Katharina Scherf

About her:

Dr. Katharina Scherf leads the research unit “Functional Biopolymer Chemistry” at the Leibniz-Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich. The unit studies the complex interplay between structure, functionality and bioactivity of food biopolymers in a multidisciplinary way and uses these fundamental insights to improve food security, food quality and food safety. One of her main research interests are analytical, immunological and biochemical aspects of celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity and wheat allergy. Having studied food chemistry, Katharina Scherf obtained her PhD degree from the TUM and was awarded with several scientific prizes, including the Young Scientist Research Award of AACC International in 2018 and the Gerhard-Billek-Prize of the German Chemical Society in 2015.

About her talk:

"International collaborative study on gluten detection using the new Total Gluten ELISA"



Gluten-free products are only safe for celiac disease patients, if they contain less than 20 mg/kg of gluten. To improve the quantitation of gluten from wheat, rye and barley in oats products, a new Total Gluten ELISA test kit was developed. An international collaborative study confirmed that the test fulfilled all performance requirements and it received AOAC OMA First Action.