Contacts:
Marjeta ČANDEK-POTOKAR, Ph.D.          Tel.: +386 1 28 05 124       meta.candek-potokar@kis.si        biography        publications	Martin ŠKRLEP, Ph.D.        Tel.: +386 1 28 05 234       martin.skrlep@kis.si        biography        publications	Nina BATOREK, Ph.D.student        Tel.: +386 1 28 05 230       nina.batorek@kis.si        biography        publications
Blaž ŠEGULA, M.Sc.        Tel.: +386 1 28 05 227       blaz.segula@kis.si        biography        publications	Maja PREVOLNIK, Ph.D.       Tel.:+386 1 28 05 230       maja.prevolnik@kis.si        biography        publications

      Research work:

      Our research is interdisciplinary between livestock and food production and is directed towards improving quality and safety of animal products. Key fields of research, as can be seen from on-going and finished projects, are related to carcass classification, meat and meat products quality (from physical, chemical, proteomic and genetic point of view) and dry ham production.

     Proffesional work:

      In accordance with pig breeding program and a contract with the approved breeding organisation (chamber of agriculture - Kmetijsko-gozdarska zbornica Slovenije), we perform tasks related to the evaluation of pig carcass and meat quality. Within the frame of this program we also carry out various developmental projects (e.g. introduction of NIR spectroscopy for meat evaluation, testing immunocastration, genetic markers for meat quality). We also participate in the advisory council of approved breeding organisation, we publish and disseminate results of our work to pig producers and we also perform advisory service and consulting in the area of our research work.  

On the call of the ministry of agriculture we perform development projects related to pig carcass classification, i.e. dissection trials and preparation of equation for lean meat percentage calculation, assessment of factors affecting the accuracy of classification (or lean meat percentage evaluation), we also participate in meetings of experts for pig carcass classification at the level of EU.

      Research themes:

      Ph.D. projects:

            -  Immunocastration as a way to prevent meat boar taint: influence on growth performance, body composition and meat quality (on-going)
National projects: 
     - V4-0301 Develpopment of method for pig carcass classification
     - L4-1188 The aptitude of different pig genotypes for production of dry-cured ham
     - V4-0864 Evaluating market prospects for traditional Prekmurje dry ham
     - L4-6376 Predictive ability of NIR spectroscopy for pig meat quality evaluation
     - L4-1320 Morphological and physiological parameters of reproduction, development and growth in animals
     - L4-9468 Use of genetic markers to breed pigs adapted for low salted dry ham
     - V4-0116 Chemical composition of pig meat - nutritional tables
EU projects: 
    - 5.FP EUPIGCLASS, Pic carcass classification 
    - 6.FP TRUEFOOD ; Traditional United Europ Food 
    - 6.FP YOUNG-TRAIN;Training and mentoring early career scientists from candidate, associated and Mediterranean Countries in whole food chain approach to quality and safety
    - 6.FP PIGCAS; Piglet castration in Europe

Research achievements:
1. Alternatives to pig castration:

• ŠKRLEP, Martin, ŠEGULA, Blaž, ZAJEC, Marta, KASTELIC, Miran, KOŠOROK, Stane, FAZARINC, Gregor, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta. Effect of immunocastration (Improvac ^®) in fattening  pigs I : growth performance, reproductive organs and malodorous comopunds. Slov. vet. res.. [English ed.], 2010, vol. 47, no.2,str.57-64. [COBISS.SI-ID 3355240]
• ŠKRLEP, Martin,ŠEGULA, Blaž, PREVOLNIK, Maja, KIRBIŠ, Andrej, FAZARINC, Gregor, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta.Effect of immunocastration (Improvac ^®)infattening pigs II : carcass traits and meat quality. Slov. vet. res.. [English ed.], 2010, vol. 47, no. 2, str. 65-72. [COBISS.SI-ID 3355496] 

