Theses

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

To discuss further topics, please contact us directly. 

Thesis (B.Sc. / M.Sc.) 3D printing of plant-based meat alternatives (available right away)

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

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Thesis (B.Sc./M.Sc. with or without project work): Fractionation, functionalization and characterization of sorghum for use in European cereal based staple products

Ongoing climate change requires new strategies to ensure the availability of high-quality cereal-based staple foods in Europe. One strategy is the European cultivation of new, unconventional grain cereals that are already successfully established in other continents due to their yield, robustness, and resistance to heat and drought, while emitting few greenhouse gases. Sorghum is a promising cereal for this purpose. In this context, the aim is to develop a processing strategy for drought-resistant and regionally cultivable sorghum. The thesis may include tasks in the areas of dry fractionation (milling) of different sorghum varieties, modification of the resulting fractions and their use in breads. The thesis also includes basic chemical analyses, as well as the further development or establishment of chemical analyses for characterization.

Contact M.Sc. Jana Kant

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Thesis (B.Sc./M.Sc. with or without project work): Utilization of Yeast Protein for Use in Food Systems

Proteins play a crucial role in the food industry today, with both plant-based and animal proteins being widely used. A promising alternative to these are yeast proteins, which can be derived from by-products of the brewing industry. To optimally utilize these yeast proteins as ingredients in food products, thorough investigation is required. The research goal is to extensively characterize, fractionate, and functionalize the yeast proteins, enabling their versatile application in various food products. The thesis may include tasks in the areas of fractionation and functionalization followed by characterization

Contact M.Sc. Louisa Wötzel

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Theoretische Bachelorarbeiten (B.Sc.) (ab sofort, nur für nicht-Lebensmittel-Studiengänge):

Analyse der ernährungsphysiologischen Relevanz von Acrylamid in Lebensmitteln

Die chemische Verbindung Acrylamid, die sich vorwiegend in stärkehaltigen Lebensmitteln bei hohen Temperaturen bildet, steht wegen potenzieller gesundheitlicher Risiken im Fokus von Ernährungswissenschaft und Lebensmittelindustrie. Diese Arbeit zielt darauf ab, anhand einer Literaturrecherche Acrylamidkonzentrationen in verschiedenen Lebensmittelgruppen zu bewerten, Gesundheitsrisiken zu analysieren und eine umfassende Risikobewertung unter Einbeziehung von Tierversuchsdaten durchzuführen.

Kontakt: M.Sc. Jagoda Swiacka (jagoda.swiacka@uni-hohenheim.de)

Engineered Nutrition: Potential personalisierter Ernährungsstrategien und die Rolle des 3D-Drucks im Hinblick auf die Lebensmittel von morgen

Der Begriff "Personalisierte Ernährung" bezieht sich auf eine individuell angepasste Nahrungsaufnahme zur Verbesserung der Gesundheit und Prävention von Krankheiten. Die vorliegende Arbeit zielt darauf ab, diesen Ansatz zu definieren, die Vorgehensweise zu erläutern und insbesondere innovative lebensmitteltechnologische Herstellungstechniken wie den Lebensmittel-3D-Druck zu beleuchten.

Kontakt: M.Sc. Robert Fribus (robert.fribus@uni-hohenheim.de)

Thesis: B.Sc. (available right away): Rheological assessment of commercial fruit preparations and determination of rheological target values

In the food industry, there are various applications for fruit preparations, each with distinct requirements, for which uniform standards do not yet exist. To simplify the overview of industry requirements, a market screening is to be conducted as part of a student thesis. This involves characterizing several commercially available fruit preparations, as well as those made in-house, using different rheological methods. From this dataset, uniform rheological target values for various applications will be derived.

Contact M.Sc. Silvan Festini

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Theses (B.Sc. - in German, M.Sc. - in English) in following topic areas: Fibre-rich 3 D-printed foods from apples

  • 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

Thesis (M.Sc.): Functionalization of sainfoin for the circular Bioeconomy (available right away)

Sainfoin has the potential to improve the sustainability of agriculture and food systems in multiple ways. Sainfoin can provide continuous living cover and biological fixation to enhance soil fertility and health. It can also provide ecosystem services as a resource for pollinators and wildlife in addition to nitrogen fixation. Recent literature also suggests that sainfoin could become the next pulse crop for human use.

This master thesis aims assess the potential of sainfoin as a new pulse crop through a multi-layered analysis (Agronomy, Nutrition and Techno-environmental evaluation of the extraction technologies). It is up to the candidate to decide whether this thesis remains a literature review or is complemented by expert interviews or laboratory work. The outcome should be a recommendation of next steps to develop sainfoin as a new pulse in the context of a sustainable and circular Bioeconomy (food and non-food products).

  • Overview of varieties
  • Agronomy
  • Nutritional quality (feed, human nutrition)
  • Extraction methods for functional food ingredients
  • Techno-environmental evaluation of the extraction methods

Contact Prof. Dr. Mario Jekle