Speaker: Dr Paul Cotter, Head of Food Sciences Department, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Cork, will present a seminar entitled : Are fermented foods and their microbes health promoting?

Host : Melinda Mayer

Abstract:
Kefir is a putatively health-promoting dairy beverage that is produced when a kefir grain, consisting of a consortium of microorganisms, is added to milk to initiate a natural fermentation. In the past, in order to get a better understanding of the identity of these microorganisms, and their specific contributions to the flavour, texture and health-promoting of kefir milk, it was necessary to first grow (or ‘culture’) these microorganisms on agar plates, before then carrying out more detailed investigations.

The Cotter group have recently used DNA sequencing technologies to carry out the most in depth characterisation of these populations to date. Through this approach they were able to highlight how specific microbial populations dominate during different stages of the fermentation process and how the flavour of the fermented milk, which can have vinegar-, buttery- or fruity-flavours, is dictated by the genes encoded with these dominant species. Using this knowledge it was possible to alter the flavour of the milk by changing the ratios of specific kefir microbes. DNA-based analysis of kefir milks also provided a vast amount of additional data relating to the microorganisms present, including interesting insights regarding the presence of genes that may explain the long held view that kefir has health-promoting properties.

Dr Cotter’s presentation will discuss current scientific understanding and potential health impacts.

• Review of the putative health promoting attributes associated with kefir and other fermented beverages
• Sequencing based insights into the kefir microbial community
• Potential health promoting genes encoded within kefir communities
• How to harness this knowledge?

Biography:
Dr Paul Cotter is the Head of Food Biosciences at Teagasc and a Principal Investigator with the APC Microbiome Institute in Cork, Ireland. He is a molecular microbiologist, with a particular focus on the microbiology of foods, the food chain and the gut as well as antimicrobial peptides.

Dr Cotter also manages the Teagasc DNA sequencing facility. Dr Cotter’s laboratory were winners of the Irish Food Laboratory of the Year Awards for 2013, 2015 and 2016, he has received awards from the Society for Applied Microbiology, ESCMID and FEMS, and is an appointed faculty member of Faculty of 1000 (Biology) since 2006. He is also the author of >250 peer-reviewed publications resulting from research funded by the EU, Science Foundation Ireland, the Irish Health Research Board, Enterprise Ireland, the Irish Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Irish Research Council for Science Engineering and Technology.

All staff from organisations on the Research Park are welcome to attend.