Overview of research projects

Funding: Drittmittelprojekt, gefördert durch die Fritz-Ahrberg-Stiftung., 100.000 EUR

Project Details:
Raw sausage products are stabilised exclusively through a suitable fermentation process. This process, as well as additives and the quality of the raw materials, ultimately determine the safety of the end product. If nitrite is reduced or replaced in the recipe, the production parameters must be adjusted so as not to jeopardise the safety of the products. The consumption of short-ripened and nitrite-reduced raw sausages can pose a risk to the consumer if the lack of drying and altered ripening processes allow pathogenic and spoilage-causing bacteria to multiply.
Bacillus species are bacteria with a broad application profile in food production. They are used as starter cultures in modern biotechnological processes, but also in traditionally fermented products. They are able to form so-called bacteriocins. These are ribosomally synthesised peptides with a high antibacterial activity. Application of these bacteriocins in sausage production can extend the shelf life of food and prevent the occurrence of pathogenic germs. Due to their small size, bacteriocins can also penetrate biofilms or prevent their formation. As starter cultures, bacteriocin-forming bacteria can make an important contribution to the safe production of fermented products and thus contribute to increased safety of short-ripened and nitrite-reduced raw sausages. Bacteriocins also do not affect the sensory properties of food, nor the composition of the intestinal microbiota in humans, as they are degraded by proteases in the gastrointestinal tract. The bacteriocin nisin produced by Lactococcus lactis is approved as a food additive in Europe and has GRAS (generally recognised as safe) status in the USA.
For the reasons mentioned above, Bacillus strains that have not been investigated so far are to tested in the present project for their antimicrobial properties against meat-relevant spoilage and zoonotic pathogens (e.g. Campylobacter spp., listeria and salmonella). With an already established high-throughput method on a laboratory scale, this can be done with a hundred isolates simultaneously. Cell-free culture supernatants are obtained, which are subsequently used to identify the potential bacteriocins. Promising Bacillus isolates are tested in a second step in short-ripened and nitrite-reduced raw sausage products as a supplement to established starter cultures.

Funding: Drittmittelprojekt, gefördert durch die Fritz-Ahrberg-Stiftung., 17.500 EUR

Project Details:
Comparative tests are carried out with different sample materials. Fresh pork, chicken and beef are used, as well as meat products from the categories of raw and cooked sausage and ham (raw and cooked ham).
Three selected sample thicknesses are examined in each case, depending on commercially available cuts and products on offer, in order to be able to assess the influence of the material height on the subsequent analyses. The actual tests then include the measurement of color and texture.
With regard to the color measurement (instrumentally by means of chromameter), an interaction between sample material, sample thickness and background color is examined. The aim is to sensitize subsequent projects to possible influences and misinterpretations in connection with the methodological implementation.
When assessing the texture, various attachment tools are available for instrumental measurement using TA.XTplus, which are to be selected and compared depending on the respective material. The aim is to evaluate the necessity of the different preparation-intensive measurements and to identify comparable tools as well as to compare the measurement results of the different tools.

Funding: EIP, EU, Landwirtschaftskammer Niedersachsen, 256.193 EUR

Project Details:
The project is carried out on DIL e.V., Quakenbrück.
This project aims to pilot a sustainable, resource-efficient technology for converting plant by-products near agricultural operations into valuable components, particularly protein-rich algae biomass, and to integrate it into daily routines. The project involves processing by-products from vegetable production through hydrolysis and utilizing the hydrolysate as a nutrient source for heterogeneous microalgae. The product of the process is a protein-rich algae biomass that the farmer involved can use as animal feed for pig fattening. In addition to piloting the process on-site and integrating it into daily operations, the project focuses on building new value chains and activating a circular economy in the farms, generating new sales channels and additional income. Current results include a ready-to-use prototype for microalgae production and its environmental impacts. The environmental impact of cultivating the microalgae biomass is currently under study, along with optimizing the process and necessary protocols.

