The growing interest in fermented foods and plant-based alternatives highlights the need for advanced tools to study the microorganisms that drive these processes. Flow Cytometry (FCM) provides rapid, single-cell functional analysis, but its application is still limited by the lack of specific microbial probes and by assays largely tailored to mammalian systems. This project aims to

1. develop FCM-based approaches for microbial phenotyping,
2. establish functional assays adapted to microbial cells,
3. apply these methods to relevant food matrices.

Achieving these objectives will enable real-time monitoring of microbial activity, integrating phenotypic and functional information that is not accessible with current techniques. The expected outcome is an expansion of FCM applications in food microbiology and agricultural research, delivering innovative tools for Agroscope.