Dairy Products are a major sector of the worldwide food production and the dairy industry is considered a colossal business. It is inevitable that research on Dairy Science and Technology is essential in producing safe, nutritious, high-quality dairy products.
As we are situated in the Eastern part of the Mediterranean we have the opportunity to work with milk types other than cow. Therefore, our group has extensive research experience in non-cow milk such as sheep, goat and donkey milk. We are very much interested in characterizing and “adding-value” through research to traditional dairy products. Significant work has been produced over the years on sheep/goat Halloumi cheese (i.e. authentication, feeding regimes/areas of production, characterization of the product).
Moreover, over past years the study of donkey milk is a major research objective of our group, where the potential positive effects of donkey milk to humans with specific health issues (i.e. immunity related disorders) are studied through an international multi-disciplinary approach. We have also extensively studied the microbiome of donkey milk (both through conventional and advanced microbiological methods) and employed some of the isolated lactic acid bacteria to produce fermented products with bio-functional properties.
Our network of collaborators includes partners at Parma University and Molise University in Italy, University College Cork in Ireland, Queen’s University Belfast in the UK, University Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Agricultural University Athens, Thessaly University in Greece.
Members of our group participate as experts in projects on donkey milk (Veterinary School, University of Milan, Italy), and in Special Interest Groups, such as the “Traditional Products” of the ISEKI Food Association.
We strongly believe in partnerships with the local agro-food industry for new product development.
Our group also has extensive experience in hosting international conferences such as the 7th IDF International Symposium on Sheep, Goat and other non-Cow Milk which was hosted in Limassol, Cyprus in 2015. Additionally we have participated/organised numerous outreach activities such as public talks, science fairs and others, in an attempt to promote Dairy Science and Technology research and education in Cyprus.
PROJECTS
Status
DELIVER
AGRO-ID
A project to be funded by the national Research Promotion Foundation (RPF) is a collaboration between our group, Golden Donkeys Farm and the European University Cyprus.
The goal is to produce a bio-active freeze dried donkey milk powder.
A project funded by the Interreg Greece-Cyprus is a collaboration between Unιversities, the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (ΕΚΕΤΑ) and the Cyprus State Laboratory.
The goal is to produce a multi-parameter database to help authenticate traditional products.
InnoDairyEdu
InnoDairyEdu will develop education material, focused on Products, Processes, Quality, Safety & Entrepreneurship of the Dairy Sector. This new curriculum design approach and other good practices will be shared through collaborative platforms, using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Open Educational Resources (OER).
Successfully completed
Successfully completed
Successfully completed
An ERASMUS+ project, where the aim is to produce teaching material for modules in Food Science and Technology.
The generated material will be openly available through an online platform.
This is research project in collaboration with a private entity (Golden Donkeys Farm).
The goal is to produce a probiotic milk product based on donkey milk.
This is a research project funded
by a local dairy company aiming
in exploring ways for utilising
cheese whey into
added-value products
Status
Successfully Completed
Ongoing
Ongoing
PEOPLE
This is our research team!
Photis Papademas
Associate Professor
Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science
Cyprus University of Technology
Group Leader
Dairy Science and Technology
For more info about Photis click here!
Maria Aspri, PhD
Special Teaching Staff
Dairy Microbiology
Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science
Cyprus University of Technology
Panayiotis Mousikos
PhD Candidate
Dairy Science and Technology
Research Topic:
The study of a functional probiotic fermented donkey milk - ProBioDonkey
Lina Kotsaki
PhD Candidate
Dairy Science and Technology
Research Topic:
The valorisation of cheese whey to produce functional probiotic fermented products - ProBioWhey
Ioanna Neokleous
PhD Candidate
Dairy Science and Technology
Research topic:
Non-thermal, UV-C mild processing to ensure safety and quality of liquid dairy products
Past Team Members
Maria Mariou - MSc Student, Agricultural University Athens
Project: The characterisation of "Halitzia"- a white brined cheese from Cyprus
Supervisors: Prof Effie Tsakalidou, Assist. Prof Photis Papademas
Rosella Galvani - MSc Student (ERASMUS), University of Parma (IT)
Project: The study of fatty acids and extend of proteolysis during the maturation of Halitzia - a white-brined cheese from Cyprus
Supervisors: Prof Chiara Dall' Asta, Assist. Prof Photis Papademas
Klea Neophytou - MSc Student, Cyprus University of Technology
Project: The technological characterisation of lactic acid bacteria from various food matrices
Grigoris Filippou - MSc Student, Cyprus University of Technology
Project: The functional characterisation of lactic acid bacteria from various food matrices
Publications
For the full list please go to :
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Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0284-2247
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Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ATM5IooAAAAJ&hl=en
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Papademas, P., Aspri, M., Malissiova, E., Fantuz, F., Salimei, E. (2022) Donkey Milk. In: McSweeney, P.L.H., McNamara, J.P. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Dairy Sciences, vol. 5. Elsevier, Academic Press, pp. 522–529.
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Papademas, P., Bintsis, T. (2022) Cheese from Non-Bovine Milk. In: McSweeney, P.L.H., McNamara, J.P. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Dairy Sciences, vol. 3. Elsevier, Academic Press, pp. 91–100.
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Papademas, P., Aspri, M., Mariou, M., Dowd, S.E., Kazou, M., Tsakalidou, (2019) Conventional and omics approaches shed light on Halitzia cheese, a long-forgotten white-brined cheese from Cyprus. International Dairy Journal (in press).
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Ilija Djekic Alen Mujčinović Aleksandra, Nikolić Anet, Režek Jambrak, Photis Papademas, Aberham Hailu Feyissa, Kamal Kansou, Rallou Thomopoulos, Heiko Breisen, Nickolas G.Kavallieratos, Christos G.Athanassiou, Cristina L.M.Silva, Alexandrina Sirbu, Alexandru Mihnea Moisescu Igor Tomasevic, Urška Vrabič Brodnjako, Maria Charalambides, AlbertoTonda (2019) Cross-European initial survey on the use of mathematical models in food industry. Journal of Food Engineering 261 109-116 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2019.06.007.
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Aspri, M., Souroullas, K., Ioannou, C., Papademas, P. (2019) Physico-chemical composition and antimicrobial protein content of early lactation donkey milk. International Journal of Food Studies 8 67-75 https://doi.org/10.7455/ijfs/8.1.2019.a6
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Souroullas, K., Aspri, M., Papademas, P (2018) Donkey milk as a supplement in infant formula: Benefits and technological challenges. Food Research International 109 416-425 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2018.04.051
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Aspri, M. Leni, G., Galaverna, G., Papademas, P (2018) Bioactive properties of fermented donkey milk, before and after in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Food Chemistry 268 476-484 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.06.119
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Aspri, M., Field, D., Papademas, P., Cotter, P.D., Ross, P., Hill, C., (2017). Application of bacteriocin-producing Enterococcus faecium isolated from donkey milk, in the biocontrol of Listeria monocytogenes in fresh whey cheese. International Dairy Journal 73, 1-9.
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Aspri, M., Bozoudi, D., Tsaltas, D., Papademas, P. (2017) Raw donkey milk as a source of Enterococcus diversity: Assessment of their technological properties, safety characteristics and probiotic potential. Food Control 73 81-90 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2016.05.022
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Aspri, M, Economou, N., Papademas, P. (2017) Donkey milk: An Overview on Functionality, Technology and Future Prospects. Food Reviews International 33(3) 316-333.
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Bozoudi, D., Agathokleous,M. Anastasiou, I., Papademas, P., Tsaltas D. (2017) Microbiological Characteristics of Trachanas, a Traditional Fermented Dairy Product from Cyprus. Journal of Food Quality. Article ID 8749316 https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/8749316
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Malissiova, E., Arsenos, G., Papademas, P., Fletouris, D., Manouras, A., Aspri, M., Nikolopoulou, A., Giannopoulou, A., & Arvanitoyannis, I. S. (2016) Assessment of donkey milk chemical, microbiological and sensory attributes in Greece and Cyprus. International Journal of Dairy Technology 69 (1) 143-146 https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0307.12245
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Papademas P., Parmaxi I., Aspri M. (2015) Probiotic, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant and Sensory properties of Fermented donkey milk with Lactobacillus fermentum ME-3 and Lactobacillus acidophilus (ATCC 4356). BAOJ Microbiology 1: 004.
