Description of research and teaching

After completing my masters degree in Food Science, I engaged myself in exploring the carbohydrate chemistry horizon in my Ph.D studies. My main research interest is structural analysis of oligo- and polysaccharides by NMR and mass spectroscopy, as an intiative in understanding there structure-function relationship. For a more wholesome picture I am also interested in analysis of the physicochemical properties such as molecular weight and intrinsic viscosity.

I completed my PhD in 2012. In my PhD, I studied the structure  and content of exopolysaccharides (EPS) from microbes with potential application in Sourdough technology.  EPS are unique food hydrocolloids as they can be produced in situ during food fermentation. In-situ production is advantageous because such EPS are not considered additional artificial ingredients and are consequently not subject to food additive regulations. In-situ EPS production is therefore a potential technique for replacing hydrocolloid additives used in fermented food production.

Currently am working as a postdoc in the cereal technology division of the Department of Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki. In the project  we are studying the oxdation of cereal B-glucan. We are mainly focusing on the oxidation products and rheological properties of the oxidized B-glucan.

Education information