Research projects

Funding: BMLEH, FNR, 587.567 EUR

Project Details:
The project is carried out on DIL e.V., Quakenbrück.
The "pfloeZ" project aims to further improve the environmental performance of agriculture. In organic farming, resource conservation and environmental compatibility are top priorities. Crop production and animal husbandry are closely interlinked. The nutrients required for fertilizing crops come mainly from animal husbandry and can be applied to the fields, which are usually adjacent. The purchase of feed and the use of mineral fertilizers are largely avoided. The problem to date has been that in areas with intensive animal husbandry, nutrients have been washed into surface waters and groundwater, causing pollution. Biochar could limit this problem for all forms of agriculture (organic and conventional). The use of pure biochar in crop production returns carbon to the cycle, but depending on the starting substrate for carbonization, valuable nutrients are bound (too) long-term. To resolve this conflict, biochar produced from C-rich, otherwise nutrient-poor raw materials should be used in a closed nutrient cycle utilizing animal husbandry. Biochar can promote animal health as a component of feed, is then excreted and can thus be applied to the fields for crop production in a nutrient-rich, homogeneous form with no loss - or the biochar can be used directly as an additive to livestock excrement (such as manure), and then spread on the fields loaded with nutrients to reduce the amount of undirected nutrient runoff into the environment. In this way, biochar helps to maintain and promote healthy soil microflora and provides nutrients in controlled doses. The "pfloeZ" project provides the basis for more environmentally friendly agriculture, which is a significant carbon sink and at the same time closes nutrient cycles as tightly as possible with minimal losses.

Funding: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur über die Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 5.035.385 EUR

Project Details:
agri:change addresses the necessary sustainability transformation of Lower Saxony's agriculture and food sector (AgF) and aims to actively shape and promote a sustainable, resilient system - adapted to the specific characteristics of Lower Saxony. Resilience is understood as protecting the ecosystem while maintaining social responsibility and economic viability.
In agri:change, a targeted transdisciplinary and systemic approach is taken to develop resource-saving solutions, offerings, products and concepts that simultaneously maintain and expand income and value creation.

Goal 1: Understanding and shaping transformation processes, managing sustainability innovations in value creation systems
Goal 2: Using resources in a circular manner, shaping animal husbandry in the context of a circular economy that conserves nature, the environment and resources, and holistic material and by-product management
Goal 3: Improve animal welfare, provide optimal husbandry conditions for farm animals
Goal 4: Develop innovative AgF business areas. Develop and test innovative business areas for new sources of income in the agricultural and food sector (AgF)
Goal 5: Promote acceptance and sustainability skills, advance education and participation.

These goals are addressed in four agri:labs and the associated issues:
agri:lab X1 | Sustainable value creation systems and sustainability transparency
agri:lab X2 | Livestock farming under Nature Restoration Law conditions
agri:lab X3 | Upcycling of plant and animal by-products
agri:lab X4 | Integrated agricultural landscape development
as well as cross-cutting topics across agri:labs:
- Macro connections for markets and the environment
- Acceptance of transformative processes and developments
- Legal framework for the AgF data space.

Cooperation Partners:

Georg-August-Universität Göttingen

Universität Osnabrück

Universität Vechta | trafo:agrar

Funding: Stiftung Innovation in der Hochschullehre, 3.167.862 EUR

Project Details:
Due to the expected changes in the TAppV and current standards of the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE), which accredits veterinary education institutions, VETCURR aims to implement adjustments in the curriculum to make veterinary studies fit for the future.

In addition, the project aims to strengthen students' professional skills, resilience, and ability to deal with future-related topics. To meet the challenges that arise during studies and professional life, accompanying measures will be established that focus on practical training, tutorial support, and coaching. Adjustments to the curriculum and the integration of foreward-thinking teaching concepts are intended to strengthen practical education. In the interest of animal welfare, the expansion of compulsory teaching in the Clinical Skills Lab serves to implement the "never-the-first-time-on-a-live-animal" concept. So that students do not perform practical skills on animals the first time, but instead receive preliminary instruction using models, simulations, or digital teaching materials.

Cooperation Partners:

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Funding: Nds. Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur über Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 1.811.726 EUR

Project Details:
This initial project within the ZERN research and transfer network is dealing with the future-oriented keeping and use of fattening pigs. There are deficits in current fattening pig husbandry, particularly in the areas of animal welfare, emissions and nutrient efficiency. This project has therefore set the objective of scientifically evaluating relevant aspects of sustainable pork production synergistically and gaining new, practice-relevant knowledge.

