Micro-organisms are a frequent cause of food-borne diseases. To know in which foodstuffs they occur and how they are transmitted can be helpful to prevent infections.
Bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites in foodstuffs may bring about serious health issues. Such pathogens can occur in both animal and vegetal foodstuffs. They may already exist in the raw materials that are used for the production of the foodstuff or else they get into the foodstuff during processing and storage and to some extent may even further proliferate there.
Consequently, the FSVO investigates bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites and how frequently they occur in our foodstuffs. Research is also carried out to determine the conditions under which they can multiply. Particular emphasis is placed on new or emerging risks. These may be triggered, for example, by climate change or modified production processes and new dietary trends. The research also includes the genetic characterisation of the organisms, and for bacteria, the identification of virulence factors and antibiotic resistance.
A selection of current FSVO projects is shown below:
Ongoing projects:
Last modification 17.08.2021