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Osorio M.T., Koidis A. and Papademas P (2015) Major and trace elements in milk and Halloumi cheese as markers for authentication of goat feeding regimes and geographical origin. International Journal of Dairy Technology 67 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0307.12213
EDITED BOOKS
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Global Cheesemaking Technology–Cheese quality and characteristics (2018) P. Papademas and T. Bintsis, eds. Wiley, UK ISBN 1119046157.
CHAPTERS IN BOOKS
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Papademas, P., Aspri, M., Malissiova, E., Fantuz, F., Salimei, E., 2022. Donkey Milk. In: McSweeney, P.L.H., McNamara, J.P. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Dairy Sciences, vol. 5. Elsevier, Academic Press, pp. 522–529. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128187661003652?via%3Dihub
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Papademas, P., Bintsis, T., 2022. Cheese from Non-Bovine Milk. In: McSweeney, P.L.H., McNamara, J.P. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Dairy Sciences, vol. 3. Elsevier, Academic Press, pp. 91–100. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128187661002166?via%3Dihub
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Bintsis, T and Papademas, P (2018) An overview of the cheesemaking process. In: Global Cheesemaking Technology–Cheese quality and characteristics P.Papademas and T.Bintsis, eds. Wiley, UK ISBN 1119046157.199330881
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Papademas, P (2016) Anari cheese. In: The Oxford Companion to Cheese, Editor-in-chief C. Donnelly, Oxford University Press, ISBN 97806.
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Papademas, P (2016) Halloumi cheese. In: The Oxford Companion to Cheese, Editor-in-chief C. Donnelly, Oxford University Press, ISBN 9780199330881
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Fantuz, F., Salimei, E., Papademas, P (2016) Macro- and Micronutrients in Non-cow Milk and Products and Their Impact on Human Health. In: Non-Bovine Milk and Milk Products Ed E.Tsakalidou and K.Papadimitriou
MONOGRAPHS, BULLETINS
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François Bourdichon, Iraz Alper, Rodrigo Bibiloni, Elna Buys, Aurélie Dubois, James Harnett , Riwanon Lemee-Michel, Adriana Lobacz, Harri Mäkivuokko, Marta Miks, Photis Papademas, Yao Su, Annabelle Zgoda, Véronique Zuliani, Lorenzo Morelli (2018) Bulletin of the IDF No 495/2018- Inventory of Microbial Food Cultures with safety demonstration in fermented food products: update of the Bulletin of the IDF Submitted for Publication
Teaching
The undergraduate courses that are dedicated to Dairy, namely Dairy Science and Technology and Cheese Science and Technology aim at providing students with the knowledge and skills (both theoretical and practical) required as graduate of a Food Science and Technology specialization stream. The Dairy Science and Technology Laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and instrumentation to perform both experimental processing of dairy products and analysis.
The practical exercises performed in the pilot dairy plant of our Department include cheese-making demonstrations (i.e. white-brined cheeses, whey cheeses, lactic acid cheeses, hard cheeses, pasta-filata cheeses), dairy product processing (i.e. yoghurt, fermented milks), quality characteristics determination (i.e. texture analysis, gross chemical composition), processing (i.e. homogenization processes, membrane filtration, UV-C treatment of fluids), microbiology (traditional and molecular methods-in collaboration with the Agricultural Microbiology and Biotechnology Group).
Two more undergraduate courses are offered namely Food Safety&Hygiene and Food Quality Control, which aim at providing the necessary knowledge on food safety (microbiological, chemical and physical hazards), the implementation of food safety management systems (FSMS) and the importance of the quality aspects and labelling in foods (i.e. EU Quality Schemes-PDO, PGI).
The postgraduate course Agro-Industrial Fermentations is offered under the MSc Agricultural Biotechnology programme. The aim is to provide students with a practical approach on specific issues arising from fermentation of food of animal or plant origin.