2. Dry ham production:

• ŠKRLEP, Martin, MANDELC, Stanislav, JAVORNIK, Branka, SANTÉ-LHOUTELLIER, Véronique, GOU, Pere, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta. Green ham pH value affects proteomic profile of dry-cured ham. Ital. J. Anim. Sci., 2010, vol. 9, str. 153-156, ilustr., tabele. [COBISS.SI-ID 3248488]
• ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, ŠKRLEP, Martin. Dry ham (Kraški pršut) processing losses as affected by raw material properties and manufacturing practice. J. food process. preserv., 2010, vol. , no., str., doi: 10.1111/j.1745-4549.2009.00462.x. [COBISS.SI-ID 3306088]
• ŠKRLEP, Martin, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, KAVAR, Tatjana, ŽLENDER, Božidar, HORTÓS, Maria, GOU, Pere, ARNAU, Jacint, EVANS, Gary, SOUTHWOOD, Olwen, DIESTRE, Alejandro, ROBERT, Nathalie, DUTERTRE, Christoph, SANTE-LHOUTELLIER, Veronique. Association of PRKAG3 and CASTgenetic polymorphisms with traits of interest in dry-cured ham production : comparative study in France, Slovenia and Spain. Livest. sci.. [Print ed.], 2010, vol. 128, str. 60-66,doi: 10.1016/j.livsci.2009.10.015. [COBISS.SI-ID 3140200]
• ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, ARH, Meta. Evaluating market prospects for Prekmurje dry ham in relation to consumption characteristics of dry meat products in Slovenia. V: AUDIOT, A. (ur.), CASABIANCA, François de (ur.), MONIN, G. (ur.). 5th International Symposium on the Mediterranean Pig, Tarbes (France) 16-19 November 2004 : Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on the Mediterranean Pig... : Actes du 5ème Symposium International sur le Porc Méditerranéen..., (Options méditerranéennes, No. 76). Zaragoza: Instituto Agronomico Mediterraneo de Zaragoza, 2007, str. 327-332. [COBISS.SI-ID 2006376] 
• ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, MONIN, Gabriel, ŽLENDER, Božidar. Pork quality, processing, and sensory characteristics of dry-cured hams as influenced by Duroc crossing and sex. J. anim. sci., 2002, vol. 80, no. 4, str. 988-996. [COBISS.SI-ID 2615416]  
• ABRAHAM-PANIČ, Zorica, SEVER, Sašo, JERIČ, Damjan, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta. Rearing heavier pigs for the purposes of "Prekmurska šunka" production - comparision of three pig genotypes = pitanje prašičev na večjo maso za potrebe prekmurske šunke - primerjava treh genotipov. V: STEKAR, Jasna (ur.). Prireja mesa in mleka v prihodnosti, (Zbornik Biotehniške fakultete Univerze v Ljubljani, Kmetijstvo, Suplement, Agriculture, Supplement, 31, 31). Domžale: Biotehniška fakulteta, Oddelek za zootehniko, 2001, str. 213-219. [COBISS.SI-ID 1149032]
• SANS, Pierre, LASSAUT, Bernard, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta. European protection of agricultural products and foodstuffs in the new EU member countries : the example of collaboration between France and Slovenia = Evropska zaščita poimenovanj za posebne kmetijske proizvode in živila v novih članicah EU : primer sodelovanja med Francijo in Slovenijo. Journal of central european agriculture. [Online ed.], 2006, vol. 7, no. 1, str. 79-89. [COBISS.SI-ID 2154856]

