Prof. Dr. Alexander Mathys
Prof. Dr. Alexander Mathys
Associate Professor at the Department of Health Sciences and Technology
Deputy head of Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Health
Additional information
Research area
The Sustainable Food Processing group focuses on a system oriented approach in food production via the consideration of the total value chain including emerging needs in society and their environmental, economic and social impact. Sustainable Food Processing is part of the global bioeconomy. A multi-indicator sustainability assessment as guidance tool is the foundation of our emerging food process development. Selected mechanical, biotechnological, thermal and non-thermal techniques to realize several objectives such as i) biomass and (ii) energy use efficiency, (iii) significant waste reduction along the food value chain and (iv) healthy and high quality food production are evaluated. Innovative raw materials from algae and insects are utilized within urban farming and processing concepts to enable new ways of sustainable food supply.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alexander Mathys, a food technologist, received a doctoral degree in food processing in 2008. Since 2016, he has been Professor (Tenured in 2022) in Sustainable Food Processing at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, where he is focusing on more efficiency and sustainability of value chains in food and feed. His current research focuses on material and energetic utilization of plant based side streams, micro process engineering and extrusion for tailored structure formation and synthesis, innovative multi hurdle technologies for gentle preservation of healthy and high quality food, novel protein sources from microalgae and insects to improve food security as well as multi indicator sustainability assessment as basic analysis in food processing. Dr. Mathys was Head of the Bioeconomy Department at German Institute of Food Technologies DIL with 10 direct reports in 2012-2015. He was expert in non-thermal preservation and sterilization technologies at the Nestlé Research Centre Lausanne in 2009-2012.
Dr . Mathys is the author of more than 100 publications (80 peer review articles, 13 patent applications, 9 book chapters, 1 book, >30 conference papers) and he has attended more than 100 international conferences. He is President of the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT) National Committee of the International Union of Food Science and Technology IUFoST (2021-2024), Representative for Germany and Switzerland at the International Association for Engineering and Food (IAEF), and serves as Governing Council Member (2020-2023) at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya. Dr. Mathys has won several prestigious research awards from ETH Zurich, the International Union of Food Science and Technology ((IUFoST); International Congress on Engineering and Food (ICEF); Institute of Food Technologists (IFT); and European High Pressure Research Group (EHPRG). Furthermore Dr. Mathys is selected International Academy of Food Science and Technology (IAFoST) Fellow since 2024, ETH Zurich Dandelion Entrepreneurship Special Award Winner 2022, IFT International Food Security Award Winner 2020; Young Researcher of the 60th Meeting of Nobel Laureates 2010; Einstein Young Scholar 2010; and A.T. Kearney Scholar 2011/2012 at the Falling Walls conferences.
Honours
| Year | Distinction |
|---|---|
| http://www.sfp.ethz.ch/awards.html |
Additional information
www.sfp.ethz.ch
Course Catalogue
Spring Semester 2024
| Number | Unit |
|---|---|
| 752-3200-00L | Sustainable Food Processing |