A team of young researchers from the Faculty of Agrarian Technologies of CSU successfully finalized the project “Probiotic Dairy Product with High Antioxidant Activity” (LACTANOX) (23.70105.5107.05T), implemented during 2024–2025. The aim of the project was to develop a probiotic dairy product with high antioxidant activity based on local resources.
The main idea of the research was to increase the nutritional value of fermented dairy products by adding natural flower honey. In this case, honey acts not only as a sweetener but also as a powerful growth stimulator for beneficial lactic acid bacteria, enriching yogurt with antioxidants.
Main results of the research team:
1. Valuable strains of lactic acid bacteria (Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus) were isolated and identified from natural raw materials of southern Republic of Moldova.
2. Yogurt formulations with different fat contents (0%, 2.5%, and 3.2%) containing 2% to 8% honey were developed.
3. Studies confirmed a high content of phenolic compounds and carotenoids in the honey used, ensuring the product’s ability to neutralize free radicals.
Experiments showed that the addition of 4–6% honey is optimal, providing the best taste, stable consistency, and high viability of probiotic cultures. The developed technology was successfully tested under industrial conditions at SRL Oloi Pac in Comrat municipality.
The results of the LACTANOX project were presented at scientific conferences and received wide international recognition, winning prestigious awards at innovation exhibitions:
➢ Gold medals at “PRO INVENT” (Cluj-Napoca, 2025) and “Traian Vuia” (Timișoara, Romania, 2025);
➢ Silver medals at “EUROINVENT” (Iași, Romania, 2024) and the 28th International Innovation Exhibition (2024).
The project implementation became possible thanks to active cooperation with national and international partners, including the Institute of Applied Research in Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine of the Republic of Moldova, the Technical University of Moldova, as well as foreign centers in the USA (Oklahoma State University) and Romania.
The project results help reduce dependence on imported starter cultures and stimulate the development of the “honey–milk” value chain in the region. The developed prototype is ready for transfer to local producers, allowing Moldovan residents access to a new functional product for healthy nutrition.
