Work experience
Since 10/2020Nestlé Research, Institute of Material Science, Lausanne (Switzerland)
Group Leader Enzymes, Department of Biology.
Coordination of cross-business research projects linked to the enyzmatic biotransformation of food ingredients.
12/2018-10/2020
Nestlé Research & Development, NPTC DAIRY, Konolfingen (Switzerland)
Research Specialist, Food Material & Protein Science group.
Project Management and technical lead in innovation projects related to proteins for next generation of dairy alternatives.
01/2016-11/2018
Nestlé Research & Development, NPTC FOOD, Singen (Germany)
Research Specialist, Taste & Aroma Platform.
Project Management and technical lead in innovation projects related to enzyme technology & food fermentation for the culinary business.
07/2012-12/2015
University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart (Germany)
Scientific staff member & PhD student, Department of Biotechnology and Enzyme Science.
Project management of research projects, supervision of Bachelor and Master students and
lecturing of seminars in enzyme technology.
12/2010–05/2011
Nestlé Research & Development, NPTC FOOD, Singen (Germany)
Intern, Science & Technology Department.
Design and optimization of an enzymatic hydrolysis process including down stream processing.
06/2010–10/2010
Nong Lam University,, Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)
Intern, Institute of Food Chemistry.
Project coordination related to food analytics and lectures in food chemistry
and English.
07/2009–07/2012
Merzcreative GbR, Ravensburg (Germany)
Co-founder, Responsible for web design, layout and programming.
Since 1995
Merz Obsthandel GmbH, Horgenzell (Germany)
Part-time employee, Supporting of the family wholesale business.
Education
07/2012-12/2015University of Hohenheim (Stuttgart, Germany), Department of Biotechnology and Enzyme Science
Ph.D, Food Biotechnology (Dr. rer. nat); Grade: summa cum laude
Dissertation title: "Enzymatic hydrolysis of vegetable proteins using food-grade peptidases"
» Download Dissertation
10/2006–06/2012
University of Hohenheim (Stuttgart,Germany)
Engineer's degree, Food Technology (Dipl.-LM-Ing.); Grade: 1.1
Diploma thesis (Department of Biotechnology and Enzyme Science): "Continuous wheat gluten hydrolysis using an enzyme membrane reactor".
10/2005–08/2006
Technical University Berlin (Berlin, Germany)
Food Technology
09/1994–06/2004
Katholisch freies Gymnasium St.Konrad (Ravensburg, Germany)
Abitur (A level equivalent)
Publications
First-authored scientific publications
» 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
Co-authored scientific publications
» 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
Oral presentations
» Effiziente Proteinhydrolyse mittels kontinuierlicher Enzym-Membran-Reaktortechnologie für den Einsatz im Lebensmittelbereich «Michael Merz, T. Eisele, L. Fischer; Dechema Himmelfahrtstagung, Bad Wildungen (Germany), 2013.
Poster presentations
» Application of a novel HPLC-based system for automated biotransformation and analysis «Michael Merz, L. Fischer;
7th International Congress on Biocatalysis, Hamburg (Germany), 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 (Germany), 2014.
» View poster