Valorization and Innovation of Montenegrin Traditional Fermented Foods (FoodValue)

The project is funded by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Innovation of Montenegro and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Italy through the program Joint Research Projects for 2022-2024 (Montenegro – Italy).

The FoodValue project aims to characterize the microorganisms of traditional Montenegrin fermented food products by combining conventional laboratory techniques and metagenome analysis techniques.

Traditional cheeses and fermented meat products will be selected, and sampled from various traditional producers, and the most important technological properties of the obtained microbial isolates and safety parameters that could be useful for the development of starter cultures tailored to the products or auxiliary cultures for the food industry will be identified.

This last aspect, along with the preservation of their microbial and genetic heritage, will set the foundation for a comprehensive analysis of such fermentations. Finally, the protection of their quality and authenticity will be achieved by deciphering the microbial footprint of selected traditional Montenegrin fermented foods.

This project aims to strengthen the innovation capacity, and knowledge exchange between the academic and industrial sectors, and enhance research and innovative skills and services.

This project enables the elevation of the scientific knowledge of project partners as well as the application of well-established knowledge and experience in the identification of biomarkers, all with the goal of demonstrating the quality and authenticity of selected traditional Montenegrin fermented products, improving the quality and health safety of these products, and exploiting the diversity of the native microbial flora for potential application in the food industry.