Reelika Rätsep

Dr. Reelika Rätsep is a Senior Lecturer in Plant-Based Food Technology at the Estonian University of Life Sciences, holding positions in both the Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences (Chair of Food Science and Food Technology) and the Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (Polli Horticultural Research Centre). With a PhD in Agriculture earned in 2016, she has established herself as a researcher bridging horticulture and food science, with particular expertise in valorizing agricultural by-products and developing sustainable food production systems.

Dr. Rätsep's educational background includes a Doctor of Philosophy in Agriculture (2016), Master of Sciences in Horticulture (2011), and Bachelor degree in Horticulture (2009), all from the Estonian University of Life Sciences. Her doctoral research focused on the effect of cultivation techniques on grapevine and strawberry fruit quality, establishing her early interest in horticultural production systems.

Her research spans multiple interconnected domains with particular focus on:

• Valorization of food industry wastes and by-products
• Extraction and application of bioactive compounds from plant materials
• Sustainable food production technologies
• Polyphenol analysis and functionality
• Viticulture and fruit production in northern climates
• Food safety using natural compounds

Dr. Rätsep's publication record demonstrates a strong trajectory toward transforming agricultural by-products into valuable food ingredients. Her recent work examines fruit and berry pomaces (particularly from rowanberry, sea buckthorn, black currant, and hybrid grapes) for their compositional properties, bioactive compounds, and potential applications in food products. She has made significant contributions to understanding how these by-products can enhance food quality, safety, and nutritional value while supporting circular economy principles in food systems.

Among her notable recognitions are:

• 2019 Organic Scholarship for best popular scientific publication in Estonian
• 2018 Erasmus+ scholarship for staff mobility
• 2017 Dora Pluss scholarship for short-term study
• 2014 Erasmus Mundus Infinity scholarship
• 2010 'Deed of the Year' for participation in international Flowerfestival

Dr. Rätsep is actively involved in research funding and collaboration, having participated in projects like CIRCLE (2021-2024) focused on circular bioeconomy and the RESTA14 TAIMLOOMTOIT project on adding value to meat and fish products using horticultural by-products. She has organized multiple international workshops and summer schools on food by-product valorization, demonstrating her commitment to knowledge transfer in this field.

She leads research activities at the Polli Horticultural Research Centre, which serves as a hub for horticultural research in Estonia. Her work connects field production with food processing, creating a comprehensive research pipeline from plant cultivation to value-added food products. Through her involvement with the ERA Chair for Food (By)Products Valorisation Technologies, she has access to advanced processing technologies for developing innovative food ingredients from agricultural by-products.