Awarding of the Food Chemistry Study Prize to Elisabeth Suermann
© Uni MS - M. Hobbold

Award for the best Master's theses in food chemistry

The € 1000 prize for the best Master's thesis in food chemistry at the University of Münster was awarded to Elisabeth Suermann at the 2023 Master's graduation ceremony. The prize, sponsored by the Wessling Group based in Altenberge, was presented by Dr. Henning Kuchenbuch as a representative of the company during the ceremony on 01.12.2023.

Antibacterial effect of disinfectants

In Elisabeth Suermann’s  Master's thesis at the Institute of Hygiene at the University of Münster in the working group of Prof. Dr. Thorsten Kuczius in cooperation with the Institute of Food Chemistry, she investigated the use of chlorine dioxide to reduce bacterial contamination in food and drinking water. Microbially contaminated drinking water poses a problem for human health. If there is a complaint about the quality of drinking water due to bacterial contamination, various disinfectants are used as short-term measures to restore the drinking water supply. Ms. Suermann investigated in great detail the stability and sensitivity of various human pathogenic bacterial species to oxidatively active disinfectants such as chlorine dioxide and to quaternary ammonium compounds such as benzalkonium chloride. This is often used as a preservative, e.g. in medicines, as a disinfectant for instruments and surfaces and for hand disinfection.

 Chlorine dioxide also effective against benzalkonium chloride-resistant bacteria

After only a short exposure time, all bacteria tested developed a tolerance to benzalkonium chloride and were no longer inactivated. However, these tolerant microorganisms were only slightly more stable to chlorine dioxide, which has a different mechanism of action, than benzalkonium chloride. The effect of chlorine dioxide as a disinfectant was therefore also sufficient for the tolerant bacteria. Elisabeth Suermann’s series of tests and results impressively demonstrated how important it is to change disinfectants regularly in order to avoid bacterial tolerance and resistance.

The prize for the best Master's thesis in the Food Chemistry degree program

The prize for the best Master's thesis in the MSc. Food Chemistry course at the University of Münster has been awarded since 2014 with the support of WESSLING GmbH. The prize is endowed with € 1000 and is awarded annually in November / beginning of December at the joint Master's graduation ceremony for graduates of the Chemistry, Food Chemistry and Business Chemistry degree programs.
The prize is awarded for outstanding achievements in the Master's thesis that have the potential to make a significant contribution to the advancement of science and society. Of particular importance are the topicality and relevance of the work, independent and innovative approaches and scientific originality.

Award winner since 2014


Year Name Title

2023

Elisabeth Suermann

Use of chlorine dioxide to reduce bacterial contaminations in food and drinking water

2022

Marlen Charlotte Becker

Formation of furan and alkylfurans during hot extrusion cooking
2021

Sophie Pauline Vogel

Development of micro-scale cultivation method for secondary
metabolite screening in fungi
2020

Fabian Weever

Investigations of secondary plant metabolites on the activity
of human topoisomerases
2019

Malte Hübschen

Analysis of 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol, 2-monochloropropane-1,3-diol and their fatty acid esters as well as glycidyl fatty acid esters in food and 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol and 1,3-dichloropropane-2-ol in paper and cardboard packaging
2018

Jonas Specht

 
2017

Alexandra Klusmann

 
2016

Robin Schmid

 
2015

Rebekka Tien

 
2014

Bernd Osteresch