Teaching
Undergraduate study
Laboratory technology
Milk and dairy products
Processing of milk on family farms

Graduate study
Biochemistry and technology of cheese ripening
Chemistry and physics of milk
Cheese manufacture

Research interests
Analytical methods of milk and dairy products
Cheese manufacture
Biochemistry of cheese ripening

Academic qualifications
2010 – Dissertation
University of Zagreb - Faculty of Agriculture
Changes of soluble peptides and aminoacids during ripening of Krk cheese.

2000 – Graduate work
University of Zagreb - Faculty of Agriculture
Determination of lead in cow’s milk by electrothermal and flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Work experience
2002 – now
University of Zagreb - Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Dairy Science, Reference Laboratory for Milk and Dairy Products

EduCATION

2012

40. Croatian dairy experts symposium with international participation, Lovran, Croatia, Croatian Dairy Union (HMU)

4th National Conference “ Laboratory Competence”, Šibenik, Croatia, The Society of Croatian Laboratories (CROLAB).

International Conference “Role of Research in sustainable development of agriculture and rural areas”, Podgorica, Montenegro.

2011

4th International Conference “Laboratory Competence”, Cavtat, Croatia, The Society of Croatian Laboratories (CROLAB).

Seminar “Waters - UPLC Instruments”, Zagreb, Croatia, Biotehnika.

Seminar “Exchange of Experiences Assessors HAA”, Zagreb, Croatia, Croatian Accreditation Agency (HAA).

2010

39th Croatian dairy experts symposium with international participation, Opatija, Croatia, Croatian Dairy Union (HMU).

2009

3rd International Conference “Laboratory Competence”, Cavtat, Croatia, CROLAB.

Milk Conference, Vienna, Austria, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Milchwissenschaft.

2008

38th Croatian dairy experts symposium with international participation, Lovran, Croatia, HMU.

Training “IPA 2008 – Proficiency Testing”, CARDS.

5th FIL-IDF Symposium on Cheese Ripening, Bern, Switzerland.

2007

2nd International Conference “Laboratory Competence – new approach”, Cavtat, Croatia, CROLAB.

1st International Proficiency Testing Conference, Sinaia, Romania.

5th International Symposium on The Challenge to Sheep and Goats Dairy Sectors, Alghero (Sardinia), Italy.

Analytical Week and Milk Analysis World, München, Germany.

2006

Seminar “Organization of the Laboratory to HRN EN ISO/IEC 17025”, Zagreb, Croatia, Croatian Standards Institute (HZN).

37th Croatian dairy experts symposium with international participation, Lovran, Croatia, HMU.

Symposium “Milk and milk products”, Tara, Serbia.

2005

1st International Conference “Laboratory Competence”, Cavtat, Croatia, CROLAB.

Seminar “Interlaboratory comparison study”, Zagreb, Croatia, CROLAB.

2004

Seminar “Validation of Microbiological Methods”, Zagreb, Croatia, Croatian Metrology Society (HMD).

Training “Handling of the Instrument Foss Electric Bactoscan FC”, Križevci, Croatia, FOSS.

2003

Training ”Handling of Instruments Foss Electric Milkoscan 120, Bactoscan FC and Fossomatic 90”, Zagreb, Croatian, FOSS.

Projects
2010 - now, “Characterisation and tracking the origin of specific characteristics of traditional cheeses in Western Balkans Region”. SEE-ERA.NET. European Community's Programme for International Cooperation. Jasmina Havranek, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb.

2007 - now, “Ecological production and analytical methods for proofing cheese authenticity”. Ministry of Science, Education and Sport. Jasmina Havranek, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb.

2002 - 2005, “Influence of biochemical processes on ripening of autochthonous cheeses”. Ministry of Science and Technology. Jasmina Havranek, Faculty of Agriculture. Zagreb.

SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL PAPERS
Mikulec, N., Habuš, I., Antunac, N., Vitale, Lj., Havranek, J. (2012).
Free amino acid profile during ripening of ewe’s milk cheese from the island Krk. International Journal of Dairy Technology. (Accepted for publication).

Mikulec, N., Zamberlin, Š., Antunac, N. (2012) Experience of Reference laboratory for milk and dairy products in organisation of Proficiency testing. Laboratory Competence 2012, Book of Abstracts / Lovorka Grgec Bermanac (Ed.). Zagreb: CROLAB, Croatian Laboratories, 34-34.

Radeljević, B., Mikulec, N., Zamberlin, Š., Horvat, I., Maletić, M., Antunac, N. (2011)
The influence of sample preservation and freezing of cow's, goat's and ewe's milk on the freezing point value. Milchwissenschaft – Milk Science International. (accepted for publication)

Antunac, N., Hudik, S., Mikulec, N., Maletić, M., Horvat, I., Radeljević, B., Havranek, J. (2011) Production and chemical composition of Istria and Pag whey cheese. Mljekarstvo. 61(4), 326-335.

