Stefan Kasapis

Professor Stefan Kasapis

Professor of Food Science and Technology

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Profile photo of Stefan Kasapis posing in front of a wall, smiling towards the camera. A framed award certificate addressed to Stefan hangs on the wall behind him.

Contact details

STEM | School of Science


Emailstefan.kasapis@rmit.edu.au


Phone: +61 39925 5244


Campus: Bundoora


Programs

More information

Profile photo of Stefan Kasapis posing in front of a wall, smiling towards the camera. A framed award certificate addressed to Stefan hangs on the wall behind him.

Contact details

STEM | School of Science


Emailstefan.kasapis@rmit.edu.au


Phone: +61 39925 5244


Campus: Bundoora


Programs

More information

Professor of Food Science with over 30 years of experience working with the food industry to develop/improve novel and healthy formulations.

Overview

As an early career researcher, Prof. Kasapis further developed his interest in the structural, nutritional and bioactive functionality of materials. These include dietary fibre and protein as model systems in the presence of lipids and other co-solutes (e.g., sugars and their replacers) or bioactive compounds (e.g., vitamins and antioxidants) in order to develop novel formulations for the food and nutraceutical industries. He was fortunate in the early days of his research work to be mentored by leading authorities in his field, e.g. Prof. John Mitchell at the University of Nottingham/UK who was Editor of Carbohydrate Polymers (SJR Q1).

Through the years, Prof. Kasapis held several administrative appointments, including Assistant Dean of Research, Head of the Department of Food Sciences, Head of Food Sciences Research Drive, and Coordinator of the Graduate Programme in Food Sciences. At RMIT University, he is responsible for the coordination/delivery of several advanced food technology courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Prof. Kasapis maintains a strong research focus, currently heading a research group of 12 PhD students funded by ARC Linkage, Australia Awards, Research Training Scheme (RTS), and the School of Science at RMIT. Two postdoctoral research workers are currently employed in his laboratory funded by ARC Linkage and the fight food waste (FFW) CRC. He has established a laboratory in the techno- and bio-functionality of food materials, and utilises the central research facilities of RMIT University for his research in the City and Bundoora campus.

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Industry experience

Prof. Kasapis has worked extensively with food industry around the world in the development of a range of novel food products which resulted in the following intellectual property for the industry partner:

Patents

  • 2020 - Nassar, N., Istivan, T. & Kasapis, S. Formulations for delivery of bioactive agents. Australian Patent 2020904616.
  • 2010 - Foo, C.W., Kasapis, S., Koh, L.W. & Jiang, B. Alginate use to encapsulate starch in instant soup-based rice noodle. WO Patent 022764.
  • 2004 - Kasapis, S., Al-Oufi, H. S. & Al-Maamari, S. Minced fish products of improved eating quality. GCC Patent 4037.
  • 2003 - Kasapis, S., Al-Oufi, H. S. & Al-Maamari, S. Minced fish products of improved eating quality. Irish Patent 2003/0921.
  • 2001 - Gupta, B.B., Kasapis, S. & Alevisopoulos, S. Water-continuous spread. UK Patent 2 323 092 B.
  • 1998 - Gupta, B.B., Kasapis, S. & Alevisopoulos. S. Water-continuous spread. UK Patent 2 323 092 A.
  • 1998 - Gupta, B.B., Kasapis, S. & Alevisopoulos. S. Water-continuous spread. European Patent 0 864 255 A2.
  • 1997 - Gupta, B.B. & Kasapis, S. Water-continuous spread. United States Patent 5 614 245.
  • 1995 - Gupta, B.B. & Kasapis, S. Water-continuous spread. European Patent 0 672 350 B1.
  • 1995 - Gupta, B.B. & Kasapis, S. Water-continuous spread. European Patent 0 672 350 A2.
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Research

Research interests focus on the conformation-structure-function relationships of plant/marine/bacterial polysaccharides in model systems, and in the presence of proteins, lipids and other co-solutes (e.g., sugars) or bioactive compounds (e.g., antioxidants) in order to develop novel products for the food and nutraceutical industries.

Low and high-solid biomaterials increasingly include a number of proteins and non-starchy polysaccharides to deliver a range of properties such as structure, storage stability, processability and delivery control in a wide range of products. Under various conditions of industrial processing, food ingestion and drug delivery, proteins and polysaccharides exhibit a wide range of conformational properties, which should be understood on fundamental grounds for successful development of added value formulations.

Research interests also encompass the field of preventing/masking malodorous flavour owing to the use of plant protein isolates in processed foods, which is a significant barrier to their use as replacers of animal based proteins. This work has led to fundamental studies on the high temperature interactions between proteins and phenolic compounds, in which, for the first time, covalent adducts were found to have formed as a direct result of heat treatment.

