Work experience
Nestlé Research, Institute of Food Science, Lausanne (Switzerland)
Scientific Lead Enzymes & Precision Fermentation, Department of Biotransformation.
Responsible for the Enzyme & Precision Fermentation research and scientific coordination of cross-business research projects.
Nestlé Research, Institute of Food Science, Lausanne (Switzerland)
Group Leader Enzymes, Department of Biology.
Coordination of cross-business research projects linked to the enyzmatic biotransformation of food ingredients.
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.
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.
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.
Nestlé Research & Development, NPTC FOOD, Singen (Germany)
Intern, Science & Technology Department.
Design and optimization of an enzymatic hydrolysis process including down stream processing.
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