Prof. Sameh Awad
His research is centered on enhancing the safety, quality, functionality, and processing technology of dairy products, with direct relevance to public health, nutrition, and the dairy industry. His work integrates microbiological, chemical, and technological approaches to address practical challenges such as pathogen control, adulteration detection, product standardization, and shelf-life improvement. His research outputs cover milk, cheese, fermented dairy products, and functional beverages.
Another major research focus is Ras cheese and traditional Egyptian dairy products, where he has conducted extensive studies on their chemical composition, microbiological quality, and safety criteria. His research provides critical insights into compliance with national and international standards and highlights potential risks associated with traditional manufacturing practices. He has also contributed to studies on chemical residues in raw milk and dairy products, supporting regulatory monitoring and consumer protection.
Throughout his work, he has extensively utilized lactic acid bacteria (LAB), including commercial starter cultures and novel isolates from traditional Egyptian dairy products, to improve product safety, texture, flavor, and functional properties. From traditional Egyptian dairy products, his team isolated promising novel strains with strong probiotic potential and anti-mycotoxin activities, including Limosilactobacillus fermentum DMCR 309 and DMCR 316, which show high tolerance to gastrointestinal conditions and robust anti-fungal properties. He incorporates several well-characterized strains to standardize the production and improve the properties of Ras cheese.