Food Chemistry
The Hamburg School of Food Science (HSFS) was established in 2011. It has an interdisciplinary focus and is thus characterized by the combination of classical food chemistry topics and aspects of modern biochemical / nutritional specializations. In the food sector, we mainly work to develop analytical methods for the authenticity and quality control of food. Interests include methods for in-field analyses, routine applications, and technically sophisticated fingerprinting procedures.
A whole series of research projects are currently underway at the HSFS, which are supported financially within the framework of the industrial collective research (IGF) program of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) by the AiF/FEI or the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) through the innovation program of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL).
Analyses are carried out at the HSFS on the underlying genetic information (food genomics) and nonvolatile metabolome (food metabolomics). Ultrahigh-resolution technologies (e.g., NGS methods, HR-LC-MS) are then used to make hypothesis-free, system-wide statements about the biochemical processes taking place in foodstuffs—also in terms of the interactions with the environment (food fingerprinting). Profiles (maxi-fingerprints) are first collected for all authentic raw materials addressed in infrastructurally sophisticated experimental approaches and then compared with the help of multivariate static methods. The stable molecular differences thus identified between the reference data sets are characteristic both qualitatively and quantitatively for the respective sample. For a subsequent assignment, it is sufficient to determine these mini-fingerprints using routine targeted analyses, which are less technically complex (food targeting). It is moreover possible to employ a rapid test procedure to determine the quality of individual chemical markers (food sensing). The Competence Network Food Profiling (CNFP) is responsible for the fields of food fingerprinting and food targeting.
In addition to the composition of foodstuffs and raw materials, the question of the impact of foodstuffs is increasingly playing a role at the HSFS. Strategies for metabolic profiling and the targeted collection of nutritionally relevant parameters (metabolic targeting) using high-resolution spectroscopic methods form the focus of its research activities.
Photo: M. Esfandiari
Photo: Markus Fischer
Appointment via Mrs. Nagel, Room 652,
gd-lc.chemie@uni-hamburg.de
- Authentication of raw food materials: Food Profiling (genome, metabolome and isotopolome analyses)
- Recording of nutritionally relevant metabolic parameters (Metabolic Profiling, Metabolic Targeting)
- Aptamer development
- Characterisation of bacterial metabolic pathways (vitamin B2, mevalonate-independent terpene biosynthesis)
- Authentication of artefacts within the framework of the Cluster of Excellence „Understanding Written Artefacts“
Photo: Vanessa Muhlack Photography
- Analysis of data from manuscript analysis and provision of research results within the framework of the Cluster of Excellence "Understanding Written Artefacts".
- Application of chemometric and bioinformatic methods for food profiling
- Analysis of vibrational spectroscopic data, in particular from surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)
- Simulation of various data for the validation and optimisation of chemometric and bioinformatic approaches
- Development of chemometric methods based on random forests, e.g. for variable selection and the analysis of variable relations
- Mechanismen der Inaktivierung von bakteriellen Verderbern und Pathogenen in Lebensmitteln durch konventionelle und nicht-thermische Verfahren, mit Schwerpunkt Fruchtsäfte
- Bedeutung von Nutzpflanzen als Sekundärwirte für Humanpathogene und pflanzliche Lebensmittel als Überträger von bakteriellen Infektionen und Intoxikationen
- Einsatz von „omics“ Technologien zur Charakterisierung von Fermentationsorganismen und gezielter Selektion von Starterkulturen