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ENGLISH : See below (The french section is to explain the parameters of this project for french taxes and administration.)
FRANCAIS : Note pour les lecteurs francophones & Nature de ce projet :
Cette campagne de financement participatif est un projet scientifique à but éducatif et public.
Nature des dons :
Les contributions reçues via cet appel aux fonds sont des dons volontaires de particuliers souhaitant soutenir un projet de recherche documenté publiquement. Ces dons ne constituent pas un paiement d'un bien ou d'un service. Aucune contrepartie commerciale n'est offerte en échange.
Affectation des fonds :
Les fonds collectés sont exclusivement destinés à couvrir les frais directs liés au projet : analyses microbiologiques réalisées par un laboratoire accrédité (Eurofins ELMRA, Vénissieux, France), frais de logistique et d'expédition des échantillons, et frais de gestion du projet.
Accès public :
Tous les résultats, données et contenus éducatifs produits dans le cadre de ce projet sont librement accessibles au public, sans condition de don. Les liens de mise à jour partagés avec les donateurs ont été accessibles publiquement tout au long du projet.
Transparence :
Ce projet est conduit par Matthew CRESS, diététicien-nutritionniste de Cress Dietetics (SIRET : 99460253000010), dans une démarche de transparence scientifique et citoyenne. L'ensemble des dépenses liées au projet sont documentées et traçables.
English Description:
For the past year, I've been teaching and experimenting with culturing Lactobacillus Reuteri in milk to create a yogurt-like L. Reuteri ferment for health and healing.
Now we're ready to find out:
- Is L. Reuteri in the final product?
- How many CFUs are in there?
- Are there other microbes present?
To answer these questions rigorously, I am launching a community-funded laboratory analysis in collaboration with Eurofins , a professional microbiology laboratory.
This project will generate real, third-party data on a homemade probiotic yogurt. This is rarely done in public, educational settings, but will shed new light on mixing time-tested traditional fermentation techniques with modern probiotics.
WHAT WILL BE TESTED?
A. Bacterial Identification (NGS-PCR)
- Detection and identification of the dominant bacterial species
- Confirmation of the presence of Lactobacillus reuteri
B. Lactobacillus reuteri CFU Count
- Quantification of viable L. reuteri (CFU per gram)
- This directly answers how much L. reuteri is present in the yogurt
C. Total Probiotic CFU Count
- Measurement of all probiotic bacteria combined
- Provides context for how dominant L. reuteri is within the overall microbial population
Objective:
To quantify and characterize the microbial composition of a home-cultured Lactobacillus Reuteri yogurt using professional laboratory methods.
FUNDS RAISED COVER LAB AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT FEES.
This includes lab tests, shipping, and Matthew managing the project.
*** PSA: The 'GoFundMe Tip' is optional and you can modify the amount you wish to donate either up or down. This pays for the GoFundMe platform and does not contribute to this project.
Timeline
This project will begin once the funding goal is reached.
Laboratory timelines may vary, but updates will be shared regularly as samples are prepared, shipped, analyzed, and interpreted.
Stretch Goals (If Funding Exceeds the Goal)
Potential extensions include:
- A second batch for reproducibility
- Additional fermentation substrates or formats (Carrot & blueberry juice)
- These are optional extensions and will only be pursued if feasible.
Pricing note:
The lab analysis is being conducted by Eurofins, an accredited microbiology laboratory in Lyon, France. Professional CFU enumeration and bacterial identification in Europe differs significantly in cost from US mail-in consumer tests. The Eurofins quote for these three analyses totals approximately €880 Hors Taxes (excluding tax). This covers accredited plating, NGS-PCR sequencing, and a formal written report with legal validity. Note this DOES NOT cover shipping, elevated french taxes (!), or the personal time I'm taking to manage this project.
This is a publicly funded community science project.
All results, data, and educational content generated by this project are, and have always been freely accessible to the public. Supporter updates and documentation links shared throughout this project have been publicly visible, not restricted to donors. Supporters who contributed helped make this research possible; they did not purchase a product or service.
This project is funded by community donations in the spirit of open, citizen-led science. The insider group links have always been publicly available for all to see.
THANK YOU!
This project exists because of community interest who want to see the real research.
By funding it, you are directly supporting transparent, independent, science-based education.
You can find Matthew on his website Cress Dietetics and on his YouTube channel where he focuses on nutrition and fermentation science.
I’m Lab Testing My L. Reuteri Yogurt (Here’s Why) YouTube video link
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