3. Use of NIR spectroscopy for meat quality evaluation:

• PREVOLNIK, Maja, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, ŠKORJANC, Dejan. Ability of NIR spectroscopy to predict meat chemical composition and quality - a review. Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2004, let. 49, št. 11, str. 500-510. [COBISS.SI-ID 2180396]
• ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta,PREVOLNIK, Maja, ŠKRLEP, Martin.Ability of near infrared spectroscopy to predict pork technological traits. J. near infrared spectrosc., 2006, vol. 14, no. 4, str. 269-277. [COBISS.SI-ID 2163560]
• PREVOLNIK, Maja, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, NOVIČ, Marjana, ŠKORJANC, Dejan. An attempt to predict pork drip loss from pH and colour measurements or near infrared spectra using artificial neural networks. Meat sci.. [Print ed.], 2009, vol. 83, št. 3, str. 405-411, doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2009.06.015. [COBISS.SI-ID 3025512]
• PREVOLNIK, Maja, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, ŠKORJANC, Dejan, VELIKONJA BOLTA, Špela, ŠKRLEP, Martin, ŽNIDARŠIČ, Tomaž, BABNIK, Drago. Predicting intramuscular fat content in pork and beef by near infrared spectroscopy.J. near infrared spectrosc., 2005, letn. 13, št. 2, str. 77-85. [COBISS.SI-ID 1966696]
• PREVOLNIK, Maja, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, ŠKORJANC, Dejan. Predicting pork water-holding capacity with NIR spectroscopy in relation to different reference methods. J. food eng.. [Print ed.], 2010, vol. 98, iss. 3, str. 347-352, ilustr. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2007.07.008, doi: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2009.11.022. [COBISS.SI-ID 3211368]
• ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, PREVOLNIK, Maja. Testing NIR spectroscopy for drip loss prediction. New food, 2008, vol. 11, issue 1, str. 12-15, graf. prikazi. [COBISS.SI-ID 2624616]
• ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta. Predicting fat and quality of meat. New food, 2006, vol. 10, issue 2, str. 48-50. [COBISS.SI-ID 2163304]

4. Pig carcass classification:

• MALOVRH, Špela, KOVAČ, Milena, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, ŽGUR, Silvester, ŠEGULA, Blaž. Enačbe za ocenjevanje deleža mesa v trupih prašičev na liniji klanja = Equations for assessment of leanmeat content in pig carcasses on slaughter line. Zbornik Biotehniške fakultete Univerze v Ljubljani, Kmetijstvo, Zootehnika, Agricultural issue, Zootechnica, 2001, letn. 78, št. 2, str. 229-242. [COBISS.SI-ID 1225864]
• ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, KOVAČ, Milena, MALOVRH, Špela. Slovenian experience in pig carcass classification according to SEUROP during the years 1996 to 2004 = Slovenske izkušnje pri ocenjevanju mesnatosti prašičev po SEUROP v letih 1996 do 2004.Journal of central european agriculture. [Online ed.], 2004, vol. 5, no. 4, str. 323-330. http://www.agr.hr/jcea/issues/jcea5-4/jcea54_12.html. [COBISS.SI-ID 1852520]
• ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, OKSAMA, M., OLSEN, E.V. The accuracy of Slovenian method for pig carcass classification. V: HONING, Ynze (ur.). Book of abstracts of the 55th Annual meeting of the European Association for Animal Production, Bled, Slovenia, 5-9 September 2004. Wageningen: Wageningen Academic Publishers, 2004, str. 272. [COBISS.SI-ID 1781352]
• OLSEN, E.V., ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, OKSAMA, M., KIEN, Stefan, LISIAK, Dariusz, BUSK, Hans. On-line measurements in pig carcass classification. Repeatability and variation due to the operator and the copy of instrument. Meat sci.. [Print ed.], 2007, letn. 75, št. 1, str. 29-38. [COBISS.SI-ID 2192744]  

