category_news
Elke Scholten appointed Personal Professor in the Department of Physics and Physical Chemistry of Foods
The Executive Board has appointed Elke Scholten as a personal professor within the ‘Physics and Physical Chemistry of Foods’ chair group at Wageningen University & Research (WUR). Scholten previously studied chemistry at Utrecht University, specialising in physical chemistry. Her fascination with food science began during a project on the phase behaviour of proteins and carbohydrates. When she had the chance to do her PhD research on this topic in Wageningen, she jumped at the chance and earned her PhD in 2006. After a short time as a postdoc at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, USA) and as a project leader at AkzoNobel in Sassenheim, she returned to WUR in 2009.
The importance of texture in food
Scholten explains: "One of the challenges in the food industry is to create products that are both healthy, provide the right nutrients, and are also tasty. The texture of the product plays a crucial role in this, as it determines the mouthfeel. This texture is formed by the ingredients used, which interact with each other at a microscopic level, and together create certain structures. My team mainly focuses on understanding how we can create specific structures and how different structures affect the texture properties. It’s important to look at systems with multiple ingredients at once, such as proteins and fats, since each ingredient contributes in its own way."
Developing new products
This knowledge is especially useful for reformulating products, and Scholten’s team is contributing to the current protein transition, which encourages the use of more sustainable ingredients from plant-based sources. Since proteins, fats, and oils from plants have very different properties compared to those from animal sources, it’s tricky to replicate certain texture characteristics of the original product. Scholten explains: "Understanding the relationship between the molecular properties of new ingredients and how they create specific structural variations is key to increasing the supply of sustainable, healthy foods. I hope that, in the coming years, we can map these relationships even better."
Collaboration with industry
Scholten is particularly interested in strengthening fundamental knowledge, but she also sees the link to industry as incredibly valuable. "Good collaboration increases the chances that our knowledge will actually be used to develop new products. It boosts the impact we can have as academics. Many of my projects are in collaboration with industrial partners, either through bilateral projects or larger consortia."
The importance of education
This impact is further amplified by the food technologists who graduate from the university, says Scholten. "This new generation of technologists will play a big role in tackling the challenges ahead. It’s important for students to learn how to think critically and solve more complex problems. I think education is really important, and I try to incorporate these elements into my teaching. The way students view certain topics is also inspiring for our team. The opportunity to combine teaching and research makes the university a unique place to work with great joy."