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July 5, 2024-GTU Office of Press and Public Relations
The project by Associate Professor Fatih Tarlak, a faculty member at Gebze Technical University (GTU) Department of Bioengineering, has become entitled to receive support under the TÜBİTAK 3501 Career Development Program. The project is titled "Optimization of Interaction Behaviors of Bioprotective Microorganisms and Development of Their Digital Twin with Artificial Intelligence-Based New Modeling Strategies."
The project presents an important study for the agro-food sector, which seeks alternative solutions to foodborne illnesses and health risks associated with excessive chemical preservative use due to increasing consumer awareness in recent years. This alternative method, called bioprotection, is based on using microorganisms or their metabolites to protect foods. This method generally operates with an "ecological control" strategy using bacteria accepted as QPS (Qualified Presumption of Safety) to prevent the growth of undesirable microorganisms and has the potential to extend product shelf life.
The project led by Associate Professor Fatih Tarlak aims to investigate the effects of Latilactobacillus sakei CTC494, widely used in bioprotection technology and generally considered safe, on Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes under different conditions. What makes the project unique is its goal to integrate artificial intelligence techniques to predict and optimize microbial interactions in a bioreactor environment, in addition to the use of bioprotective cultures. This integration has the potential to contribute to more effective biopreservation in the food industry, thereby increasing product shelf life and ensuring safety.
The project team will include Associate Professor Bengü Ergüden from GTU Department of Bioengineering and Assistant Professor Özgün Yücel from GTU Department of Chemical Engineering. The project aims to provide a pioneering contribution to the sector by offering a new perspective to researchers in the fields of bioprotection and artificial intelligence.
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