Lutz Grossmann is an Assistant Professor in the Food Science Department at UMass Amherst since 2021. He graduated with a Ph.D. in food science from the University of Hohenheim in Germany. He also holds a BS and MS degree in Food Science and Biotechnology. He is especially interested in combining upstream and downstream processing technology with molecular, physicochemical, and engineering concepts to create food textures with plant and microbial proteins that are nutritious, sustainable, and tasty. His research is funded by USDA, and the Good Food Institute.

Presentation Description

Plant-based food formulations contain several different ingredients with proteins and polysaccharides being commonly the main ingredients. Both of these biopolymers often carry electric charges that allow them to interact with each other in various ways. It is important to understand these interactions to formulate plant-based foods with desired structure and stability. Current research shows that tailoring the interactions between plant proteins and polysaccharides can facilitate fiber formation, emulsification, and solubility. Utilizing optimized formulations is therefore important to design plant-based milk, meats, and egg products.