Sabrina Van Den Oever

Sabrina Van Den Oever is a researcher at the Institute for Food Sciences, Department of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). She holds a Dr.nat.techn. and Dipl.-Ing. degree and is actively involved in research and teaching in food science.

Research Interests: Her work centers on food chemistry and food analysis, with a strong focus on food authenticity, vitamin analysis (especially B12), milk protein characterization, and the application of ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and mass spectrometry. She investigates food fraud, nutrient content in alternative foods (e.g., insects, algae), and the impact of processing and feed on dairy product quality.

Recent Research Trends: Her recent publications and presentations (2017–2024) demonstrate a consistent focus on analytical challenges in food science. Key themes include the detection of pseudo-vitamin B12 in supplements, authentication of A2 milk, analysis of B-vitamins in novel foods, and monitoring the displacement of fresh milk by ESL milk in Austria. Her work bridges analytical chemistry with practical food safety and quality issues.

Scientific Awards:

• ALVA Research Prize (2023)
• BOKU Young Teacher Award (2021)
• DER ALIMENTARIUS 2020 - Science Prize for best master's thesis in food analysis
• Preis des Hochschuljubiläumsfonds der Stadt Wien 2020 for research on pseudo-vitamin B12 in algae

Advising and Grants: She served as a project leader for a research project on pseudo-vitamin B12 in algae, funded by the City of Vienna. She has also been a project member on other research initiatives, such as the optimization of UHPLC methods for nutrient quantification. While no formal students are listed, her role as a university assistant and awardee for teaching suggests involvement in mentoring and instruction.

Labs and Teams: She is based at the Institute for Food Sciences at BOKU, located at Muthgasse 18 in Vienna. Her research is conducted within a team environment, often collaborating with Prof. Helmut Mayer and other colleagues on analytical food chemistry projects.