Objective
The purpose of the project is to address and to overcome specific scientific and technological hurdles that impact on the performance of functional foods based on probiotic- prebiotic interactions such as lack of strong knowledge on the primary factors for probiotic viability, stability and performance as well as on probiotic- prebiotic interactions. The project will (1) systematically explore effects of processing on functionality of probiotics and on probiotic performance, (2) apply selected processing techniques for prebiotic modification and (3) use the information generated for new process and (probiotic-prebiotic) product options. Expected achievements include the identification of critical process parameters for probiotics and prebiotics, optimisation of probiotic viability and stability at pilot plant scale and processing induced new prebiotics. The project is highly interdisciplinary with strong industrial participation and commitment.