Dr. Zsolt Zalán - MATE Research
Overview
Dr. Zsolt Zalán is a senior research fellow at the Department of Bioengineering and Alcoholic Drink Technology, in the Institute of Food Science and Technology of MATE.
His research focuses on lactic acid bacteria from a food safety and food development perspective. His expertise lies in food microbiology, biotechnology 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.
His theoretical work examines how to use biotechnology to create value-added foods that retain their natural qualities without compromising their safety, nutritional value, or taste. His empirical work has assessed these theories in settings ranging from in the development of functional probiotic products to the mycotoxin detoxification
Across his research, he uses microbiological and specific fermentation and biotechnological methods.
He made contributions in the field of plant-based, lactic acid fermented juices and in the field of biological mold inhibition and mycotoxin removal.
He authored and co-authored 72 research articles in high-impact scientific journals.
Zsolt Zalán has collaborated with several research groups in the Czech Republic, Belgium, and China and he has successfully applied for a number research grants nationally and internationally.
Research keywords:
Publications
Yang G., Zhang X., Du M., Chen K., Nagy A., Takács K., Hegyi F., Ibrahim A.A., Dabour N., Awad S., Zalán Z., Kan J. (2025) Exploring the biocontrol performance of an unconventional yeast (Geotrichum candidum XG1) against Aspergillus flavus in corn (Zea mays L.) and its underlying mechanisms and safety. Food Control, 178, art. no. 111491, DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111491
Berkel Kasikci M., Issa A., Baglam N., Dincer E., Gérard A., Kabakci S., Özyurt V.H., Zalán Z., Şar T., Gündüz Ergün B., Chassard C., Praćer S., Vergères G., Guzel M. (2025) A systematic review on the health effects of fermented wheat germ extract with emphasis on cancer. Frontiers in Nutrition, 12, art. no. 1677464, DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1677464
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
Zhong T., Wang Z., Zhang M., Wei X., Kan J., Zalán Z., Wang K., Du M. (2021) Volatile organic compounds produced by Pseudomonas fluorescens ZX as potential biological fumigants against gray mold on postharvest grapes. Biological Control, 163, art. no. 104754, DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2021.104754
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
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
