The environmental organization WWF estimates that 1.7 million tons of baked goods end up in the trash in Germany every year. Julia Neudert, a Master's graduate from Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, wanted to give bread waste a second chance in Bernburg, the town where she studied: She distilled bread schnapps from the leftovers as part of her master's thesis for her ecotrophology degree.
It takes a good, well-equipped laboratory and supervisors who provide the necessary space for creativity. Then students can find an individually tailored topic for their thesis. Julia Neudert could not have foreseen at the beginning of her studies that her thesis would involve testing different brandies made from different types of bread in the distillery. She decided to study Ecotrophology in order to learn more about nutritional forms for certain diseases. Instead of sticking with Nutrition Therapy, however, lectures and labs sparked her interest in the industry.
The Ecotrophology degree program is versatile and offers a broad education for a variety of jobs. As with the final theses, students are also given freedom with regard to the main areas of study. Practical relevance, clearly structured modules and intensive collaboration with the professors: For Neudert, these were decisive reasons for choosing to study in Bernburg for her Master's degree after completing her Bachelor's.
Neudert looks back fondly on the highlights of her time as a student: "Definitely my time in the Student Representative Committee and the phase of writing my Master's thesis are among them. Not only the creation, but also the result is still a highlight for me today. I was able to present my results at the State Harvest Festival in Magdeburg and at the Green Week in Berlin," she says. Her "schnapps idea" met the taste of the tasters: a grappa-like taste at the beginning, but yeasty and bread-like in the aftertaste.
In the near future, the Master's graduate will be concentrating on her new job in quality assurance. The recipe for the bread schnapps and the necessary know-how will stay with her after graduation. And who knows, maybe someone will take over the sustainable reuse of the daily bread waste.
... for your (schnapps) ideas and visions for the future:
From 2019, the Master's in Ecotrophology can also be started in the summer semester. It is specially tailored to those interested in finding their professional future in the food industry. In recent years, around 200 graduates have successfully completed this four-semester course. They now work in companies in Switzerland and abroad, primarily in the areas of quality management and food safety, hygiene and product development.
More information:
<link nc studieren orientierung studienangebot detail oekotrophologie-master-of-science.html>www.hs-anhalt.de/moe
