During her PhD studies, Julia Prangchat Stub Thomsen investigated the digestibility and functionality of purified bovine milk proteins (caseins). series of studies, she examined how casein composition and phosphorylation levels influence the ability of caseins to reconstitute into colloidal particles known as casein micelles. Julia Prangchat Stub Thomsen also assessed protein distribution between soluble and insoluble phases after mild centrifugation, as well as acid gelation and rennet-induced coagulation behaviour. Finally, she studied the digestibility of individual caseins with varying degrees of phosphorylation.

Overall, the work supports the design of bovine caseins with tailored phosphorylation and composition. These insights may help advance the use of precision-fermentation-derived microbial caseins in animal-free dairy products.

The PhD study was completed at the Department of Food Science (AU-FOOD), Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Friday, 20 February 2026 at 10:00
Place: Building 26, room 033, Lecture Theatre Agro Food Park, Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Agro Food Park 26, 8200 Aarhus N
Title of PhD thesis: Impact of casein composition and phosphorylation on reconstituted micelles, functionality, and digestibility
Contact information: Julia Prangchat Stub Thomsen, e-mail: jst@food.au.dk, tel.: +45 51 95 56 24
Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Birte Svensson, Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark
Associate Professor Julia Katharina Keppler, The Laboratory of Food Process Engineering, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands
Associate Professor Merete Edelenbos (chair), Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Denmark
Main supervisor: Professor Lotte Bach Larsen, Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Denmark
Co-supervisor: Associate Professor Nina Aagaard Poulsen, Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Denmark
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Technical Sciences/GSTS, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C.