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Branko Velebit, PhD

Principal Research Fellow

Head of the Department of Microbiolоgical, Molecular-Biological and Parasitological Testing

 

Kaćanskog 13, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia

Mob: +381 65 9108 979

Tel: +381 11 26 50 655

E-mail: branko.velebit@inmes.rs

 

EDUCATION

  • 2010 – Philosophiae Doctor in Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade
  • 2007 – Master of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade
  • 2003 – DVM, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade

 

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

  • 2020 – Principal Research Fellow
  • 2016 – 2020 – Senior Research Associate
  • 2011 – 2015 – Research Associate
  • 2007 – 2010 – Research Assistant
  • 2005 – 2007 – Junior Researcher
  • 2004 – 2005 – Research Trainee, Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology (INMES)

 

WORK EXPERIENCE

  • 2015 – Head of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology
  • 2015 – Member and Deputy Chair of the Institute’s Steering Committee
  • 2009 – 2015 – Vice-head of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology

 

OTHER ACTIVITIES

  • Science Communication Coordinator, COST EU projekat CA24140 – Onward, 2025.
  • Guest Editor in the special issue of the MDPI Pathogens journal (ISSN 2076-0817) “Foodborne Pathogens: Genetic Profiling, Resistance, and Risk Assessment,” 2026.
  • Guest Editor in the special issue of the MDPI Pathogens journal (ISSN 2076-0817) „Advanced Detection and Bioinformatics of Foodborne Pathogens“2025.
  • Member of ISO/TC 34/SC 9/WG 3 workgroup for development, validation and implementation of international standard ISO/FWI 16140-# Viruses and parasites, as of 2020;
  • Member of ISO/CEN workgroup for development, validation and implementation of international standard ISO 19020 for the immunoenzymatic detection of staphylococcal enterotoxins in foodstuffs, as of 2014;
  • Member of WG6 NWIP EN ISO 20836 workgroup for development, validation and implementation of international standard ISO 20836 for the thermal performance testing of thermal cyclers, as of 2018;
  • Member of WG6 NWIP EN ISO 23418 workgroup for development, validation and implementation of international standard ISO 23418 for the general requirements and guidance for whole genome sequencing for typing and genomic characterization of bacteria, as of 2018;
  • Member of CEN/TC275/WG6/TAG19 workgroup for development, validation and implementation of international standard ISO 10272-2017 part 1 and 2 for the detection and enumeration of Campylobacter spp. in food, as of 2017;
  • Member of CEN/TC275/WG6/TAG4 workgroup for development, validation and implementation of international standard ISO 15216-1 and 15216-2 for the determination of hepatitis A virus and norovirus using real-time RT-PCR, as of 2017;
  • Member of NoroNet and HEVNET, collaborative and interdisciplinary European networks for molecular characterization and epidemiological studies of foodborne viruses;
  • Member of Serbian Standardization Institute’s Committee KS E034-9 Microbiology and Biotechnology.

 

AREA OF SCIENTIFIC INTEREST

  • Research, Development, Validation and Application of Diagnostic Methods in Food Microbiology (Classical and Emerging Pathogens);
  • Implementation of ISO 17025 requirements in Food Microbiology laboratory;
  • Building up National Monitoring Plan on food-borne pathogens;
  • Implementation of EU acquis communautaire in Serbian Food Processing Plants concerning Food and Process Hygiene and harmonization of national legislative pertaining to requirements laid down in Cluster 5, Chapter 12 of the Negotiation Process.

