During her PhD, Naomi studied crystalline structures formed by milk lipids. Controlling the formation of such structures is key to maintaining food properties while moving to healthier and more sustainable dairy products.
As a Schmidt Science Fellow, she pivoted from food science to biotechnology. Working in the Sustainable Food Processing group at ETH Zurich, Naomi studied new techniques to process microalgae biomass. Unlike the majority of our food sources, the type of microalgae that Naomi will investigate can be cultivated using seawater and non-arable land. The produced biomass is rich in aminoacids and fatty acids that are essential for human nutrition, but current processing methods limit its application in food products.
Naomi aims to boost the widespread use of microalgae as a nutritious and sustainable ingredient, improving our health and food security.