Cooperation Partners:

Georg-August-Universität Göttingen

Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik (DIL)

Funding: Fritz-Ahrberg Stiftung, 25.000 EUR

Project Details:
The production of gluten-free sausages poses major challenges with respect to texture, flavor, and nutritional value when compared to their gluten-containing counterparts. In conventional formulations, gluten acts as a key binding agent, providing structure, elasticity, and overall product integrity. In gluten-free products, however, alternative binding systems are required. Commonly used starch-based fillers (e.g., corn starch or rice flour) often result in a sticky or brittle texture, altered flavor profiles, and suboptimal protein digestibility. Consequently, gluten-free sausages frequently exhibit poor mouthfeel, reduced juiciness, and lower protein bioavailability, negatively affecting both consumer acceptance and nutritional quality.
In recent years, the demand for gluten-free foods has increased dramatically. This growth is driven not only by individuals with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, but also by a broader consumer segment that perceives gluten-free diets as a healthier alternative and therefore prefers such products. This rising demand has prompted food manufacturers to develop innovative gluten-free alternatives to traditional gluten-containing products such as bread, pasta, and processed meat products. However, reproducing the sensory and nutritional properties of gluten-containing foods—particularly sausages—remains a significant challenge. In this context, microbial enzymes can be employed as processing aids or food additives to more closely replicate the functional properties of gluten.
Microbial enzymes, particularly those derived from Bacillus spp., offer substantial advantages over fungal- and plant-based alternatives and are therefore highly suitable for industrial applications. They can be produced rapidly and at large scale via fermentation, ensuring cost efficiency and a stable supply. Moreover, these enzymes are generally highly thermostable, allowing them to remain functional during high-temperature processing steps such as those involved in sausage production. Owing to their cost-effectiveness, stability, and Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status, enzymes derived from Bacillus spp. represent a scalable and sustainable solution for food processing applications.
In this project, thermostable proteases and α-amylases from Bacillus spp. will be applied to address the challenges in gluten-free sausage production. Proteases will be used to hydrolyze meat proteins and to break down complex structures (e.g., collagen) into smaller, more digestible peptides and amino acids. This enzymatic process is expected to enhance texture by increasing tenderness, improve flavor through the release of taste-active amino acids, and increase nutritional value by improving protein bioavailability. Simultaneously, α-amylases will degrade excess starch from starch-based binding agents into simpler sugars, thereby improving the consistency of the sausage matrix and reducing stickiness and brittleness. In addition, the use of these enzymes represents a sustainable approach, as they are biodegradable and environmentally friendly.

Funding: Fritz-Ahrberg-Stiftung, 100.000 EUR

Project Details:
For meat processing companies, preventing Listeria spp. from entering the food chain remains a major challenge. The species Listeria (L.) monocytogenes in particular has a high pathogenic potential and is considered the main cause of listeriosis. While immunocompetent individuals are less likely to become infected and often develop no or only mild gastrointestinal symptoms after exposure to the pathogen, vulnerable groups, including newborns, the elderly, and people with pre-existing conditions, often become seriously ill. The disease may initially be accompanied by flu-like symptoms and manifest itself in various organs as a result of septicemic progression. This primarily leads to pathogen colonization in the brain (neurolisteriosis) or in the placenta (neonatal listeriosis) with corresponding pathological manifestations such as purulent meningoencephalitis, abortions, or neonatal sepsis. Depending on the individual constitution of the affected patients, the virulence of the strain, and the dose of pathogen ingested, infection with L. monocytogenes can therefore be associated with a high mortality rate. The microbial properties of Listeria spp. cause considerable difficulties in cleaning and disinfection, particularly for meat processing companies. These pathogens are largely undemanding, Gram-positive rod-shaped bacteria that can survive even in nutrient-poor substrates. Although the optimal ambient temperature for bacterial growth is 30 °C, Listeria spp. can multiply at regular refrigeration temperatures due to their psychrotolerant properties. In connection with operational controls, they are therefore often isolated from drains, gullies, or puddles of water. Such niches are often not given sufficient attention in the cleaning and disinfection measures commonly used, with the result that Listeria spp. can repeatedly enter the food chain from these sources. In many cases, the lack of decontamination success can be attributed to existing biofilms, which partially or completely prevent the chemicals used from being effective. If Listeria enter the final product, their facultative anaerobic metabolism enables them to survive storage periods in vacuum or protective gas packaging. Furthermore, pathogen proliferation cannot be ruled out unless it is prevented by certain key parameters such as temperature, pH value, or aw value of the product. Against this background, meat products that are consumed raw, such as Thüringer Mett or raw sausage, should be classified as high-risk foods and avoided by vulnerable groups. In the past, there have been isolated cases of death in connection with foodborne listeriosis, which have attracted considerable media attention. Furthermore, confirmed contamination with L. monocytogenes is always accompanied by product recalls or public recall campaigns. The economic damage caused by unsaleable goods, possible business interruptions, and the loss of reputation of the companies involved can be considerable. Effective strategies for targeted internal monitoring and successful cleaning and disinfection are therefore crucial for all food businesses in order to prevent Listeria spp. from entering the food chain. For this reason, the planned project aims to establish various decontamination strategies based on UV-C irradiation and the use of bacteriocins with bacteriophage depolymerases using a biofilm model, and to verify their effectiveness using a newly developed quantitative (q)PCR assay adapted for the detection of Listeria spp. in biofilms. Compared to standard cultural methods for the detection of Listeria spp., qPCR offers a considerable time advantage and can detect existing pathogens without pre-enrichment of the material to be examined, including sample preparation, within approximately 2 hours. As part of the planned project, the results of the qPCR and the measured decontamination success will be verified using an accompanying standard culture analysis. The aim of the investigations is to develop practical alternatives to conventional decontamination and to create a reliable measuring instrument for monitoring decontamination success and operational hygiene regarding Listeria spp.

