Professional Portrait

Dr. in Lebensmittel-Biotechnologie mit mehr als 10 Jahren Erfahrung in der Lebensmittelforschung

Arbeits­erfahrung

Since 10/2020
Nestlé Research, Institute of Material Science, Lausanne (Switzerland)

Group Leader Enzymes, Department of Biology.
Koordination von cross-business Forschungsprojekten zur enzymatischen Umsetzung von Lebensmitteln.


z

12/2018-10/2020
Nestlé Research & Development, NPTC DAIRY, Konolfingen (Switzerland)

Research Specialist, Food Material & Protein Science group.
Projektmanagement und technische Verantwortung in Innovationsprojekten zum Thema neue Proteinquellen für die Entzwicklung von Milchersatzprodukten.


01/2016-11/2018
Nestlé Research & Development, NPTC FOOD, Singen (Deutschland)

Research Specialist, Taste & Aroma Platform.
Projektmanagement und technische Verantwortung in Innovationsprojekten zum Thema Enzymtechnologie und Fermentation im Bereich Fertiggerichte.


07/2012-12/2015
University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart (Deutschland)

Scientific staff member & PhD student, Department of Biotechnology and Enzyme Science.
Projektmanagement von Forschungsprojekten; Betreuung von Bachelor und Master Studenten sowie das Planen und Abhalten von Seminaren in Enzymtechnologie.


12/2010–05/2011
Nestlé Research & Development, NPTC FOOD, Singen (Deutschland)

Intern, Science & Technology Department.
Design und Optimierung eines enzymatischen Hydrolyseprozesses inklusive down-stream-processing.


06/2010–10/2010
Nong Lam University,, Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)

Intern, Institute of Food Chemistry.
Koordination eines Projektes zum Thema Lebensmittelanalytik sowie das Planen und Abhalten von Seminaren in Lebensmittelchemie und Englisch.


07/2009–07/2012
Merzcreative GbR, Ravensburg (Deutschland)

Co-founder, Zuständig für Webdesign, Layout und Programmierung.


Since 1995
Merz Obsthandel GmbH, Horgenzell (Deutschland)

Teilzeitanstellung, Unterstützung im familiären Unternehmen.

Ausbildung

07/2012-12/2015
University of Hohenheim (Stuttgart, Deutschland), Department of Biotechnology and Enzyme Science

Ph.D, Food Biotechnology (Dr. rer. nat); Bewertung: summa cum laude
Dissertationschrift: "Enzymatic hydrolysis of vegetable proteins using food-grade peptidases"
» Download Dissertation


10/2006–06/2012
University of Hohenheim (Stuttgart,Deutschland)

Engineer's degree, Food Technology (Dipl.-LM-Ing.); Note: 1.1
Diplomarbeit (Department of Biotechnology and Enzyme Science): "Continuous wheat gluten hydrolysis using an enzyme membrane reactor".


10/2005–08/2006
Technical University Berlin (Berlin, Deutschland)

Food Technology


09/1994–06/2004
Katholisch freies Gymnasium St.Konrad (Ravensburg, Deutschland)

Abitur

Publikationen

Wissenschaftliche Publikationen als Erstauthor

» Continuous long-term hydrolysis of wheat gluten using a principally food-grade enzyme membrane reactor system «

Michael Merz, T. Eisele, W. Claaßen, D. Appel, S. Rabe, T. Stressler, L. Fischer; Biochemical Engineering Journal; 2015, 99, 114–123.
» Go to publication


» Flavourzyme, an Enzyme Preparation with Industrial Relevance: Automated Nine-Step Purification and Partial Characterization of Eight Enzymes «

Michael Merz, T. Eisele, P. Berends, D. Appel, S. Rabe, I. Blank, T. Stressler, and L. Fischer; Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry; 2015, 63 (23), 5682-5693.
» Go to publication


» Wheat gluten hydrolysis using isolated Flavourzyme peptidases: Product inhibition and determination of synergistic effects using response surface methodology «

Michael Merz, J. Ewert, C. Baur, D. Appel, I. Blank, T. Stressler, and L. Fischer; Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic; 2015, 122, 218-226.
» Go to publication


» Batch‑to‑batch variation and storage stability of the commercial peptidase preparation Flavourzyme in respect of key enzyme activities and its influence on process reproducibility «

Michael Merz, D. Appel, P. Berends, S. Rabe, I. Blank, T. Stressler, and L. Fischer; European Food Research and Technology; 2016,1-8.
» Go to publication


» Production of wheat gluten hydrolysates with reduced antigenicity employing enzymatic hydrolysis combined with downstream unit operations «

Michael Merz, L. Kettner, E. Langolf, D. Appel, I. Blank, T. Stressler, and L. Fischer; Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture; 2016, 96 (10), 3358-3364.
» Go to publication


» Characterization of commercially available peptidases in respect of the production of protein hydrolysates with defined compositions using a three-step methodology «