 

SELECTED SCIENTIFIC PAPERS

  • Jaykus, L. A., Bidawid, S., Bosch, A., Butot, S., Cook, N., Gummalla, S., Lowther, J., Nasheri, N., Pintó, R. M., Schaffner, D. W., Simonsson, M., Velebit, B., Vinjé, J., & Zuber, S. (2026). Detection of foodborne viruses in berries – State of science and future considerations. Food Control, 180, 111436. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111436
  • Velebit, B., Milojević, L., Janković, V., Lakićević, B., Mitrović, R., Mišić, D., & Baltić, T. (2025). Zero-tolerance Listeria in EU: preparing for the stricter controls. Meat Technology, 66(3), 423-427. https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2025.66.3.73
  • Velebit, B., Janković, V., Velebit, M., Bošković, T., Jovanović, M., Wang, D., & Mišić, D. (2025). Detection of Norovirus from Berries in Serbia by Digital PCR and NGS. Foods, 14(18), e 3257. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14183257
  • Putnik, P., Šojić Merkulov, D., Pavlić, B., Velebit, B., Bebek Markovinović, A. B., & Bursać Kovačević, D. B. (2025). Environmental impact of meat production: pollution, health risks & remediation solutions. In Environmental Remediation in Agri-Food Industry Using Nanotechnology and Sustainable Strategies (pp. 1-6). https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-13298-8.00001-8
  • Mitrović, R., Janković, V., Lakićević, B., Milojević, L., Velebit, B., Mišić, D., & Baltić, B. (2025). Effect of pH and water activity (aw) on survival of Yersinia enterocolitica in fermented sausages: challenges and risk control. Meat Technology, 66(3), 339-342. https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2025.66.3.56
  • Mišić, D., Djordjević, V., Janković, V., Velebit, B., Mitrović, R., Lakićević, B., & Milojević, L. (2025). Review of antimicrobial-resistant ESKAPEE pathogens in food sources and their relevance to the One Health approach. Meat Technology, 66(3), 295-300. https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2025.66.3.48
  • Milojević, L., Velebit, B., Janković, V., Mitrović, R., Lakićević, B., Mišić, D., & Betić, N. (2025). Occurrence and species-level identification of thermophilic Campylobacter in retail poultry meat in Serbia. Meat Technology, 66(3), 402-407. https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2025.66.3.69
  • Lakićević, B., Velebit, B., Janković, V., Mitrović, R., Milojević, L., Mišić, D., & Mrdović, B. (2025). The presence of virulence-related genes among Listeria Monocytogenes strains and their correlation with pathogenic potential. Meat Technology, 66(3), 347-351. https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2025.66.3.58
  • Janković, V., Velebit, B., Mitrović, R., Lakićević, B., Milojević, L., Mišić, D., & Dragačević, L. (2025). Detection of peanut allergens in retail food items in Serbia (2021-2024). Meat Technology, 66(3), 323-326. https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2025.66.3.53
  • Betić, N., Klun, I., Djordjević, V., Velebit, B., Uzelac, A., Milojević, L., & Karabasil, N. (2025). Transitioning to a risk-based approach in pork inspection in Serbia: are we ready for Trichinella control reform?. Meat Technology, 66(3), 473-476. https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2025.66.3.81
  • Baltić, T., Djordjević, V., Ćirić, J., Velebit, B., Borović, B., Simunović, S., & Branković Lazić, I. B. (2025). Probiotic and prebiotic properties of honey: a review. Meat Technology, 66(3), 397-401. https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2025.66.3.68
  • Velebit, M., Markovic, R., Šefer, D., Mirilović, M., Velebit, B., & Nenadović, K. (2024). The influence of dietary composition on food preference in Sharplanina Shepherd puppies. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 72, 51-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2024.02.001
  • Milojević, L., Velebit, B., Janković, V., Mitrović, R., Betić, N., Simunović, S., & Dimitrijević, M. (2024). Prevalence, Genetic Diversity, and Quantification of the RNA Genome of the Hepatitis E Virus in Slaughtered Pigs in Serbia. Animals, 14(4), Article 586. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14040586