Funding: Brigitte und Wolfram Gedek-Stiftung, 25.000 EUR

Project Details:
The research project aims to characterised moulds on various mould-ripened and non-mould-ripened plant-based cheese alternatives immediately after purchase. The plant-based cheese alternatives should then be stored under household conditions. They should be stored in direct contact with mould-ripened cheese on the one hand, but also without direct contact on the other. Here, too, the moulds that have grown are then characterised. In addition, the plant-based cheese alternatives are tested for mycotoxins using ELISA before and after storage.

Funding: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur (MWK) ZERN - Zukunft Ernährung Niedersachsen, 30.000 EUR

Project Details:
The project is carried out on DIL e.V., Quakenbrück.
The project "HIDDEN PEATENTIAL! - Exploring the Hidden Potential of Plant-Based Proteins" aims to communicate scientifically sound knowledge on sustainable nutrition and alternative protein sources, with a particular focus on plant-based proteins derived from legumes such as peas.
Using a Citizen Lab outreach format, two interactive public events will be held in pedestrian zones in Osnabrück and Quakenbrück. Through tastings, hands-on experiments, playful learning formats and direct dialogue with scientists, citizens are invited to engage with topics such as sensory properties of plant proteins, amino acid composition, techno-functional characteristics (e.g. foaming properties of aquafaba), and environmental impacts of different protein sources.
The project contributes to public science communication within the ZERN network and serves as a pilot for transferable outreach formats supporting informed and reflective decision-making in the field of sustainable nutrition.

Cooperation Partners:

Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik (DIL), Quakenbrück, Abteilung Biochemie der Ernährung;

Universität Osnabrück

Funding: Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE) im Rahmen der Industriellen Gemeinschaftsforschung (IGF) aufgrund eines Beschlusses des Deutschen Bundestages, 524.935 EUR

Project Details:
The "SweetGut" project investigates the effects of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) on the human gut microbiome, intestinal barrier function and inflammation-related processes. Both individual sweeteners and commonly used combinations in sweetened dairy products are examined.
Using in vitro cell models and ex vivo fecal models, potential adverse physiological effects such as microbial dysbiosis and proinflammatory responses are analyzed. In addition, the project evaluates whether functional oligosaccharides (e.g. inulin, GOS, FOS) can mitigate or compensate for these effects.
The overall aim is to provide a scientific basis for safe, health-oriented reformulation of sugar-reduced dairy products and to support consumer protection.

Cooperation Partners:

Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik (DIL), Quakenbrück, Abteilung Biochemie der Ernährung; Abteilung Biotechnologie

Max-Rubner-Institut (MRI), Bundesforschungsinstitut für Ernährung und Lebensmittel, Institut für Mikrobiologie und Biotechnologie, Kiel

Funding: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur (MWK) ZERN - Zukunft Ernährung Niedersachsen, 365.144 EUR

Project Details:
This project is carried out at DIL e.V., Quakenbrück.

The project provides evidence-based insights into the sensory quality, microbiological safety and potential health effects of raw milk kefir. The results identify conditions under which raw milk kefir can be a viable option for regional direct marketing. A practical guideline supports dairy farms in quality-assured production and marketing.

Cooperation Partners:

Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik (DIL), Quakenbrück, Abteilung Biochemie der Ernährung

Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Fakultät für Agrarwissenschaften, Labor für sensorische Analysen und Konsumentenforschung, Department für Agrarökonomie und Rurale Entwicklung