Erik van der Linden

Prof. Erik van der Linden is a Professor of Food Physics at Wageningen University, part of Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands. His expertise spans Food Physics, Physical Chemistry, and Food Technology, with a focus on topics like Rheology, Emulsions, Gels, and Dairy Science. He holds a PhD from Leiden University (1990) and has held academic and industry roles, including post-doctoral research at Emory University and senior positions at Unilever Research. Currently, he leads research on food structure and processes, and chairs the Physics and Physical Chemistry of Foods division. He is also an associate editor for journals like Food Biophysics, Food Digestion, and Journal of Food Science and Gastronomy, and serves as a research orchestrator for the TKI-AgroFood initiative.

• Education:
  • MSc in Theoretical Physics, Leiden University (1980–1986)
  • PhD in Physics, Leiden University (1986–1990), thesis: “Determination of the interfacial rigidity in microemulsions using the Kerr effect”
• Key Roles:
  • Professor of Food Physics since 1998
  • Research Orchestrator, High Quality Products and Processes (TKI-AgroFood)

His research interests include surface rheology, food structure design, and the physics of food processing. He actively contributes to academic publishing and industry-relevant research projects. His work bridges fundamental physics with applied food technology, addressing challenges in product development and quality assurance.