5. Carcass and meat quality: 

• ŠKRLEP, Martin, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta. Pork color measurement as affected by bloom time and measurement location. J. muscle foods, 2007, vol. 18, str. 78-87. [COBISS.SI-ID 2153064]
• ŠKRLEP, Martin, PREVOLNIK, Maja, ŠEGULA, Blaž, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta. Association of plasma stress markers at slaughter with carcass or meat quality in pigs = Povezanost med vsebnostjo stresnih označevalcev (kortozil, neopterin, HSP70) v krvni plazmi ob zakolu in lastnostmi kakovosti klavnega trupa oz. mesa. Slov. vet. res.. [English ed.], 2009, vol. 46, no. 4, str. 133-142. [COBISS.SI-ID 3192424]
• ŠKRLEP, Martin, KAVAR, Tatjana, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta. Comparison of PRKAG3 and RYR1 gene effect on carcass traits and meat quality in Slovenian commercial pigs. Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2010, vol. 55, no. 4, str. 149-159. [COBISS.SI-ID 3275880]
• ŠKRLEP, Martin, KAVAR, Tatjana, SANTÉ-LHOUTELLIER, Véronique, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta. Effect of I199V polymorphism on PRKAG3 gene on carcass and meat quality traits in Slovenian commercial pigs. J. muscle foods, 2009, vol. 20, iss. 3, str. 367-376, doi: 10.1111/j.1745-4573.2009.158.xAbout DOI. [COBISS.SI-ID 3033448] 
• ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, ŽLENDER, Božidar, KRAMAR, Zdena, ŠEGULA, Blaž, FAZARINC, Gregor, URŠIČ, Matjaž. Evaluation of Slovene local pig breed Krškopolje for carcass and meat quality = Hodnocení slovinského místního plemene prasat Krškopolje z hlediska kvality jatečného trupu a masa. Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2003, letn. 48, št. 3, str.120-128. [COBISS.SI-ID
• ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, ŽLENDER, Božidar, LEFAUCHEUR, Louis, BONNEAU, Michel.Effects of age and/or weight at slaughter on longissimus dorsi muscle:biochemical traits and sensory quality in pigs. Meat sci.. [Print ed.],1998, vol. 48,no. 3/4, str. 287-300. [COBISS.SI-ID 569192]
• ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, ŽLENDER, Božidar, BONNEAU, Michel. Effets du poids et de l'age à l'abattage sur la composition chimique du muscle long dorsalde porcs croisés Duroc x (Landrace x Large White) = The effects of age and weight at slaughter on the chemical composition of loin muscle in Duroc x (Landrace x Large White) pigs. Journ. rech. porc. Fr., 1997, let. 29, str. 391-396, tabele, graf. prikazi. [COBISS.SI-ID 391528]
• ČANDEKPOTOKAR, Marjeta, LEFAUCHEUR, Louis, ŽLENDER, Božidar,BONNEAU, Michel. Effect of slaughter weight and/or age on histological characteristics of pig longissimus dorsi muscle as related to meat quality. Meat sci.. [Print ed.], 1999, vol. 52, no. 2, str.195-203. [COBISS.SI-ID 709992]
• ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, ŽLENDER, Božidar, BONNEAU, Michel. Effects of breed and slaughter weight on longissimus muscle biochemical traits and sensory quality in pigs = Effects de la race et du poids à l'abattage sur les caractéristiques du muscle long dorsal et la qualité sensorielle de la viande chez le porc. Ann. zootech., 1998, let. 47, str. 3-16, tabele, graf. prikazi. [COBISS.SI-ID 591720]
• ŠKORJANC, Dejan, BRUS, Maksimiljan, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta. Effect of birth weight and sex on pre-weaning growth rate of piglets. Arch. Tierz., 2007, letn. 50, št. 5, str. 476-486. [COBISS.SI-ID 2547244]
• FAZARINC, Gregor, LOVŠIN, Ester, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta. Computer aided histophotometric evaluation of glycogen metabolic capacity of pig muscles based on alpha-GDPHase activity. V: ERŽEN, Ida (ur.), PAJER, Zdenka (ur.). Life sciences 1996 : proceedings of the 3rd international conference, Gozd Martuljek, Slovenia, September 21st - 26th, l996. Ljubljana: Society for Stereology and Quantitative Image Analysis, 1996, str. 169-170, tabele, graf. prikazi. [COBISS.SI-ID 269160]
• ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, URŠIČ, Matjaž, FAZARINC, Gregor. Histochemical profile of longissimus dorsi muscle as related to pH1 in porcine stress syndrome (PSS) resistant pigs = Vrednost pH1 najdaljše hrbtne mišice (m. longissimus dorsi) v odvisnosti od njene histokemične zgradbe pri za stresni sindrom (PSS) nedovzetnih prašičih. Res. rep. - Univ. Ljubl. Vet. Fac.. [English ed.], 1998, let. 35, št. 1/2, str. 19-25, graf. prikazi. [COBISS.SI-ID 718696]
• ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, LEFAUCHEUR, Louis, ECOLAN, Patrick.Determination of glycogen in single skeletal muscle fibres by computerized image analysis. Application to the quantification of glycogen according to fibre type in two muscles and three pig genotypes = Določanje vsebnosti glikogena v mišičnem vlaknu z računalniško podprto analizo slik. Aplikacija na raziskavi vsebnosti glikogena glede na tip mišičnih vlaken v dveh mišicah in pri treh genotipih prašičev. Res. rep. - Univ. Ljubl. Vet. Fac.. [English ed.], 1999, let. 36, št. 1, str. 57-66, graf. prikazi, ilustr. [COBISS.SI-ID 823144]
• FERNANDEZ, Xavier, LEFAUCHEUR, Louis, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta. Comparative study of two classifications of muscle fibres: consequences for the photometric determination of Glycogen according to fibre type in red and white muscle of the pig. Meat sci.. [Print ed.], 1995, let. 41, št. 2, str. 225-235, tab., graf. [COBISS.SI-ID 590696]
• FAZARINC, Gregor, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, URŠIČ, Matjaž, VRECL, Milka, POGAČNIK, Azra. Giant muscle fibres in pigs with different Ryr1 genotype. Anat. Histol. Embryol., 2002, vol. 31, no. 6, str. 367-371. [COBISS.SI-ID 1277544] 
• ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta. Vsebnost in presnova glikogena v mišici: posledica za kakovost prašičjega mesa = Muscle glycogen content and metabolism: consequence for meat quality in pigs. Sodob. kmet., 1996, let. 29, št. 1, str. 3-8, tab. [COBISS.SI-ID 186728]
• ŽGUR, Silvester, URBAS, Joža, GLAVAČ, Marija, ŠEGULA, Blaž. Influence of sex on carcass traits in pigs = utjecaj spola na osobine svinjskih polovica. Znan. praksa poljopr. prehramben. tehnol., 1994, let. 24, št. 1, str. 75-79, tabele. [COBISS.SI-ID 96136]
• ŽGUR, Silvester, URBAS, Joža, ŠEGULA, Blaž. Influence of sex on carcass traits and diameter of muscle fibres and fat cells in pigs = Vpliv spola na klavne lastnosti in premer mišičnih ter maščobnih celic pri prašičih. Zbornik Biotehniške fakultete Univerze v Ljubljani, Kmetijstvo, Zootehnika, Agricultural issue, Zootechnica, 1995, št. 66, str. 79-87, tabele. [COBISS.SI-ID 147048]

