Groningen students against food loss: fermentation bacteria as virus betrayers?

Bacteria play an important role in the making of many dairy products – they cause milk to ferment and thus create cheese, buttermilk or yoghurt. Fermentation gives new characteristics to milk, including a different taste and texture, better digestibility, a longer storage life or more vitamins. Unfortunately these bacteria are very sensitive to viral infections which can cause the fermentation process to fail. The result is that large amounts of milk are thrown away every year. An international team of 12 UG students is trying to prevent that waste by developing a detection mechanism for these infections.

The students are the Groningen delegation to iGEM 2017. This international Genetically Engineered Machine competition is a global competition where students have to develop a microorganism with a new, socially relevant application. The students present their project during a major event in November, the Giant Jamboree in Boston. The team has started a crowdfunding project to cover the costs of participation.