Expert list: Proteins

Proteins are one of the most exciting and versatile components of nutrition and of any living organism. They are constantly being transformed, built up, and broken down in humans, animals, and plants. Scientists only have a basic understanding of many of these processes.

With an ever-growing world population, producing sufficient quantities of high-quality proteins is a multifaceted challenge for agriculture, the food industry, and nutritional science.

Protein research at the University of Hohenheim is looking for solutions to minimize the impact on climate, the environment, and biodiversity in order to ensure food security and resource conservation. All this makes it a highly relevant challenge for agricultural, nutritional, food, economic, and social sciences.

Proteins and plants

Plasmodesmata - key to understanding how plants work

An organism consists of different cells that have different tasks. They have to communicate with each other and exchange substances. In plants, this happens via certain cell-cell connections called plasmodesmata. They play a role when photosynthetic products are distributed throughout the plant from the leaf, and they are essential in controlling flower formation or the development of root hairs. In order to understand how yield is generated or how the plant acquires information from the environment, Prof. Dr. Waltraud Schulze deciphers the structure, composition, and functioning of the plasmodesmata and identifies their components - lipids as well as proteins.

Contact: Prof. Dr. Waltraud Schulze, Department of Plant Systems Biology, +49 (0)711 459 24770, email 

Revival of legumes: What are the obstacles to cultivation in Europe?

Whether beans, lentils, peas, lupins, or soy: Europe's food manufacturers are using pulses more and more. They are processed into meat substitutes or lentil pasta and are a valuable source of protein for humans and animals. Their cultivation can be very sustainable: They require little fertilizer because they are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen. So far, however, protein crops grow in only a few areas in Europe, making the EU highly dependent on imports. What are the obstacles? What about yield security and profitability? What policy support instruments might be effective? Agricultural economist Prof. Dr. Enno Bahrs explains it to you.

Contact: Prof. Dr. Enno Bahrs, Department of Farm Management +49 (0)711 459 22566, email

New soybean varieties for cultivation in Germany

Soy from domestic cultivation, with an excellent environmental balance and in good quality - this is possible if you have suitable varieties. Soybean expert Dr. Volker Hahn from the State Seed Breeding Institute at the University of Hohenheim is working towards this goal. What is needed are soybean varieties that thrive in our latitudes, produce sufficient yields, and are suitable for tofu production, for example, due to their high protein content.

Contact: Dr. Volker Hahn, State Plant Breeding Institute, Sunflower and Legumes Working Group, +49 (0)7852 9188-17, email 

Quinoa as a new protein source in Europe

The superfood plant quinoa is considered very stress tolerant. It can even thrive in salty soils. But although there are many varieties, it is still rarely cultivated in Germany. Jun.-Prof. Dr. Sandra Schmöckel is testing which quinoa varieties would be able to cope with the drought stress in Germany caused by climate change - and could thus provide a new mainstay for farmers and another source of protein from regional cultivation in the future.

Contact: Jun.-Prof. Dr. Sandra Schmöckel, Department of Physiology of Yield Stability, +49 (0)711 459 23806, email

New protein sources for humans and animals

New protein sources for food

The growing world population, restrictions on agricultural production due to climate change as well as geopolitical crises pose challenges to the supply of protein to people. The extraction of proteins from previously unused sources, e.g., from residues from beer production, is much more sustainable than animal and, in some cases, established plant proteins. Prof. Dr. Mario Jekle will present such examples of bioeconomic utilization.

Contact: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Mario Jekle, Department of Plant-Based Foods, +49 (0)711 459 22314, email

Insect protein for human and animal

Insects as food and feed: Compared to meat or dairy products, the eco and climate balance of insects is excellent. Species-appropriate housing and handling? No problem! Insects can also convince nutritionally thanks to their high protein content and valuable micronutrients. Nevertheless, there are still many reservations in this country about eating mealworms, grasshoppers and the like. What consumers have to say about insects as food is the subject of research by Jun.-Prof. Dr. Ramona Weinrich.

