A project financed by the Malta Council for Science and Technology has developed a non-contact approach for the early detection of microbial contaminants in ġbejna responsible for food spoilage.
The project involved a collaboration between the Centre for Biomedical Cybernetics, the Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition at the University of Malta, and Farm Fresh Ltd, and received €195,000.
Early detection in the processing chain allow for immediate action to prevent contaminated batches from moving further down the production and distribution line and reaching the end customer.
The ġbejna, which forms an integral part of the Maltese food heritage, is made from sheep or goat milk curds and aged for several months to develop its distinctive taste. During the ageing process, the cheese can become spoiled by fungi and unsafe for human consumption.