We offer project, bachelor and master theses. Below you find some of the actual research areas.

To discuss further topics, please contact us directly. 

In addition to the quality of raw materials, the processing of these materials also plays a crucial role in determining the quality of baked goods. The entire process — from grain to final baked products — should be considered. During baking, silicone molds and mats are commonly used. The use of silicone materials in milling technology also offers the potential for cost-effective solutions for seals and similar applications. However, literature reports indicate possible negative effects of silicone materials on the quality of baked goods. Within the scope of this thesis, these indications will be examined using model systems and baking trials, and the possible underlying mechanisms will be investigated.

Contact Dr. Viktoria Zettel

More and more people are choosing to reduce their consumption of animal products, leading to a growing interest in alternative products. Cheese alternatives play a particularly important role in this context. While the traditional animal-based product consists of a protein-fat matrix, plant-based proteins often negatively affect cheese-typical properties such as meltability. For this reason, these alternatives usually have a very low protein content, if any, and must instead rely on polysaccharides as a structural component.

In your bachelor’s thesis, you will investigate one or two of the following aspects with regard to their impact on texture, rheology, and meltability:

• Incorporation of various alternative protein sources
• Incorporation of various starch sources
• Effect of different protein contents
• Effect of different carrageenan contents
• Effect of different starch contents
• Effect of different fat contents

Contact M.Sc. Jakob Seuring

Baking trials and flour analyses are essential for assessing the baking quality of wheat flours from different varieties. However, in recent years, the practical applicability of these standard baking tests has been increasingly questioned. A wheat flour that performs well in standardized baking trials does not necessarily yield good baking results in a real bakery setting, even with a high protein content. Various research projects focus on developing new "rapid methods" for flour characterization. However, in this thesis, the suitability of standard baking trials will be critically examined. To achieve this, baking trials will be conducted on a pilot plant scale. The results of these trials will then be compared and evaluated against flour characterization data and established standard baking tests. A special focus will be placed on the standardization of proofing conditions.

Contact Dr. Viktoria Zettel

Influence of enzymatically induced protein AX networks on starch gelatinization and thermodynamic properties

This master's thesis will investigate the influence of enzymatically induced protein arabinoxylan networks on starch gelatinization during thermal phase transitions. It will explore how these networks affect starch gelatinization and what impact this has on the texture and quality of gluten-free products. To this end, thermodynamic properties of gluten-free systems, including the proportion of unfrozen and freezeable water as well as starch retrogradation, will be examined.

 Contact Dr. Viktoria Zettel

Various reasons such as climate change, the rapidly increasing population, and ethical considerations lead to a steadily growing demand for plant-based alternatives to animal products. Plant-based meat alternatives play a special role in this context, as their production is substantially more resource-, environmentally-, and cost-efficient compared to animal products. Usually, these meat alternatives are produced through thermomechanical extrusion processes – however, in this thesis, a new technology will be applied to the production of plant-based meat alternatives: food 3D printing. The aim of the work is to produce highly resolved structures using 3D printing and to analyze them with a focus on their texture.

***NO prior knowledge in 3D printing is required! If you are interested in working with future-oriented and innovative technologies, you are the perfect candidate!***

Contact M.Sc. Robert Fribus

 Created with AI, DALL·E

• Apple processing: production of suitable starting/base material from apples
• Chemical characterization of apple batches serving as the raw material
• Chemical and functional characterization of base material produced from apples on the pilot- plant scale
• Rheological modification of the base material for 3D-printing 3D-printing trials with different types of base material from apples
• Chemical and functional characterization of products from 3D-printing

This project is performed by the Hohenheim Department of Plant-based Foods in cooperation with the Hohenheim Bioeconomy Office (Dr. Evelyn Reinmuth) and the Kompetenzzentrum Obstbau Bodensee (KOB). The offered theses will be performed at the Hohenheim Department of Plant-based Foods.

Contact

Dr. Sybille Neidhart

Dr. Ahmed Fahmy