio-innovative products in the field of food disinfection and preservation,
• the possibility of using specific, lytic bacteriophages in the food chain as natural, unconventional preservatives using genome and transcriptome analysis methods,
• in vitroculture of intestinal epithelial cells to assess the adhesion of intestinal bacteria and molecular mechanisms of transmembrane transport of xenobiotics, nutrients, the influence of bioactive components of the diet on the physiology of the intestinal mucosa and the pathogenesis of civilization diseases.

Contact

Head of Laboratory:

prof. Edyta Juszczuk-Kubiak, D.Sc. phone +48 603 507 330, edyta.juszczuk-kubiak@ibprs.pl

Manager:

prof. Barbara Sokołowska D.Sc.
phone +48 22 606 38 00
mobile +48 609 260 100
e-mail: barbara.sokolowska@ibprs.pl

Department of Microbiology – Collection of Industrial Microorganisms

Prof. Wacław Dąbrowski Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology – State Research Institute’s Collection of Industrial Microorganisms (pol. KKP) was created in 1950. KKP is the largest institution of this type in Poland. It contains about 3,000 strains of industrial microorganisms, such as yeasts, bacteria, and filamentous fungi, isolated from food and its production environments.

Collection of Industrial Microorganisms work includes preservation, storage, identification, and sharing of microbial strains. Storage techniques include freeze-drying, cryopreservation, and inoculation to suitable media. To ensure the safety of deposits, the Collection employs two methods of long-term storage for each microorganism. In addition, microorganisms are identified with classical (microscopic analysis, selective media) and molecular biology methods. Open collection deposits can be used for academic, scientific, or industrial purposes.

The Collection belongs to European Culture Collections Organisation (ECCO), World Federation for Culture Collection (WFCC), and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). From 2003 to 2004, the Collection took part in the European Biological Resource Centers Network project. Participation allowed European standards adaptation and introduction to the work of the Collection. An electronic catalog of open deposits was also created. Since 2005 the Collection has participated in the National Information Network on Biodiversity in Poland, a part of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Collection of Industrial Microbial Cultures is a Partner in the IS_MIRRI21 project (Implementation And Sustainability Of Microbial Resource Research Infrastructure For The 21st Century) supported by the European Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 871129-IS_MIRRI21 Project. It is implemented by collaborating with 14 Partnering Institutions from 10 European countries, including the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI). The consortium aims to integrate existing public collections of microorganism cultures. Its activities include the creation of pan-European research infrastructure, harmonization and standardization of procedures used in culture collections, and creating a codified offer targeted at scientific communities and industrial clients.

KKP has the status of the International Depository Authority regarding deposits for purposes of the patent procedure under the terms of the Budapest Treaty granted in 2000 by the World Intellectual Property Organization.

The Collection also offers long-term storage of microorganisms under the ‘safe deposit’. Microorganisms placed in a safe deposit are not passed on to third parties or are not made public. Above mentioned deposits are treated as confidential until the taxonomic name with the KKP number of the strain is published in the scientific journal or the depositor agrees to make the strain public. This type of deposit does not meet the requirements of the patent deposit.

Please note that the KKP only accepts deposits of microorganisms belonging to the 1st or 2nd risk group by Directive 2000/54/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 September 2000 on the protection of workers from risks related to exposure to biological agents at work (seventh individual directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC).

The KKP offers the abovementioned services in the field of microbiology:

• Isolation and purification of strains, microbial counting
• Identification of bacteria (MALDI TOF-MS, 16S rDNA sequencing)
• Identification of yeast and fungi (MALDI TOF-MS, region D1/D2 26S rDNA gene sequencing and ITS1 and ITS2 5.8S rDNA gene sequencing)
• Basic bacteria characterization including gram staining cultivation-based assays including salt and pH tolerance and temperature range
• Long term storage (freeze-drying, cryopreservation)
• Safe Deposit; Public Deposit; Patent Deposit services
• Microorganisms facilitating for academic, scientific, or industrial purposes.

Contact

Manager:
Justyna Nasiłowska M.Sc. Eng.
phone: +48 22 606 37 49
e-mail: justyna.nasilowska@ibprs.pl

DEPARTMENT OF GRAIN PROCESSING AND BAKERY

Department of Grain Processing and Bakery was incorporated into the Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology in 2003. The Department was established on the basis of the Central Laboratory of Grain Storage and Processing and National Research Institute of Baking.

The Grain Processing and Baking Department laboratory is approved by GAFTA (The Grain and Feed Trade Association).