Research keywords

Plant proteins, Phenolics, Dietary fibre, Fat replacers, Diffusion, Bioactive compound delivery, Glass transition

Research output summary

254

Publications

64

Projects

11

Awards

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Supervisor interest areas

  • Valorisation of waste products
  • Behaviour of food systems under high pressure/temperature
  • Optimisation of plant protein flavour and functionality
  • Novel bioactive delivery systems
  • Incorporation of insoluble dietary fibres
  • Structure/function relationships in novel food products
  • Sensory evaluation of processed formulations

Supervisor projects

  • Protein interactions in UHT/HPP processed plant protein systems
  • Protein-phenolic interactions in ultra-high temperature (UHT) processed liquid food systems
  • Seasonal waste effect upon potential value of the circular economy
  • Stimuli responsive on-off switching in bioactive compound release from high-solid biopolymer systems
  • Use of Z-stack imaging to quantify the phase behaviour of biomaterial composites in relation to theoretical predictions of blending laws from rheological measurements
  • Inclusion of plant based materials in novel beverage formulations
  • Identification extraction and isolation of phytochemicals from plant sources (mushrooms, pitaya fruit, oats & wheat) for inhibition of digestive enzymes and enhancement of nutritional profile in processed food

Feature publications

Milk protein-ligand interactions upon thermal processing and targeted delivery for the design of functional foods

Current Opinion in Food Science 27, 8-17

Condict, L., Paramita, V.D. & Kasapis, S. (2019).

A free-volume interpretation of the decoupling parameter in bioactive compound diffusion from a glassy polymer

Food Hydrocolloids, 54, 338 - 341

Panyoyai,N & Kasapis,S. (2016).

Unexpected Phase Behavior of Amylose in a High Solids Environment

Biomacromolecules, 11, no.2, 421–429

Shrinivas, P & Kasapis, S. (2010).

Key publications by year

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Feature projects

Incorporation of legume protein in liquid breakfast for a healthy Australia

ARC Linkage Project LP190100175 with Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Company

2020 - 2023

Seasonality of waste effect upon potential value of the circular economy

SME in collaboration with Montague Fresh Circular fruit waste project

2021

Recovery of insoluble dietary fibre from food waste for enriched beverages: Innovation for a healthier Australia

ARC Linkage Project LP160100007 with Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Company

2017 - 2021

Key projects

  • Improving the Sensory Profile of Oat Milk
  • Incorporation of legume protein in liquid breakfast for a healthy Australia
  • Insoluble-fibre enriched beverages: Innovation for a healthier Australia
  • Protein interactions in UHT/HPP processed plant protein systems in relation to glass transition temperature
  • Seasonality of waste effect upon potential value of the circular economy
  • SME in collaboration with Montague Fresh Circular fruit waste project
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Awards

Award certificate with heading '2016 RMIT University Teaching and Research Awards'. Below this it reads 'RMIT Award for Research Excellence (Technology) Awarded to Professor Stefan Kasapis, School of Science'. At the bottom of the document is a signature by 'Martin Bean CBE, Vice-Chancellor and President, RMIT University' and the RMIT University logo.

Medal of the Royal Society of Chemistry Food Group

Award date: 1998

Recipients: Stefan Kasapis


RMIT Award for Research Excellence (Technology)

Award date: 2016

Recipients: Stefan Kasapis

“Runner Up” Award and Second Prize in the Open Session of the Institute of Food Science and Technology Annual Conference

Award date: 6th October 1994

Recipients: Stefan Kasapis

Medal of the Royal Society of Chemistry Food Group

Award date: 1998

Recipients: Stefan Kasapis

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Grants

  • Dairy Innovation Australia Limited (DIAL), Processes and Products Research Grants project 2010 on “High pressure effects on the structural and immunological properties of whey protein systems and lactose as co-solute”, Prof. Stefan Kasapis (project leader)
  • ARC Linkage Project LP100200617 on “Creation of a new branch of food research by utilising whey protein and lactose in the development of novel products of low calorie content and glycemic response, and improved antioxidant activity” with Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Company. Prof. Stefan Kasapis (CI), Prof. John Ashton (PI)
  • Dairy Innovation Australia Limited (DIAL), Processes and Products Research Grants 2012 project on “New formulation strategies to reduce ingredient costs and add consumer value to yoghurts, spreads, functional beverages, soft processed cheeses and dairy desserts via improved techno and bio-functionality” Prof. Stefan Kasapis (CI)
  • ARC Linkage Project LP130100078 on "Understanding the structure-function relationship of dietary fibre for engineering novel food products with superior textural properties and nutrition" with Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Company. Prof. Stefan Kasapis (CI), Prof. John Ashton (PI)
  • Enterprise Connect Researchers in Business Programme with ProPortion Foods (2014) on “New formulation strategies in developing functional foods with enhanced nutrition and texture for the elderly”. Prof. Stefan Kasapis (CI)
  • Enterprise Connect Researchers in Business Programme with Sensient Technologies (2016) on “New formulation strategies in developing stable emulsions with desirable consistencies” Prof. Stefan Kasapis (CI)
  • ARC Linkage Project LP160100007 on “Recovery of insoluble dietary fibre from food waste for enriched beverages: Innovation for a healthier Australia” with Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Company. Prof. Stefan Kasapis (CI), Prof. John Ashton (PI)
  • ARC Linkage Project LP190100175 on “Incorporation of legume protein in liquid breakfast for a healthy Australia” with Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Company. Prof. Stefan Kasapis (CI), Prof. John Ashton (PI)
  • Contract research on “Improving the Sensory Profile of Oat Milk” with Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Company. Prof. Stefan Kasapis (CI), Prof. John Ashton (PI)
  • SME in collaboration with Montague Fresh Circular fruit waste project (2021) on “Seasonality of waste effect upon potential value of the circular economy” with Montague Fresh. Project leader, Prof. Stefan Kasapis
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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.

aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.