Turning food science and engineering into sustainable solutions
For more than 25 years, I have worked at the intersection of food engineering, applied research and sustainable food systems. My focus is on translating scientific understanding into practical technologies and processes that create value for the food industry and contribute to more sustainable food production.
As head of the Sustainable Food Systems research group at the Institute of Life Sciences, I initiate and lead interdisciplinary R&D projects together with food manufacturers, start-ups, technology suppliers and academic partners. Many of these projects are supported by Innosuisse or European funding programs.
Over the course of my career, I have supervised five PhD researchers and more than 70 Bachelor’s and Master’s students and collaborated with researchers at leading European universities, including ETH Zurich, Wageningen University & Research and universities in Berlin, Munich and Dublin. My scientific work has resulted in around 40 peer-reviewed publications as well as patent applications and book chapters.
Teaching has been an equally important part of my work. For more than 27 years, I have taught food process engineering, food physics, food technology and sustainable manufacturing, from undergraduate to advanced professional education. I also develop workshops and training courses on emerging food technologies for participants from industry, academia and public institutions.
Research & expertise
My research is centered on innovative and sustainable food solutions, particularly in the following areas:
Plant proteins and plant-based foods
Developing value chains for plant proteins; dry and wet protein extraction; tailoring protein functionality; high-moisture extrusion and cooling-die design; protein structuring and reactions during thermo-mechanical processing; food safety; and assessment and reduction of environmental impacts.
Emerging and non-thermal processing technologies
Combining thermal, mechanical and electrical effects in food processing, including pulsed electric fields (PEF), microbial inactivation and reaction kinetics, PEF cell design, fluid dynamics and crossflow filtration.
Food powders
Developing cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) and vacuum-steam-vacuum processes for powdered foods, from laboratory systems to pilot-scale fluidized-bed reactors. Research includes microbial inactivation kinetics, powder structure and functionality, toxicological assessment, and heat and mass transfer in porous materials.
Bioactive compounds and delivery systems
Advanced extraction processes, superfine grinding and electric-field-assisted processing; characterization of hetero-colloidal systems; and evaluation of functionality, including interactions with the gut microbiota.
Flavour release and food physics
Experimental determination and modelling of flavour-release dynamics from liquid and solid foods, including the effects of food composition, structure and processing conditions.
Across these fields, my aim is consistent: to combine scientific understanding with engineering principles to develop food processes that are effective, scalable and sustainable.
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