My education is from Østfold University College (analytical chemistry/microbiology) and from Dep of Biochemistry, University of Oslo. I have a Master degree in biochemistry (1992) on the cholesterol metabolism, performed at Dep of Nutrition, UiO, and I received my PhD degree in biochemistry with the thesis on the lipid metabolism and enzymatic oxidation of fatty acids in plants (Dep of Biochemistry, University of Oslo /Matforsk AS, 1998). Then I had a position as a research scientist at the University of Life Sciences (UMB) on spore forming bacteria in foods and biofilm (1998-2002), before I returned to Matforsk in 2002 as a post doctor in the strategic research programme ”Bioactive phytochemicals (flavonoids) in fruit and vegetables: storage, processing and rapid sensor-based analytical methods”. Since 2006 I have been employed at Matforsk/Nofima Mat.
My research and commission work activities are focused on bioactive compounds in plant based foods, antioxidants and lipids with implication for health related food quality. At the present I am leader of one of the basal research programmes at Nofima Mat; “Fruits and vegetables – from raw materials to health effects”, and I am working on phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables, more specific on polyphenols, the most numerous and widely distributed group of bioactive compounds, and glucosinolates in Brassica vegetables (cabbage family). A major part of my work has been establishment and development of the analytical methods for qualitative and quantitative assessment of bioactive components in fresh and processed food products. I have experience since 1988 with chromatography with different detectors. I have a special interest in nutrition and health effects of foods, and I am involved in several projects which study effects of different foods on human health, such as berries, fruits and vegetables and fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids). Nofima Mat is a partner in one of the three Nordic Centres of Excellence in Food, Nutrition and Health (2007-2011) “SYSDIET”, where I am the contact person. We aim to study the mechanisms by which Nordic foods and diets promote health and prevent chronic diseases using a systems biology approach involving metabolomics and bioinformatics.