Department of Grain Processing and Bakery offers cooperation in the fields of:

• assessment of technological value of cereal grains processing for products intended for human consumption,
• improving techniques and processing technology, storage and maintenance of cereal grains,
• improving techniques and processing of bakery and pastry products,
• development of new or improved existing methods for assessing the quality and marketing standards for cereal grains and products as well as bakery and pastry products,
• development of standard documents for companies,
• assessment of the quality of cereal grains and products as well as bakery and pastry products
• assessment of suitability of new apparatus for determining the quality of cereal grains and products, as well as bakery and pastry products for the needs of the business,
• development of new and applied calibration verification and attestation of devices in laboratories working in all sectors of the wheat industry as a part of Calibration Techniques Center,
• development and verification of the calibration of electrical moisture meters for cereal grain (1st and 2nd class accuracy) and attestation of devices in industrial laboratories,
• proficiency testing for quality assessment of wheat and wheat flour,
• training in research methods and standardization of the quality of cereal grains, cereal and bakery products.

Contact

Manager:
Anna Szafrańska D.Sc.
phone +48 22 606 38 85
mobile +48 601 948 988
e-mail: anna.szafranska@ibprs.pl

DEPARTMENT OF MEAT AND FAT TECHNOLOGY

The Department of Meat and Fat Technology carries out scientific and research tasks devoted to the development of meat and fat science and production technology as well as solving current problems of the meat and fat industry in Poland.

Research activities include:

• developing methods for classifying slaughter animals and qualitative assessment of meat, products and food additives,
• improving slaughter techniques and technological processes,
• new production methods of meat products, with particular emphasis on improving their nutritional quality and safety, meat processing without nitrites and nitrates, organic products,  research on the sources and mechanisms of the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs),
• isolation of environmental lactic acid bacteria strains and assessment of their probiotic, antioxidant, antibacterial and technological properties and use them as starter cultures in the meat processing,
• the research influence of bacteria on the changes taking place in the muscle and fat tissue, shaping the desired quality characteristics and health safety of meat products,
• study of the mechanisms of microbial transformation of meat heme pigments and the influence of bacteria on the colour formation of meat products without the addition of nitrites and nitrates,
• research on the antioxidant properties of biologically active peptides of meat and meat products,
• research in the field of fats includes, in particular, works on rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, corn oil, palm oil, olive oil, cocoa fat (CB), milk fat, animal fat, margarines and others,
• quality and authenticity analysis of cocoa butter and cocoa butter equivalents CBE, expertise and identification of oils and fats
• research work covers technological and analytical issues such as: pressed oil, oil extraction, refining, modification (blending, hydrogenation, interesterification), quality and authenticity assessment, and production of food products, including health-promoting fat products with increased nutritional value,
• analysis of fat deterioration processes in frying fats and during storage of products,
• research on the oleogels utilization as solid fat alternative in food products and emulsions,

research is carried out on physical transformations of oils under high pressure conditions up to 1 GPa.

Contact

Manager:
Piotr Szymański D.Sc.
phone (+48) 22 509 70 27
mobile (+48) 603 500 203
e-mail: piotr.szymanski@ibprs.pl

DEPARTMENT OF DISTILLERY TECHNOLOGY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

Department of Distillery Technology and Renewable Energy conducts research, development projects and laboratory analyses in the field of renewable energy sources, with particular emphasis on biofuel production and bio-waste management. Research is carried out in the management of agri-food waste, i.e. biomass of various raw material origins (lignocellulosic waste), as well as food waste in order to obtain energy carriers (bioethanol, biogas, biobuthanol). Research works also cover the use  of post-production waste, such as distillery stillage and digestate from biogas plants, in order to obtain soil biopreparations. The Department offers research in the field of protein analysis and other physico-chemical determinations in industrial raw materials and compound feeds. We analyze the content of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin in fibrous raw materials intended for fodder or as fertilizers. In addition, we analyze nitrates, nitrites, COD, heavy metals and other pollutants in soils and fertilizers. We also determine chemical impurities in ethanol and alcohol products.

The research activity includes:

• optimization and intensification of the technological process of ethanol production,
• research on the technology for the processing of new or unusual distillery raw materials into ethanol using fermentation method,
• development of technologies for the reduction of the content of volatile  compounds polluting ethanol,
• development methods for agri-food waste management towards obtaining low-emission energy carriers,
• research on technology for the second-generation biofuels production from lignocellulosic biomass,
• research on biochemical methods of lignocellulosic structure decomposition including thermochemical and enzymatic treatment,
• research on utilization of distillery stillage for fertilization, fodder and biogas purposes (determination of biogas yield),
• development of a protein-mineral preparation for farm animals – an alternative protein-energy animal feed,
• research on the production of biofertilizers based on the waste from methane fermentation, characterized by high bioavailability for plants – an alternative to synthetic fertilizers.