Cooperation Partners:

Institut für Lebensmittel- und Umweltforschung e.V. (ILU);

Schroeder Winkelmann GbR

Funding: DFG (VIPER GRK)

Project Details:
The aim of the project was to identify mechanisms of immune interference of canine distemper virus (CDV) in cells of innate immunity, in particular with regard to the antagonization of the innate antiviral immune response. For this purpose, different primary cell cultures were created from canine isolated immune cells and infected with different strains of CDV. The focus of the work was on alveolar macrophages, as these cells play a crucial role as primary target cells of the virus after aerogenic CDV infection and are furthermore essential for the maintenance of alveolar homeostasis. Differences in the response of immune cells to CDV infection were investigated using immunofluorescence staining, RT-qPCR, virus titration, RNA sequencing and assays to quantify cell death and viability.

Results:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39796262/

Cooperation Partners:

Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung, Genomanalytik (Robert Geffers)

Funding: DFG (VIPER GRK)

Project Details:
The exact pathomechanisms that lead to the development of long-term consequences after an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection - also known as long-COVID - are still largely unknown. Since only limited sample material from surviving patients with long-COVID is available, the use of a suitable animal model is essential to investigate the underlying mechanisms. In this project, the Syrian golden hamster was established as a model animal to study the pathogenesis of long-COVID. Initially, a short-term study was conducted to investigate the alveolar regeneration mechanisms, in which a morphological homology to the processes in the human lung after s SARS-CoV-2 infection was found. In a further long-term study over four months, morphological, molecular biological and lung function analyses were combined. The course of the disease in the animals showed three phases: acute, subacute and chronic. While the acute phase was characterized by severe breathing restrictions, these only occurred after exercise in the later phases and disappeared entirely after about 6 weeks. Histologically, there was persistent fibrosis and alveolar bronchiolization with club cell proliferation. Transcriptome analysis showed, among other things, an upregulation of pro-fibrotic genes. In the future, long-term consequences in the brain will be investigated primarily by transcriptome analysis, and the role of the pulmonary neuroendocrine system, which is connected to the central nervous system via afferent nerve fibers, will be examined in more detail.

Results:

Paper 1: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-39049-5 ; Nature Communications, 2023

 

Paper 2: https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-4681343/v1 ; (preprint Version), accepted at Nature Communications, 2025

Funding: Biotech Sector, 151.800 EUR

Project Details:
Therapy development

Funding: Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung (BLE), 554.060 EUR

Project Details:
Bacterial diarrhoeal diseases in pigs are of great economic importance, affect animal welfare in all age groups and contribute significantly to the use of antibiotics in pig. Of the seven Brachyspira species found in pigs, most diarrhoeal diseases are triggered by the species Brachyspira hyodsenteriae (BHY) and Brachyspira pilosicoli (BPI). Treatment of diarrhoea caused by brachyspiral infections is very time-consuming and only a small number of microbial agents are approved for treatment. The significance of differences in the pathogenic potential of different bacterial isolates and the influence of the genetic background of the pig is still unknown. Therefore, a reassessment of the brachyspirial infection to improve the animal welfare and reduce the use of antibiotics is needed. Consequently, the aim of the present project is to understand the pathogenesis of Brachyspira using our established in vitro intestinal organoid model. In addition, the influence of different Brachyspira species and the influence of different genetic backgrounds of the pigs will be investigated.

Funding: EU, 120.000 EUR

Project Details:
The project is carried out at DIL e.V., Quakenbrück.
The Horizon Europe project ZeroW directly addresses the challenge of food loss and waste by developing and testing an interplay of innovations under real-world conditions. 46 partners from across Europe have joined forces to develop realistic solutions to significantly reduce food waste and accelerate a just transition to a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable food system for all. The DIL is partner of the Living Lab "Mobile food valorisation as a service".

Cooperation Partners:

Inlecom Innovation Astiki Mi Kerdoskopiki Etaireia,

Wageningen University,

Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno,

South East Technological University,

Biosense Institute - Research and Development Institute for Information Technologies in Biosystems,

Digiotouch Ou,

Eigen Vermogen Van Het Instituut

Voor Landbouw- En Visserijonderzoek,

Safe Food Advocacy Europe,

FBCD AS,

VLTN BV,

Instituto Tecnologico De Aragon,

Konnecta Systems Ltd.,

ITC - Inovacijsko Tehnoloski Grozd Murska Sobota,

Fondazione Istituto Sui Trasporti E La Logistica,

Instituto Tecnologico Del Embalaje,

Transporte Y Logistica,

Asociatia Transilvania It,

Asociatia Clusterul Agro-Food-Ind

Napoca,

Fundacion Corporacion Tecnologica De Andalucia,

Instituto Andaluz De Investigaciony Formacion Agraria Pesquera Alimentaria Y De La Produccion Ecologica,

