Evangelia Papagianni
PhD project title: Advanced membrane systems and their use to reduce anti‑nutrients in plant‑based materials
Short description of the project
This project focuses on reducing and recovering phytic acid and proteins from by‑product streams generated during the pressing of crops such as rapeseed, hemp and oats. These by‑products contain high levels of phytic acid—an anti‑nutrient that binds essential minerals and limits the materials’ broader use. The aim is to decrease phytic acid content while simultaneously recovering valuable proteins through a combination of membrane filtration techniques and gentle protein extraction processes.
Supervisors
Main supervisor
- Karolina Östbring, Lund University
Co-supervisors
- Frank Lipnizki, Lund University
- Jeanette Purhagen, Lund University
- Mika Mänttäri, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology, Finland
Location
Department of Process and Life Science Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, LTH, Lund University
About me
I hold an Integrated Master’s in Agriculture and a Master of Science in Food Science and Nutrition from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. My research background lies in cereal science, protein functionality and the valorisation of by‑products, where I have gained experience in a range of chemical and physicochemical analytical techniques. In September 2024, I moved to Sweden to begin my PhD, where I now focus on developing membrane‑based strategies to reduce phytic acid in plant‑based materials.