On September 2, 2023, Professor Horst-Dieter Tscheuschner celebrates his 90th birthday. He can look back on many decades of successful work in food science, with a focus on grain processing and confectionery production as well as the further development and application of food rheology. His research activities were always directed to a better understanding of the physicochemical basics, which are relevant to food processing, and to implement the findings in more efficient processes and associated equipment. In this context, close cooperation with machine manufacturers was a very important concern of his scientific work in order to get research results quickly usable into the industrial scale. Last but not least, the 45 patents that were registered by or with him bear witness to this.
A life for research and development
Research into food processing was not necessarily predetermined for him. After an apprenticeship as a locksmith in copper mining in the Mansfeld region, he first took his Abitur in Jena and then studied food technology at the newly founded Institute of Food Technology at the Technical University in Dresden. He graduated with a diploma in 1961. This was followed by his doctorate in cooperation with a university in Moscow and his habilitation in the field of baked goods in 1968. In the same year he was also appointed professor for food technology and head of the Institute of Food Technology at TU Dresden. He held this position until 1992. Here he decisively shaped the orientation of the institute through his work, especially in the area of baked goods and confectionery production. With the already mentioned food rheology, he established an important focus of the institute, which is still visible today. In addition to research work, the well-founded training of young scientists was also important to him. Here, a solid knowledge basis in natural science and engineering of his students was very important for him. In addition, he forced a close cooperation with food scientists all over the world and he participated actively in professional organizations in food science and technology.
Something for the future
After leaving the university, he worked for many years both in industry as a co-owner of an engineering firm and in non-university research as a department head at the German Institute of Food Technologies in Quakenbrück. After reaching retirement age, however, he was still a long way from retiring. He was then active as an expert and consultant in various organizations for a long time.
He has published the results of his research in more than 300 scientific publications and books. Particularly noteworthy in this context is the standard work he edited, “Fundamentals of Food Technology”, which is now in its 4th edition. It has been a valuable reference work for generations of students. Furthermore, he was always interested to share his finding in many lectures at national and international conferences. Last but not least, reference is made to the more than 25 doctorates that he supervised.
Source: Guest author Dr. Knut Franke