Contact: Jun.-Prof. Dr. Ramona Weinrich, Department of Consumer Behavior in the Bioeconomy, +49 (0)711 459 22876, email

Meat substitutes and proteins in human nutrition

Food from the 3D printer

Cheese or meat substitute from the 3D printer: What still sounds futuristic opens up completely new possibilities. Because printed food is tailor-made. It can be adapted to each person’s needs not only in taste and consistency, but also in nutritional value. The result: sustainable products for personalized nutrition. The basis can be proteins and starches, holistic new raw materials such as sorghum millet, or previously unused side streams. Prof. Dr. Mario Jekle provides information about a completely new possibility of food production and supply.

Contact: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Mario Jekle, Department of Plant-Based Foods, +49 (0)711 459 22314, email

Milk alternatives and vegetable protein sources

If resources are to be conserved, more plant proteins instead of animal proteins need to be on the menu. And not only pure vegans are increasingly turning to these alternative products: Oat, soy, or almond milk are currently experiencing a boom. What other raw materials are suitable for the production of vegetable drinks? How do you manage to produce them in such a way that they come as close as possible to cow's milk in terms of taste and consistency? And what is the nutritional value of these products? Milk technologist Prof. Dr. Jörg Hinrichs offers to answer your questions by phone or email.

Contact: Prof. Dr. Jörg Hinrichs, Department of Dairy Science and Technology, +49 ( 0)711 459 23792, email

Gluten-free bread - alternatives to wheat

With an increasing number of people wanting or needing to avoid the gluten protein, the need for high-quality, gluten-free foods is growing. In bread, during dough preparation, gluten and water form a network that gives the bread structure and stability by binding water and capturing the gases produced - the bread becomes airy and has an elastic crumb. How can this be achieved without gluten? What are the alternatives to wheat? What are their baking properties and taste? Your questions will be answered by Prof. Dr. Mario Jekle.

Contact: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Mario Jekle, Department of Plant-Based Foods, +49 (0)711 459 22314, email

Innovative foods - how can they successfully enter the market?

How can new, innovative products gain a foothold in the food sector? Alternative protein sources or meat substitutes, for example, that are designed to reduce climate-damaging meat production? Prof. Dr. Stefan Hirsch from the Department of Management in Agribusiness explains the drivers of demand for products and what is important for them to succeed in the market.

Contact: Prof. Dr. Stefan Hirsch, Department of Management in Agribusiness, +49 (0)722 459 24740, email 

Cellulose and microalgae - do consumers accept innovative protein sources?

Cultured meat (clean meat, cell meat), meat substitutes, or proteins from microalgae are among the key technologies of the bioeconomy. But these and other innovations will only succeed if consumers accept such technology and buy the products (repeatedly). Which factors influence acceptance? Why might consumers reject technologies? How much are consumers willing to pay? Jun.-Prof. Dr. Ramona Weinrich finds answers to these questions together with her team.

Contact: Jun.-Prof. Dr. Ramona Weinrich, Department of Consumer Behavior in the Bioeconomy, +49 (0)711 459 22876, email

Proteins and health

"Free from" foods - sensible or just a fashion trend?

For people with intolerances and allergies, they are a blessing, but for everyone else, they are rarely the better choice: "Free from" foods, such as those without gluten or without lactose, are in vogue. There are dangers in that, however. After all, anyone who simply omits foods with valuable nutrients for no medical reason is also forgoing their health benefits. For example, at the same time that people reduce gluten, which is a protein in cereal grains, they often reduce the amount of whole grains in their food. If you have any questions, please contact nutritionist Prof. Dr. Jan Frank.

Contact: Prof. Dr. Jan Frank, Department of Food Biofunctionality, +49 (0)711 459 24459, email 

Inflammatory reactions: Which proteins play a role?

Certain proteins play an important role in the immune system: They recognize foreign substances such as invading bacteria or viruses and regulate the intestinal bacteria. In inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn's disease and others, this no longer works properly. Immunologist Prof. Dr. Thomas Kufer analyzes the function of this protein family. In the long term, he also wants to contribute to the development of new therapeutic methods for such diseases.

Contact: Prof. Dr. Thomas Kufer, Department of Immunology, +49 (0)711 459 24850, email