Know4Nano

Presenters

Dr. Maria Aspri

Special Teaching Staff
Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science

Maria Aspri has a BSc in Food Science and Microbiology from University of Surrey (UK) and a research MSc in Food Microbiology from the University College of Cork in Ireland. She obtained her PhD at the Dairy Science and Technology Laboratory at Cyprus University of Technology. Her PhD thesis was on the isolation and identification of beneficial Lactic Acid Bacteria from donkey milk, in order to be used as starter/ adjunct cultures for the production of a functional fermented donkey drink (probiotic, ACE-inhibitory, antimicrobial and antioxidant activity), followed by the peptidomic profile of raw and fermented donkey milk after in-vitro digestion. Furthermore, she was a post doc researcher at the Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology and Food Science of CUT. She also worked as a Quality Control Manager for a private food and water testing laboratory. Her main research interests include the development of novel functional food products in particular with probiotic bacteria, their functional properties and the production of bacteriocins and bioactive peptides after in-vitro digestion process. Furthermore, she is working with the application of non-thermal treatments (UV-C) and their effect on the microbiological and nutritional quality of the final product.

Talk Title: Microbiological Techniques for Bacterial Culturing and Enumeration: Principles, Applications, and Innovations

Bacterial culturing and enumeration are foundational techniques in microbiology, essential for studying bacterial physiology, assessing microbial contamination, and developing antimicrobial treatments. This presentation will provide an in-depth overview of the key methods and innovations in bacterial culturing and enumeration, exploring their principles, protocols, and practical applications.
We will begin with an examination of traditional culturing methods, such as spread plating, pour plating, and most probable number (MPN) techniques, which remain a gold standard in microbial detection for their specificity and ability to provide viable samples for further analysis. The presentation will also cover selective and differential media as tools for isolating specific bacterial species, and enrichment techniques to promote the growth of fastidious organisms.
Next, we will discuss rapid enumeration methods, such as flow cytometry, turbidity measurements, and colorimetric assays, which offer faster and often more scalable alternatives to traditional colony counting. The presentation aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of both established and emerging techniques in bacterial culturing and enumeration, equipping attendees with insights into selecting the most appropriate methods for their specific microbiological applications.

This project is funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe GA 101159710