Congratulations to Solja Pietiäinen who successfully defended her doctoral thesis on the 13th of December in Uppsala

We congratulate Solja Pietiäinen from the Department of Molecular Sciences at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), who successfully defended her doctoral thesis titled “Modification of Wheat Bran Arabinoxylan Extracts for Functional Properties in Breadmaking” on December 13, 2024, in Uppsala. The opponent was Professor Christophe Courtin from the Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems at KU Leuven, Belgium.

In her thesis, Solja explored the potential of modified wheat bran arabinoxylan extracts as fiber ingredients for breadmaking. Her research demonstrated that reducing the molar mass of arabinoxylan improved both dough extensibility and bread-specific volume, with these effects linked to extract viscosity and water-holding capacity. A combination of high-temperature extraction and decolorization processes improved extract properties and increased yield compared to conventional alkaline methods.

The findings confirm the potential of modified arabinoxylan extracts as functional fiber ingredients, supporting the increased use of wheat bran in food production to promote health and sustainability.

For more information on the thesis, visit Modification of Wheat Bran Arabinoxylan Extracts for Functional Properties in Breadmaking.

We congratulate Solja on her successful defense and wish her all the best in her future career!