COMPETENCE
My main competence is within applied biospectroscopy and rapid quality assessment of foods. My interests cover front face fluorescence, NIR and Raman spectroscopy. I do also have some experience with spectral imaging, which is a very fascinating and powerful technique. To work efficiently with analysis of spectra from very complex biomaterials, multivariate modelling (chemometrics) is a necessity! I have strong interests in these statistical methods, but at a practical level – they are useful tools.
Central applications in my work:
· Measurement of auto-oxidation and photo-oxidation in meat, fish and dairy products by fluorescence spectroscopy.
· On-line measurement of fat, water, protein, colour and colour defects by NIR and VIS spectroscopy and imaging
· Determination of connective tissue in meat and fish by fluorescence spectroscopy
· Raman spectroscopy on biomaterials – how to cope with background fluorescence
At our institute I am a principal researcher and project manager for one of ten basic research projects: Effective assessment of food quality by rapid spectroscopic and sensor techniques (Strategic institute project). I also mange several R&D projects for the Norwegian Research Council and different Norwegian companies, primarily connected to feed and foods.
Water distribution in whole dried salted cod based on on-line imaging NIR system.
Multivariate curve resolution (based on PARAFAC) to resolve pure spectra of porphyrins and chlorophylls in butter.
EDUCATION
1996 M. Sc. degree in electronics and signal analysis from Norwegian University of Technology.
2000 Dr. Scient (PhD) Norwegian Food Research Institute and Agricultural University of Norway. Title of doctoral thesis: Rapid quality assessment of meat and fish by using near-infrared spectroscopy, autofluorescence spectroscopy and image analysis. 2000. Doctor scientiarium thesis (2000:3), Agricultural University of Norway.
2001-2002 Visiting scientist at Center for Process Analytical Chemistry (CPAC) in Seattle,
WA, USA. Main focuses in this period were Raman spectroscopy applied on foods
and on-line monitoring of batch fermentation.
