The Lactiker research group studies safety and quality of foods of ruminant animal origin, from a multidisciplinary point of view: biochemical, microbiological, technological, nutritional, and sensorial, and in two different perspectives:

1. Basic scientific approaches are primarily directed to the study of physico-chemical, microbiological, biochemical, and technological processes involved in the production of dairy and meat products, from raw materials to the final product offered to consumers.
2. Applied approaches are intended to transfer knowledge and technology to the production sector at large to develop new products and/or to improve safety and quality of traditional products.

The following are specific areas in which Lactiker researchers currently work:

• Experimental design: lab scale, commercial designs, and pilot plant and industrial trials.
• Development of prototypes: products and processes.
• General physico-chemical, biochemical and microbiological analysis of milk, cheese, and meat for food quality and safety control.
• Detailed analysis of the lipid, protein, and volatile fractions of milk, cheese, and meat, as well as of feed raw materials, using chromatographic and spectrophotometric technologies.
• Determination of technological properties of milk, cheese, and meat.
• Sensory analysis of food: quality control and consumers acceptance and preference tests.
• Application of molecular techniques to the identification of microorganisms in milk, cheese, meat and other biological tissues.
• Advanced statistical techniques for data treatment.