Michael Merz, W. Claaßen, D. Appel, P. Berends, S. Rabe, I. Blank, T. Stressler, L. Fischer; Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic; 2016, 127, 1-10.
» Go to publication

Wissenschaftliche Publikationen als Co-author

» New insights into the flavoring potential of cricket and mealworm protein hydrolysates and their maillard products «

K.K. Großmann, Michael Merz, D. Appel, M. De Araujo, L. Fischer; European Food Research and Technology; 2021, 364.
» Go to publication


» Impact of peptidase activities on plant protein hydrolysates regarding bitter and umami taste «

K.K. Großmann, Michael Merz, D. Appel, T. Thaler, L. Fischer; Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry; 2021, 69 (1), 368-376.
» Go to publication


» A fast and novel approach to evaluate technical enzyme preparations for an efficient protein hydrolysis «

K.K. Großmann, Michael Merz, D. Appel, L. Fischer; European Food Research and Technology; 2019, 245 (8), 1695-1708.
» Go to publication


» A Novel Glutamyl (Aspartyl)-Specific Aminopeptidase A from Lactobacillus delbrueckii with Promising Properties for Application «

T. Stressler, J. Ewert, Michael Merz, Joshua Funk, W. Claaßen, S. L.-Wahl, H. Schmidt, A. Kuhn, L. Fischer; PLOS ONE; 2016, 11 (3).
» Go to publication


» A Fusion Protein Consisting of the Exopeptidases PepN and PepX - Production, Characterization and Application «

T. Stressler, N. Pfahler, Michael Merz, L. Hubschneider, S. L.-Wahl, W. Claaßen, L. Fischer; Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology; 2016, 100 (17), 7499-7515.
» Go to publication


» Thermostability of peptidases secreted by microorganisms associated with raw milk «

C. Glück, E. Rentschler, M. Krewinkel, Michael Merz, M. von Neubeck, M. Wenning, S. Scherer, M. Stoeckel, J. Hinrichs, T. Stressler, L. Fischer; International Dairy Journal; 2016, 56, 186–197.
» Go to publication


» Sensory and antigenic properties of enzymatic wheat gluten hydrolysates produced in an enzyme membrane reactor in comparison to batch «

P. Berends, Michael Merz, A. Kochjohann, L. Philipps, I. Blank, T. Stressler, L. Fischer; European Food Research and Technology; 2017, 243 (5), 807-816.
» Go to publication


» Optimization of an enzymatic wheat gluten hydrolysis process in an enzyme membrane reactor using a design of experiment approach «

P. Berends, Michael Merz, B. Kranz, T. Thaler, D. Appel, S. Rabe, I. Blank, T. Stressler, L. Fischer; European Food Research and Technology; 2016, 242 (10), 1735-1746.
» Go to publication


» Novel cellobiose 2-epimerases for the production of epilactose from milk ultrafiltrate containing lactose «

M. Krewinkel, J. Kaiser, Michael Merz, E. Rentschler, B. Kuschel, J. Hinrichs, L. Fischer; Journal of Dairy Science; 2015, 98 (6), 3665–3678.
» Go to publication

Vorträge

» Effiziente Proteinhydrolyse mittels kontinuierlicher Enzym-Membran-Reaktortechnologie für den Einsatz im Lebensmittelbereich «

Michael Merz, T. Eisele, L. Fischer; Dechema Himmelfahrtstagung, Bad Wildungen (Deutschland), 2013.

Posterpräsentationen

» Application of a novel HPLC-based system for automated biotransformation and analysis «

Michael Merz, L. Fischer; 7th International Congress on Biocatalysis, Hamburg (Deutschland), 2014.
» View poster


» Enzyme membrane reactor technology as a promising tool to increase enzyme efficiency «

Michael Merz, J. Ewert, T. Stressler, L. Fischer; 1st Bioeconomy Congress, Stuttgart (Deutschland), 2014.
» View poster

Download meine Dissertation

Click here

Expertise & Skills

Enzyme technology (Biochemical characterization and application in food)
Enzyme technology (Assay development & enzyme activity screening)
Enzyme technology (Bioprocess engineering)
Enzyme technology (Enzyme immobilization)
Enzyme technology (Enzyme discovery & production)
Fermentation technology
Downstream processing (Membrane technology, Drying)
Protein purification (chromatography, precipitation)
Protein, peptide and sugar analytics (HPLC, HPLC-MS, electrophoresis, ELISA)
Dairy processing
Flavor chemistry
Project Management & Leadership
Graphic design, scientific illustration
Programming (LaTex, HTML/CSS)

Sprachen

GERMAN - Muttersprache
ENGLISH - Verhandlungssicher
FRENCH - Fortgeschritten

Kurse

04-06/2021
Future Leaders Program,
International Institute for Management Development (IMD), Lausanne (Schweiz).

2016/2017
Various courses and trainings within the Nestlé Young Professional Programme,
Nestlé Product Technology Centre (NPTC) Food, Singen (Deutschland).

06/2014
Advanced Course "Downstream Processing",
Delft University of Technology, Delft (Niederlande).