ProbiYo
Aim of the project
The aim is to promote partnership in R&D activities involving Greek and Chinese research institutions and companies which manufacture and sell food products, with an emphasis on development and application of innovative ingredient technologies for the production of functional dairy products, such as yogurt, of the next generation. This will enhance the visibility of high-quality dairy products in the Chinese market and further promote business transactions between interested companies.
In recent years, there has been an increased interest in the role of probiotic bacteria in human health and consumers’ demand for probiotic-rich foods has grown.
Dairy products, and especially yogurt, are the most commonly used food matrices which act as a vehicle for the delivery of probiotics in human diet. However, the direct incorporation of them in commercial yogurt products has been failed to successfully deliver the required level of viable cells of probiotic bacteria as the viability of probiotic cultures are lost during product manufacture and storage as well as through their gastrointestinal transit.
This project, involving academic/research and industrial partners, will focus on the development of a new, innovative yogurt with further health benefits through the incorporation of probiotic strains. The stability and viability of probiotic cultures will be maximized through their encapsulation into prebiotics using the innovative processes such electrohydrodynamic processes, namely electrospinning and electrospraying, as well as the conventional one, freeze drying.
The development and application of innovative technologies in the agri-food sector, as well as the isolation of probiotics with health benefits, which will lead to development of a probiotic-rich yogurt, will contribute to the dynamic introduction of Greece and China into the International functional dairy market. Finally, it will benefit socially, environmentally and economically not only the participating institutions and the company, but also the Greek and Chinese society.
The coordinator of the project is YIOTIS company. IMBB-BR and Jiangnan University (JU) are the two research institutions that participate in the consortium.
Benefits for the partners
YIOTIS
• Strengthen of the company’s turnover with the incorporation of the new functional and higher quality products that will result within the framework of the project.
• Promotion of the company’s corporate profile with the integration of the new functional products with potential health benefits.
• Development of new commercial activities with the possible future production and sale of probiotic rich yogurt products to other companies in food sector.
• Strengthen of the company’s competitive position in the Greek and Chinese market and its penetration into new markets.
• Increasing its human potential and expanding its research activities.
• Acquirement of new knowledge by educating its employees in the project scope.
• Upgrade of the company’s services with innovative features that will make it attractive in Greece and in China market and also competitive at international level.
• Optimization and standardization of its production procedure.
IMBB-BRD/FORTH, JU/LFCB
• Production of scientific papers in international journals and participation in international conferences.
• Doctoral theses in the relevant subjects.
• Employment of young researchers - halting the brain-drain.
• Expanding their research fields and developing relationships with the Food Industry.
• Strengthening the status of academia to the international scientific community.
• Conduct of innovative research and training of young researchers in new technologies with a strong practical interest, and a huge scientific, economic and social importance.
Common interest arising through collaboration between partners in both countries
Creation of an interactive platform between the two countries which will give the opportunity in the collaborative institutions and industries to cooperate and exchange scientific ideas that will lead to new opportunities for all the involved members.
The Greek company will be able to export yogurt products in China, as well as the Chinese company will be able to export probiotic cultures, functional food and dairy products to Greece.
Exporting Greek products to a highly economically developing country, such as China, would ensure the company’s future eurhythmy.
Immediate access to new knowledge and therefore a significant competitive advantage, both in national and in international level.