6. Chemical composition of pigmeat - nutritional tables:

• GOLOB, Terezija, STIBILJ, Vekoslava, ŽLENDER, Božidar, KROPF, Urška, KOROŠEC, Mojca, POLAK, Tomaž, SALOBIR, Janez, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, GOLOB, Terezija (ur.), BERTONCELJ, Jasna (ur.), KROPF, Urška (ur.), KOROŠEC, Mojca (ur.), KOROUŠIĆ-SELJAK, Barbara (ur.). Slovenske prehranske tabele, Meso in mesni izdelki = Slovenian food composition tables, Meat and meat products. Ljubljana: Biotehniška fakulteta, Oddelek za živilstvo, 2006. tabele. ISBN 961-6333-48-8. ISBN 978-961-6333-48-1. [COBISS.SI-ID 229433856]

 7. Other:

• ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta, PREVOLNIK, Maja, BABNIK, Drago, PERPAR, Tomaž. The uncertainty of results when estimating daily milk records. Anim. res. (Print), 2006, letn. 55, št. 6, str. 521-532. [COBISS.SI-ID 2257256]
• ŠEGULA, Blaž, ČANDEK POTOKAR, Marjeta. The effect of housing on the occurance of hind leg weaknesses in market pigs of three genotypes = Vpliv vhlevitve na obolenja zadnjih nog pri prašičih pitancih treh genotipov. Journal of central european agriculture. [Online ed.], 2006, vol. 7, no. 1, str. 91-99. http://www.agr.hr/jcea/issues/jcea7-1/pdf/jcea71-12.pdf. [COBISS.SI-ID 2245224] 
• ŠEGULA, Blaž. Sezonski vpliv na plodnost svinj na farmi Krško = Seasonal effect on fertility of sows on the farm Krško. Zb. Vet. fak. - Univ. Ljubl.. [Slovenska izd.], 1997, let. 34, št. 2, str. 253-263, tab., graf. prikazi. [COBISS.SI-ID 535400]