Dr. Zsolt Zalán - MATE Research
Overview
Zsolt Zalán is a senior research fellow at the Institute of Food Science and Technology. His research focuses on lactic acid bacteria from a food safety and food development perspective. His expertise lies in food microbiology and fermentation. Zsolt Zalán's work contributes to questions of how lactic acid bacteria can be used to make food healthier, more sustainable, natural and safe. Across his research, he uses microbiological and specific fermentation and biotechnological methods.
He authored and co-authored more than 30 research articles in high-impact scientific journals.
Zsolt Zalán has collaborated with several research groups in the Czech Republic, Belgium, and China and has successfully applied for a number of bilateral international research grants.
Research keywords:
Publications
Perjéssy J., Hegyi F., Nagy-Gasztonyi M., Zalán Z. Effect of the lactic acid fermentation by probiotic strains on the sour cherry juice and its bioactive compounds (2022) Food Science and Technology International, 28 (5), pp. 408 – 420. DOI: 10.1177/10820132211018044
Wang Z., Zhong T., Chen K., Du M., Chen G., Chen X., Wang K., Zalán Z., Takács K., Kan J. Antifungal activity of volatile organic compounds produced by Pseudomonas fluorescens ZX and potential biocontrol of blue mold decay on postharvest citrus. (2021) Food Control, 120, art. no. 107499. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2020.107499
Wang Z., Jiang M., Chen K., Wang K., Du M., Zalán Z., Hegyi F., Kan J. Biocontrol of Penicillium digitatum on Postharvest Citrus Fruits by Pseudomonas fluorescens. (2018) Journal of Food Quality, 2018, art. no. 2910481 DOI: 10.1155/2018/2910481
Zalán Z., Hudáček J., Štětina J., Chumchalová J., Halász A. Production of organic acids by Lactobacillus strains in three different media (2010) European Food Research and Technology, 230 (3), pp. 395 – 404. DOI: 10.1007/s00217-009-1179-9
Halász A., Zalán Z. Biochemical principles of the use of yeast biomass and lab starter cultures in food production (2009) Acta Alimentaria, 38, pp. 71 – 85. DOI: 10.1556/AAlim.38.Suppl.5
Projects
“Health risk reduction by microbial prevention, degradation and decontamination of mycotoxins in foods” 2020-1.2.4-TÉT-IPARI-2021-00001, Chinese-Hungarian Intergovernmental Scientific and Technological Industrial R+D Program, 2022-2025.
The aim of the project is to develop methods for the possible reduction of aflatoxin B1 and sterigmatocystin contamination in feed and food raw materials. In the project we plan to explore the biological and physicochemical parameters of toxin
production, with a special focus beside the environmental effects to the biological (other microorganisms) effects. on the inhibitory effects of the presence of lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and food-grade moulds. We select lactic acid bacteria for biological toxin binding and determine the exact location of this binding, as well as the efficacy of toxin binding in a human digestion model and animal experiment. Our aim is to develop and investigate a biological detoxification method based on lactic acid bacteria.
https://palyazatok.uni-mate.hu/2020-1.2.4-t%C3%89t-ipari-2021-00001
“Biological control of postharvest diseases of fruits and vegetables in Hungary and China particularly with the food safety and human health” TÉT_16_CN-1-2016-0004, Chinese-Hungarian Intergovernmental Scientific and Technological Industrial R+D Program, 2017-2020.
In this project, our aim was to select lactic acid bacteria strains with good mould inhibitory activity, in particular against moulds that cause deterioration of fruits and vegetables, and to investigate the applicability of these bacteria in post-harvest storage on vegetable raw materials. Our aim is to select microorganisms (lactic acid bacteria, yeasts) or their mixtures that can be used to prevent postharvest spoilage of plant raw materials.
„Probiotic vegetable juices development to promote food safety and healthy diet” GVOP 3.1.1.-2004-05-0076/3.0 AKF, 2005-2006.
The project aimed to ferment and enrich various plant raw materials (Jerusalem artichoke, carrot, red beet) with probiotic strains, taking into account food safety, preservation and health aspects. The functional product design was based on the creation of different product groups, such as juices, jams, and capsules.
