Dominik Hug
Dominik Hug
Student / Programme Doctorate at D-HEST
Additional information
Research area
Dominik Hug is investigating new process windows for thermal pasteurisation and sterilisation and therefore innovative temperature-time conditions. Thermal preservation techniques aim to decrease unwanted microbial load in foods but come with a burden in increasing unwanted biochemical effects. The temperature-time conditions prevailing in conventional process windows favour the destruction of valuable ingredients such as minerals and vitamins, and can further lead to unwanted aroma component defects. Optimized process windows and their technical implementation seek to minimize such unwanted reactions under the condition of ensuring a food product that is as safe as a one preserved by conventional process window treatment. His current work focuses on the simulation and elaboration of a new technical implementation for continuous ultrashort pasteurisation (USP) and sterilisation (USS).
Dominik obtained his BSc and MSc degree in Food Science with specialisation on food processing from ETH Zürich. He did his Bachelor Thesis in the Laboratory of Food Biotechnology. Under supervision of Prof. Leo Meile, he investigated the origin and production of biogenic amines by naturally occurring bacteria in milk products. By joining the food process engineering group of Prof. Erich J. Windhab, he dived deeper into the field of process design and optimization. Henceforth he devoted himself to the experimental characterization of coalescence in a newly developed high pressure homogenization process as part of his Master Thesis and obtained the Teaching Certificate Health Sciences in parallel. Furthermore, Dominik conducted an internship at Chocolats Halba and at Kühne + Nagel Management.