  • Janković, V., Velebit, B., Mitrović, R., Lakićević, B., Milojević, L., Mišić, D., & Grbic, S. (2024). Detection of celery and mustard food allergens in foods of animal origin in Serbia for the period 2021–2023. Meat Technology, 65(2), 81-86. https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2024.65.2.1
  • Bebek Markovinović, A. B., Stulić, V., Putnik, P., Bekavac, N., Pavlić, B., Vojvodić, S., Velebit, B., Herceg, Z., & Bursać Kovačević, D. B. (2024). High-Power Ultrasound (HPU) and Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) in the Hurdle Concept for the Preservation of Antioxidant Bioactive Compounds in Strawberry Juice-A Chemometric Evaluation-Part II . Foods, 13(4), Article 537. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13040537
  • Vesković-Moračanin, S., Dragutin, Đ., Velebit, B., Borović, B., Milijašević, M., & Stojanova, M. (2023). Determination of antilisterial effect of some microbial isolates from traditional zlatar cheese during the fermentation of soft white cheese. Food Science and Technology International, 29(5), 529-540. https://doi.org/10.1177/10820132221097871
  • Velebit, B., Janković, V., Milojević, L., Baltić, T., Cirić, J., & Mitrović, R. (2023). Overview of microplastics in the meat: occurrence, detection methods and health effects. Meat Technology, 64(2), 36-41. https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2023.64.2.6
  • Putnik, P., Šojić Merkulov, D., Pavlić, B., Velebit, B., & Bursać Kovačević, D. B. (2023). (Mis)understandings in research methodology and chemometrics in meat science. Meat Technology, 64(2), 42-47. https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2023.64.2.7
  • Mitrović, R., Janjić, J., Janković, V., Lakićević, B., Milojević, L., Velebit, B., & Baltić, B. (2023). Changes in bacterial status and aw values during the maturation of fermented sausages. Meat Technology, 64(2), 106-110. https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2023.64.2.18
  • Milojević, L., Velebit, B., & Betić, N. (2023). Reviewing the current situation and opinions of the hepatitis E virus among natural reservoirs and through the food chain. Meat Technology, 64(2), 199-205. https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2023.64.2.36
  • Jovanović, M., Velebit, B., Tošić, T., Maki, G., Pavić, S., Jovanović, S., Stošović, R., & Zervos, M. J. (2023). Comparative study of virulence factor genes, β-hemolysis and biofilm production in invasive and colonizing enterococci. European Journal of Inflammation, 21. https://doi.org/10.1177/1721727X231156333
  • Janković, V., Velebit, B., Lakićević, B., Mitrović, R., & Milojević, L. (2023). Major allergens – the big nine. Meat Technology, 64(2), 111-115. https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2023.64.2.19
  • Djekić, I., Velebit, B., Pavlić, B., Putnik, P., Šojić Merkulov, D., Bebek Markovinović, A. B., & Bursać Kovačević, D. B. (2023). Food Quality 4.0: Sustainable Food Manufacturing for the Twenty-First Century. Food Engineering Reviews, 15(4), 577-608. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12393-023-09354-2
  • Velebit, B., Milojević, L., Baltić, T., Grković, N., Gummalla, S., Velebit, M., Škoko, I., Mojsova, S., & Putnik, P. (2022). Efficacy of cold atmospheric plasma for inactivation of viruses on raspberries. Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies, 81, Article 103121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifset.2022.103121
  • Csorba, C., Pajić, M., Blagojevic, B., Forsythe, S., Radinović, M., & Velebit, B. (2022). Prevalence, characterization, and antibiotic susceptibility of Cronobacter spp. in a milk powder processing environment: The first reported case in Serbia. Food Science and Nutrition, 10(2), 554-563. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.2681
  • Bognár, S., Putnik, P., Maksimović, I., Velebit, B., Putnik-Delić, M., & Šojić Merkulov, D. (2022). Sustainable Removal of Tolperisone from Waters by Application of Photocatalysis, Nanotechnology, and Chemometrics: Quantification, Environmental Toxicity, and Degradation Optimization. Nanomaterials, 12(23), Article 4199. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12234199
