Laboratory of Food Structure Engineering - Prof. Dr. Patrick Rühs

The Food Structure Engineering group is dedicated to transform food processing by developing simple and effective methods to convert raw materials into nutrient-rich food products. Our goal is to replace conventional food processing techniques with processes that enable us to use entire raw materials and to eliminate contradicting processing steps. To achieve this goal, we combine biological and physical approaches, such as solid-state fermentation, bioinspired structuring, forced alignment, and extrusion to enhance the texture, flavor, and nutrition of food. Fundamentally, we study the microbe-material-processing interface to understand the effects of processing on the nutritional quality of food to contribute to healthier diets and a more resilient global food system.