Project:

Metagenomic Barcoding of Yogurt and Cheese Commercial Products

Students:

Zachary Wong, Julia Gelman

Institution:

Queens High School for the Sciences at York College, Queens

Mentors:

Louis Levinger

Abstract:

This proposal aims to investigate the microbial density and genera of probiotic and non-probiotic yogurts, as well as the claims made by yogurt manufacturers. The researchers plan to compare their findings with the claims made by the companies to determine if they align. They will inoculate yogurt samples into culture tubes, perform dilutions, and calculate the microbial density in CFU/mL. They will also isolate colonies for further analysis. DNA extraction, amplification, and sequencing will be conducted to identify the bacteria to the genus level. Metabarcoding may be used to identify the taxonomic composition of mixed DNA samples. The data interpretation plan involves assessing microbial density and matching the detected genera/species with the manufacturers' claims. The researchers may also analyze the presence of fungi using ITS primers. The results will help consumers make informed decisions about probiotic yogurt choices.

Poster:

Team samples: