University of Parma

Associated Member

The UPCCO (University of Parma Culture Collection) preserves microorganisms mainly from the Department of Food and Drug (ALIFAR). Research within the Department (Department of Excellence 2023-2027) is mainly oriented towards the research, development, control and innovation of products of pharmaceutical or food interest, whose continuous commitment is necessary to compete internationally.

Currently, the collection is characterized by more than 6,000 bacterial strains, mainly lactic acid bacteria isolated from foods and food environments. Different levels of characterization are available and the database is continuously updated. The catalogue is directly accessible for internal use and indirectly for academic community, research institutes and companies. It will be available online soon. UPCCO offers expertise in terms of isolation, identification, and phenotypic and genotypic characterization of microorganisms for industrial application. Moreover, it supports companies in designing experimental plans to optimise products and processes and is focused on developing fermentation processes for food waste and by-products to obtain new ingredients of interest to the food, cosmetics and packaging sectors.

Key people:

  • Monica Gatti, Full Professor in Food Microbiology. Expertise: lactic acid bacteria ecology and physiology in dairy and fermented foods, starter culture development, milk and cheese quality and safety assessment, and omics based investigation of fermentation and microbial interactions.
  • Camilla Lazzi, Full Professor in Food Microbiology. Expertise: dairy microbiology and microbial biotechnologies for the development of new fermented foods/beverages and for the valorization of agrifood by-products and waste, biostimulants production by lactic acid fermentation.
  • Valentina Bernini, Associate Professor in Food Microbiology. Expertise: microbiological food safety, Listeria monocytogenes distribution and behaviour in food products and food processing environments, microbiological challenge test, lactic acid fermentation of agrifood by products to obtain compounds for food, cosmetics and packaging.
  • Benedetta Bottari, Associate Professor in Food Microbiology. Expertise: microbial dynamics in fermented foods, lactic acid bacteria, cheese ecosystem, lactic acid bacteria and human health, prebiotic, probiotic.