Contact

Manager:
Katarzyna Kotarska, Ph.D.
phone +48 52 341 00 82
e-mail: katarzyna.kotarska@ibprs.pl

DEPARTMENT OF SUGAR TECHNOLOGY

Department of Sugar conducts research and development works, scientific research and laboratory analyses in following areas:

• Improvement of the technological processes and techniques of beet sugar production, ensuring maximum efficiency and high-quality sugar, while reducing production costs,
• selection of technological parameters for the development of processes and guidelines for the raw material of variable quality processing,
• development of technological guidelines for the construction of apparatus and devices used in sugar industry,
• testing and evaluation of new apparatus and devices for the sugar industry,
• developing production technology of new types of sugar,
• research and evaluation of the suitability of chemical reagents for the needs of the sugar industry (biocides, protecting the heating surfaces of the evaporator against fouling, accelerating sedimentation) in terms of effectiveness, determining the optimal dose and application methods,
• research, evaluation and selection of auxiliary materials used in the sugar production, such as: filter fabrics and nonwovens, limestone, coal etc.,
• developing methods for reducing secondary microbial contamination of sugar with particular emphasis on air quality and sanitary conditions of production facilities,
• developing effective methods of managing waste from the sugar industry in the field of green energy production and replacing mineral fertilization with natural fertilizers,
• reducing the consumption of energy carriers in the sugar production processes,
• development of rational thermo-technological systems of sugar factories,
• improvement of heat and energy management in a sugar factory.

Contact

Manager:
Teresa Sumińska M.Sc.
phone +48 22 606 36 44
mobile +48 608 383 857
e-mail: teresa.suminska@ibprs.pl

DEPARTMENT OF REFRIGERATION TECHNOLOGY AND TECHNIQE

The specific the activity of the Department of Refrigeration Technology and Technique is conducting scientific research and implementation works in the field of technology and techniques of food production, especially frozen and chilled food as well as development of new technical solutions in the refrigeration industry.

Moreover, the Department deals with environmental protection issues in refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps, concerning: uncontrolled emission of synthetic refrigerants, contamination of regenerated halogenated saturated hydrocarbons, monitoring of greenhouse gases.

Contact

Manager:

Magdalena Wróbel-Jędrzejewska, Ph.D.

phone. +48 42 674 64 14 ext. 331
e-mail: magdalena.jedrzejewska@ibprs.pl

DEPARTMENT OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRODUCT TECHNOLOGY

Research activities:

• development of technologies for fruit and vegetable products with health-promoting properties and special nutritional purposes, the so-called functional food, with the use of the biotechnological processes,
• the use of innovative and the up-scalling of current technologies for the processing and preservation of fruit and vegetable products,
• developing technologies for fruit and vegetable products with the use of regional and/or organic raw materials with high health potential,
• development of technology for the production of fermented beverages based on malted cereal grain,
• establishing criteria for the assessment of physicochemical, microbiological and sensory quality as well as developing and adapting new analytical methods for the testing of raw materials, semi-finished products and the fruit and vegetable products for malting and brewing industries,
• assessment of suitability for the production of new species and varieties of malting barley and hops, proposed for cultivation in Poland,
• improvement of malt and hop products manufacturing technology,
• improvement of wort manufacturing, fermentation, maturation and filtration of beer,
• development of technology and techniques for the management of biowaste of the malting and brewing industry,
• research on natural aromas and food colours.

Beer and Malt Workshop operates within the structure of the Department of Fruit and Vegetable Preserves.

Contact

Krystian Marszałek​, Ph.D. Eng. prof. IBPRS-PIB
tel. +48 22 606 36 03
e-mail: krystian.marszalek@ibprs.pl

DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SAFETY AND CHEMICAL ANALYSIS

Department of Food Analysis specializes in food  research which requires top-tier scientific equipment and high qualifications of research and technical personnel.

The Department conducts research works in:

• raw materials and fruit, vegetables and cereals products,
• juices, drinks, fruit and fruit and vegetable nectars,
• beer, wine, spirits,
• confectionery and bakery products,
• coffee, dried fruits, nuts, culinary spices and others.

Contact
Marcin Bryła, DSc, Eng. Prof. IBPRS
tel. 22 606 38 42
e-mail: marcin.bryla@ibprs.pl

DEPARTMENT OF FOOD CONCENTRATES AND STARCH PRODUCTS

Research areas:

• development of technologies for obtaining starch and protein from vegetable raw materials,
• improvement of starch processing technology and its derivatives,
• management of by-products or biowaste for food industry purposes,
• development of biodegradable packaging technology,

Contact
Elżbieta Wojtowicz Ph.D.Eng.
tel. (+48) 618 731 972
mobile (+48) 603 508 093
e-mail: elzbieta.wojtowicz@ibprs.pl

DEPARTMENT OF FOOD QUALITY

Research areas:

• research in safety and quality of raw materials and food products, in terms of environmental contaminants as the results of the production and distribution process,
• research on the occurrence of biogenic amines with the use of cutting-edge instrumental methods.

Contact

Manager
Beata Bartodziejska, Ph.D.
mobile +48 501 865 915
tel. +48 42 636 55 72
e-mail: beata.bartodziejska@ibprs.pl