University Dunarea de Jos Galati, Romania
Faculty of Food Science and Engineering is one of the major faculties of the University Dunărea de Jos Galaţi. It offers BSc, MSc and PhD study programmes on Food Science, Food Engineering, Food Control, Fishing and Fish Processing, Public Food Management, Industrial Biotechnology, Ecology and Environmental Protection.
The Faculty
• has one Food Research Center, where basic and applied research is focused on food processing, food microbiology and food chemistry.
• has one ISO 17025 accredited Laboratory for Physical, Chemical and Microbiological Food Analysis (LAFCMA).
• is on the List of competent organizations designated by the Member States to assist the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) with its mission.
• provide comprehensive assistance to food entrepreneurs
• provide trainers for courses on food related issues
• edit one scientific journal: The Annals of the University Dunarea de Jos Galati, Fascicle VI - Food Technology (ISSN 1221–4574 for 1978 – 2006, ISSN 1843–5157 since 2007), which is indexed by the following international data bases: Global Health, CAB Abstracts, Cambridge Scientific Abstracts, Chemical Abstract (Database: CAPLUS, CODEN: AUDJAE), IndexCopernicus.
Website: Link
Contact Person: Anca Nicolau
Anca Ioana NICOLAU graduated as food technologist (1985) and obtained her PhD title in Biotehnology (1999). She is currently professor of Food Microbiology, Rapid methods and Automation in Microbiology and Hygiene for Food Business Operators at the Faculty of Food Science and Engineering from the "Dunarea de Jos" University of Galati, Romania, and is abilitated to coordinate PhD thesis in the domain of Industrial Engineering, specialization Food Industry. She is Head of the faculty ISO 17025 accredited Microbiology Laboratory. Her current research is related to the detection of pathogens in food and food processing environments and to the destruction of microorganisms using emerging technologies. She is member of the technological platform Food for Life Romania, where she acts as member of the operational committee and vice-president of the working group Quality, processing and food safety. She represents Romania in COST Action FA 1202: A European Network for Mitigating Bacterial Colonisation and Persistence On Foods and Food Processing.
University Dunarea de Jos Galati @ promise
Prof.dr.eng. Anca Ioana Nicolau: Representing the Faculty of Food Science and Engineering from the Dunarea de Jos University of Galati, Romania, my group and myself integrated well in the PROMISE consortium, proving that a research project can strengthen collaboration and knowledge transfer between the new and old member states of the European Union. My group was mainly involved in analysing neglected exogenous and endogenous routes of transmission of food-borne pathogens. Our work revealed that small border traffic between Romania and Moldova leads to the development of grey markets and the food that is illegally sold represent a source of new pathogenic strains, although the associated risk is not high. Our group made its contribution to the development of a Rti-PCR method for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes in food processing environments, to the demonstration of how fast L. monocytogenes installs in a meat processing plant and to the confirmation of cross-contamination routes in meat processing facilities using methods of molecular biology. Characterisation of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated in the frame of PROMISE project was also made with our contribution.
Based on the project work and the research stages they had at the Institute of Milk Hygiene from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria, at TEAGASC, Moorepark Food Research Centre, in Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland, and at the University of Burgos, Spain, the young researchers of my team, Luminita Ciolacu, Andrei Sorin Bolocan and Elena Alexandra Oniciuc, enlarged their competences and learned to manage in an international environment.
The PROMISE project went far beyond science as it allowed us not only to share professional exploits, but to know more about each other and even about ourselves, about traditions and food in different European countries, about music and history. This project was about friendship in science. This project was a fulfilled PROMISE.
