Dr. Greta Bischof Wins the 2025 Stockmeyer Science Prize

We extend our warmest congratulations to Dr. Greta Bischof on winning the 2025 Stockmeyer Science Prize. The Chemical Analysis department at the German Institute of Food Technology (DIL) conducts research and develops innovative analytical methods to ensure the quality, authenticity, and safety of food. Under the leadership of Dr. Andreas Juadjur, the team is addressing current challenges such as food authenticity, food fraud, microplastics in food, and the characterization of alternative proteins.

A key area of research is authenticity analysis using NMR spectroscopy, which allows for the precise determination of the origin, composition, and quality of food products. This so-called fingerprint analysis makes it possible to detect even unknown or unexpected substances—and thus makes an important contribution to consumer protection. Especially in times of increasing global trade flows, verifying the authenticity and purity of food is of growing importance.

The department also focuses on current issues such as reactive dyes in supposedly natural products and microplastics in the food chain. Here, the team develops new detection strategies to identify risks early on and ensure transparency regarding quality—for both the food industry and consumers.

In addition, the department conducts intensive research—in interdisciplinary collaboration with the other research platforms at the DIL—on alternative protein sources such as plant, algae, or insect proteins. The goal is to characterize their chemical stability, functionality, and sensory quality, thereby contributing to the development of sustainable food concepts.

Dr. Greta Bischof’s doctoral dissertation, which has now been honored and focuses on the authenticity analysis of beef, exemplifies the research-oriented, interdisciplinary, and socially relevant work of the Department of Chemical Analysis at the DIL —where scientific excellence and practical solutions go hand in hand.