Agrifood Lithuania Dih,

Sintef As,

Tilburg University,

Novamont Spa,

Mc Shared Services Sa,

Modelo Continente Hipermercados S.A.,

Grupo Empresarial La Cana,

Multiscan Technologies Sl, UAB Art21,

Lietuvos Darzoviu Augintoju Asociacija,

Lietuvos Maisto Eksportuotoju Asociacija (Litmea),

F6S Network Ireland Limited,

F6S Network Ltd.,

Allmicroalgae Natural Products Sa,

Universidade Do Minho,

Erevnitiko Panepistimiako Institouto Systimaton Epikoinonion Kai Ypologiston,

Boerenbond Projecten, Openbare Vlaamse Afvalstoffenmaatschappij,

ICLEI European Secretariat GmbH,

Kmetijsko Gozdarska Zbornica Slovenije Kmetijsko Gozdarski Zavod Murska Sobota, Univerza V Mariboru,

Robin Food,

Asociacion De Investigacion De Industrias Carnicas Del Principado De Asturias,

Aves Nobles Y Derivados,

S.L.,

Termoformas De Levante Sl, Eroski Scoop,

Voedselbank Limburg,

SVZ International Bv,

Konnecta Systems Ike,

Federation Belge Des Banques Alimentaires

Funding: BLE, 812.500 EUR

Project Details:
Pig diseases and injuries occur in all housing systems. Intensive care or treatment does not always result in healing so that animals have to be killed to avoid further pain or suffering. The Animal Protection Act fundamentally stipulates the protection of animal lives and well-being. In the case of serious diseases or injuries, the deci-sion which subject of protection needs to be preferred is inevitable. For pig farmers, the decision concerning killing an animal is considerably challenging. The aim of this project is to define simply collectable and valid criteria with which the well-being of diseased pigs can be accurately assessed and a responsible, justified decision can be made regarding the killing. The criteria should define the earliest possible time-point in the course of a disease at which an impairment of the well-being for protecting life is no longer acceptable and emergency killing becomes inevitable. The decision regarding the killing requires in addition an ethical evaluation, which includes safeguarding interests of the pig owners. The project should depict the complex process of decision-making concerning the killing of diseased pigs exem-plary for relevant diseases or injuries. Diseased or injured pigs of various age groups should be monitored during the entire course of disease by means of clinical exam-inations and supplementary photo and video documentation in order to generate data sets, which make a decision regarding the killing understandable. Finally, prac-ticable, illness-/injury-specific criteria catalogues should be compiled for livestock pigs and integrated in a training concept. A further aim of the project is to analyse the reasons why pig farmers have wrongly assessed the health status of affected animals. The training concept should therefore directly deal with these reasons.

Cooperation Partners:

ISN Projekt GmbH, Damme

Funding: MWK über Universität Göttingen, 439.500 EUR

Project Details:
Das Projekt befasst sich mit der Auswirkung einer SARS-CoV-2-Infektion auf die Integrität der Epithelien im Respirationstrakt, mit besonderem Fokus auf die Spätfolgen der Infektion und die Regenerationsfähigkeit. Hierzu wird ein Langzeitversuch im Hamstermodell durchgeführt, in dessen Rahmen Daten für zwei Kernarbeitspakete generiert werden. Im ersten Arbeitspaket werden Auswirkungen auf das ziliierte Epithel in den luftleitenden Wegen untersucht, während das zweite Arbeitspaket sich mit der Schädigung und Regeneration des Alveolarepithels und der daraus resultierenden Folgen für die Lungenfunktion, den Sauerstoffaustausch und die Belastungstoleranz beschäftigt. Zur Auswertung kommt ein breites Spektrum von Analysemethoden zum Einsatz, inklusive funktioneller, pathologischer, virologischer und molekularbiologischer Methoden. Der holistische Ansatz wird unser Verständnis der Pathogenese der Spätfolgen einer COVID-19-Erkrankung maßgeblich erweitern und stellt eine wichtige Voraussetzung für die Entwicklung von Therapieansätzen dar.

Cooperation Partners:

Universität Göttingen