  • Baylis, S. A., Adlhoch, C., Childs, L., Suin, V., Lamoral, S., Nasheri, N., Harlow, J., Rešetnjak, I., Abravanel, F., Lhomme, S., Izopet, J., Pavio, N., Pellerin, M., Eiden, M., Boettcher, B., Kaiser, M., Schilling-Loeffler, K., Johne, R., Schwarz, T., Velebit, B., Kulka, M. (2022). An Evaluation of Hepatitis E Virus Molecular Typing Methods. Clinical Chemistry, 68(1), 181-191. https://doi.org/10.1093/clinchem/hvab186
  • Zaiko, E. V., Bataeva, D. S., Yushina, Y. K., Grudistova, M. A., & Velebit, B. (2021). Prevalence, serovar, and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella isolated from meat and minced meat used for production smoked sausage. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science,
  • Velebit, B., Milojević, L., Janković, V., Lakićević, B., Baltić, T., Nikolić, A., & Grković, N. (2021). Surface adsorption and survival of SARS-CoV-2 on frozen meat. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science,
  • Velebit, B., Lakićević, B., Semenova, A. A., Revutskaya, N. M., Yushina, Y. K., & Nasonova, V. V. (2021). Factors Influencing Microbial Transmission In A Meat Processing Plant. Theory and Practice of Meat Processing, 6(2), 183-190. https://doi.org/10.21323/2414-438X-2021-6-2-183-190
  • Milojević, L., Velebit, B., Dimitrijević, M., Djordjević, V., Janković, V., Grković, N., & Nikolić, A. (2021). Detection and quantification of hepatitis e virus genome in pig liver samples originating from Serbian retail establishments. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science,
  • Lakićević, B., De Biase, D., Velebit, B., Mitrović, R., Janković, V., Milojević, L., & Ruppitsch, W. (2021). Stress survival islets contribute to clonal and serotype-specific differences in L. monocytogenes. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science,
  • Janković, V., Velebit, B., Lakićević, B., Mitrović, R., & Milojević, L. (2021). Food allergens-food safety hazard. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science,
  • Grković, N., Djurić, S., Sindjic, M., Velebit, B., Suvajdžić, B., & Dimitrijević, M. (2021). Occurrence of Escherichia coli in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from farms in Boka Kotorska Bay, Southern Adriatic Sea. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science,
  • Baltić, T., Simunović, S., Cirić, J., Branković Lazić, I. B., Djordjević, V., Velebit, B., & Gerić, T. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on food supply chain: An overview. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science,
  • Velhner, M., Velebit, B., Todorović, D., Pelić, M., Vidaković Knežević, S. V., Prunić, B., & Milanov, D. (2020). A brief overview of emergencies and dissemination of shiga-toxin-producing E. Coli and salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium definite phage type 104 in humans and food producing animals. Archives of Veterinary Medicine, 13(2), 5-15. https://doi.org/10.46784/e-avm.v13i2.239
  • Velebit, B. (2020). Foodborne Viruses-An Emerging Pathogens . Theory and Practice of Meat Processing, 5(4), 18-22. https://doi.org/10.21323/2414-438X-2020-5-4-18-22
  • Savic – Radovanovic, R., Zdravkovic, N., & Velebit, B. (2020). Occurrence And Characterization Of Enterotoxigenic Staphylococci Isolated From Soft Cheeses In Serbia . Acta Veterinaria, 70(2), 238-254. https://doi.org/10.2478/acve-2020-0017
  • Jovanovic, J., Branković Lazić, I. B., Baltić, T., Jovanović, M., Djordjević, V., Teodorović, V., & Velebit, B. (2020). The prevalence of four virulence genes in strains of Campylobacter Jejuni isolated from broilers in Serbia. Veterinarski Arhiv, 90(1), 39-45. https://doi.org/10.24099/vet.arhiv.0477
  • Grković, N., Teodorović, V., Djordjević, V., Karabasil, N., Stajković, S., Vasilev, D., Bogdanović, I. Z., Janković, S., Velebit, B., & Dimitrijević, M. (2020). Biochemical composition and biometric parameters of Mytilus galloprovincialis from Boka Kotorska Bay in Southern Adriatic Sea . Journal of the Hellenic Veterinary Medical Society, 71(3), 2338-2348. https://doi.org/10.12681/jhvms.25095

      Other references are available at: https://enauka.gov.rs/cris/rp/rp01661