Bendelja, D., Prpić, Z., Mikulec, N., Ivkić, Z., Havranek, J., Antunac, N. (2011) Milk urea concentration in Holstein and Simmental cows. Mljekarstvo. 61(1), 45-55.

Havranek, J., Mikulec, N., Gagić, R., Antunac, N., Špoljarić, J., Kalit, S. (2011) The adventages and disadvantages of traditional production as opposed to highly sophisticated industrial production of cheese. International Conference on Functional Dairy Foods. 6-7, Karnal, India.

Mikulec, N., Habuš, I., Antunac, N., Vitale, Lj., Havranek, J. (2010) Influence of peptide and amino acids on the formation of cheese flavour. Mljekarstvo. 60(4), 219-227.

Antunac, N., Mikulec, N.,  Zamberlin, Š., Škevin Sović, J., Blažek, A., Horvat, I., Havranek, J. (2010) Influence of various types of preserving milk samples on the number of somatic cells. Milchwissenschaft - Milk Science International. 65(3), 313-316.

Pavlinić, I., Mikulec, N., Kalit, S., Jakaša, I., Havranek, J., Tudor, M., Antunac, N. (2010) Influence of starter culture on peptide profiles of Krk cheese. Milchwissenschaft - Milk Science International. 65(3), 262-266.

Bendelja, D., Antunac, N., Mikulec, N., Vnučec, I., Mašek, T., Mikulec, Ž., Havranek, J. (2009) Urea concentration in sheep’ s milk. Mljekarstvo. 59(1), 3-10.

Mikulec, N., Antunac, N., Zamberlin, Š., Škevin Sović, J., Horvat, I., Samaržija, D. (2009) Organization of proficiency testing for dairy laboratories in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia in order to improve quality assurance. Mljekarstvo. 59(2), 141-147.

Mašek, T., Mikulec, Ž., Valpotić, H., Antunac, N., Mikulec, N., Stojević, Z., Filipović, N., Pahović, S. (2008) The influence of live yeast culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on milk production and composition, and blood biochemistry of grazing dairy ewes during the milking period. Acta Veterinaria Brno. 77, 547-554.

Mikulec, N., Kalit, S., Havranek, J., Antunac, N., Horvat, I., Prpić, Z. (2008) Characteristics of traditional Croatian ewe's cheese from the island Krk. International Journal of Dairy Technology. 61(2), 126-131.

Antunac, N., Mikulec, N., Bendelja, D., Prpić, Z., Barać, Z. (2008) Characterisation and research of the milk quality in Krk cheese manufacturing. Mljekarstvo. 58(3), 203-222.

Mašek, T., Mikulec, Ž., Valpotić, H., Kušće, L., Mikulec, N., Antunac, N. (2008) The influence of live yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on the performance of grazing dairy sheep in late lactation. Veterinarski arhiv. 78(2), 95-104.

Vukašinović, Z., Antunac, N., Mikulec, N., Mioč, B., Barać, Z. (2008) Production and milk quality of Pag sheep. Mljekarstvo. 58(1), 5-20.

Zamberlin, Š., Samaržija, D., Mikulec, N., Horvat, I., Škevin Sović, J., Havranek, J. (2008) Measurement uncertainty of the results obtained by determination of somatic cell count in milk using the fluoro-opto-electronic method. Laboratory Competence 2007 – New Approach, Proceedings / Margeta, Karmen (Ed.). Zagreb: CROLAB, Croatian Laboratories, 125-135.

Zamberlin, Š., Horvat, I., Mikulec, N., Škevin Sović, J., Antunac, N., Havranek, J. (2008) Organisation of proficiency testing in dairy laboratories. Laboratory Experience in application of HRN EN ISO/IEC 17025 - Proceedings. Zagreb: Croatian Metrology Society. PT 2.

Antunac, N., Mioč, B., Mikulec, N., Kalit, S., Pecina, M., Havranek, J., Pavić, V. (2007) The influence of some non-genetic factors on the production and quality of East Friesian sheep milk in Croatia. Mljekarstvo. 57(3), 195-208.

Antunac, N., Mikulec, N., Zamberlin, Š., Horvat, I., Havranek, J. (2007)
Protocol of quality assurance and organization of proficiency testing in dairy laboratory First International Proficiency Testing Conference-Proceeding / Guslicov, Graziela (Ed.). Bucharest, Romania: Tiparit de Glame Media, 82-86.

Zamberlin, Š., Antunac, N., Samaržija, D., Horvat, I., Mikulec, N., Kuliš, Z. (2005)
Quality assurance for analitical dairy laboratories. Mljekarstvo. 55(2), 139-153.

Mikulec, N., Samaržija, D., Antunac, N., Zamberlin, Š., Kuliš, Z., Horvat, I. (2004)
Validation parameters of instrumental method for determination of total bacterial count in milk. Mljekarstvo. 54(4), 299-314.