Laboratory of Dairy Research

The Laboratory of Dairy Research (LDR) has been founded in 1920 in correspondence with the teaching chair included in the founding law of Agricultural University of Athens (AUA). LDR is responsible for the theoretical education and laboratory training in Dairy and Cheese Science and Technology and Food Biochemistry of undergraduate and postgraduate students mainly of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and of other AUA Departments. Apart from the Teaching and Research Staff, Research and Teaching Assistants and Specialized Technicians serve in the LDR. The building infrastructure of LDR consists of laboratory teaching and research rooms, which include technology rooms for the special training and internship of undergraduate and postgraduate students and for the experimentation under semi-pilot or pilot scale conditions. The scientific equipment of the LDR includes small and large instruments of a modern laboratory of Dairy Chemistry and Microbiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The technological equipment includes, among others, a semi-pilot unit for continuous  heat treatment and homogenization of milk, a semi-pilot membrane system for the treatment of milk and various types of whey, yogurt vat and incubation chamber, mixing devices, equipment for butter- and ice cream-making on a small scale, a freeze-dryer, refrigerated milk tanks and cold rooms, cheese and yogurt packaging equipment, cheese vats, cheese tables, pasta-filata cheese working machine, cheese press and cheese ripening rooms. From its establishment until today, part of the LDR activity concerns the dissemination of knowledge in society and the feedback of its research activities from its needs. It has played a decisive role in the establishment of organizations and the formulation of regulations for the quality and authenticity of milk and dairy products and in the inclusion in the EU geographical registrations registers of emblematic Greek products such as Feta and other sheep/goat milk cheese varieties. Members of LDR collaborate with small and large dairy and cheese units as well as local and international bodies through research and development activities and training seminars.

Laboratory of Dairy Research – 40 years

Microorganisms Collection: ACA-DC Website