Chair of Meat Technology and Food Assessment
Chair of Meat Technology and Food Assessment consists of two research groups, Meat technology and Food assessment.
The research activity of the Meat technology group and Food assessment group can be divided in thematic areas:
Meat technology group has expertise on meat quality parameters of slaughtered animals, poultry and fish in conjunction with post-mortem technology factors (e.g. packaging, meat ageing, heat treatment), and on food safety from the aspect of studying the non-enzymatic browning reactions (heterocyclic aromatic amines, genotoxicity, proteomics and prevention of their formation), mycotoxins and bio-residues (polychlorinated biphenyls – their transformation and degradation; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), development of analytical methods in meat, meat products and ready meals. Important research area is also protected agricultural products and includes determination chemical composition and sensory characteristics in combination with instrumentally valuated parameters as well as determination of mycotoxins content in those products. In the field of lipid and protein oxidation, as a major factor of deterioration of meat products, we have been dealing with the stabilization of meat and products. In this aspect, we develop of new analytical methods based on the LC-MS/MS for determination some components in food.
In the scope of the Meat technology group, following subjects are conducted:
- Undergraduate (BSc) study of Food Science and Nutrition: Animal food processing, Organization and technology of catering, Meat and meat products I;
- MSc study of Food Science: Gastronomy, Meat and meat products technology II and Technology of plant fats and confectionery, Novel foods, Nutrition engineering;
- MSc study of Nutrition: Gastronomy, Novel foods, Nutrition engineering;
- Interdisciplinary Doctoral Study Programme in Biosciences: Technologies in meat production and processing, New technologies in food of animal origin.
Food assessment group has expertise on parameters defining the quality of food in the aspect of physico-chemical and sensory properties; on food composition data provision and exploration in nutrition planning and evaluation, with focus on dietary fibre determination and studying its potential in food reformulation; and on sensory analysis of food products by trained and consumer panels.
The group has specialization on analyses of honey and other bee products.
Food assessment group conducts courses, which are part of following study programmes:
- Undergraduate (BSc) study of Food Science and Nutrition: Food analytical chemistry, Food quality evaluation and legislation, Sensory methods
- MSc study of Food Science: Sensory analysis
- MSc study of Nutrition: Sensory analysis, Nutrition, health policy and legislation, Nutrition planning
- Interdisciplinary Doctoral Study Programme in Biosciences: Interaction of sensory and instrumental methods, Food quality and safety
Our professional activities primarily involve the analysis of both sensory and chemical quality of food and ready meals. The staff of the chair permanently participates as members in international sensory commissions for the evaluation of meat, meat products and honey.
We constantly or occasionally cooperate with food producers, trading companies and other interested parties in solving technological problems.
Other forms of education offered at our chair are lectures and seminars in the field of meat industry, public nutrition, diet, catering, educators, as well as tests and trainings of sensory assessors of meat, honey, bakery products, wine and must.
For research and professional work there are two chemical, instrumental and two technological laboratories (with a pilot installation of machines for the production of meat products) and a sensory laboratory with computer-assisted evaluation.