Staff

Goulas Athanasios

Athanasios Goulas graduated from the Department of Food Technology and Nutrition of the Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki, Greece in early 1997. Following a two year break as a sulieutenant in the Greek army, he successfully completed, during the academic year 1999-2000, the M.Sc. studies program on Food Technology Quality Assurance in the School of Food Biosciences in Reading University, UK. He received his Ph.D. from the same university in late 2003 where he continued his research work as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow for a further three year until the end of 2006. His Ph.D. thesis focused on the use of membrane technology on enzymatic oligosaccharide manufacture and purification. A binary enzyme continuous ultrafiltration membrane bioreactor was developed, for the production of controlled molecular weight oligodextrans, concomitantly with a selective nanofiltration purification and separation method for prebiotic carbohydrates. During his subsequent research, he advanced from the laboratory to industrial production a novel prebiotic galactooligosaccharide production process for a product that became commercially available. Key points of the commercial product development, subsequently patented (see below), was, apart from the enzymatic synthesis, the reuse of the enzyme by means of centrifugal separation, the nanofiltration purification and the spray drying on industrial scale of the novel carbohydrate. Between 2008 and 2015 he was involved as a research associate on studies regarding the polysaccharide kefiran, its production through fermentation and subsequent purification. In December 2018 he joined the Department of Food Science & Technology of the International Hellenic University in Thessaloniki – Greece as an Assistant Professor. Currently, he continues his research in the areas of microbial carbohydrates and their processing properties and applications, the formulation of biodegradable materials and the control of their physiochemical properties according to the intended use alongside the spray drying properties and process application parameters for the direct in line complex formation of bioactive compounds with environmentally friendly carriers. He has published 16 articles in peer-reviewed journals that have been cited over 800 times (h-index 12).

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS IN PEER REVIEWED JOURNALS

  1. Goulas, A., Kapasakalidis, P., Sinclair, H.R.,Grandison, A.S. & Rastall, R.A. (2002). Purification of Oligosaccharides by Nanofiltration. Journal of Membrane Science, 209, pp321-335.
  2. Goulas, A., Fisher, D.A., Grimble, G.K., Grandison, A.S. & Rastall, R.A. (2004). Synthesis of Isomaltooligosaccharides and Oligodextrans by the Combined Use of Dextransucrase and Dextranase. Enzyme and Microbial Technology, 35, pp327-338.
  3. Goulas, A., Cooper, J.M., Grandison, A.S. & Rastall, R.A. (2004). Synthesis of Isomaltooligosaccharides and Oligodextrans in a Recycle Membrane Bioreactor by the Combined Use of Dextransucrase and Dextranase. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 88, pp778-787.
  4. Tzortzis, G., Goulas, A. & Gibson, G.R. (2005). Synthesis of prebiotic galactooligosaccharides using whole cells of a novel strain, Bifidobacterium bifidum NCIMB 41171. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 68, pp412-416.
  5. Goulas, A., Tzortzis, G. & Gibson, G.R. (2007). Development of a process for the production and purification of α- and β-galactooligosaccharides from Bifidobacterium bifidum NCIMB 41171. International Dairy Journal, 17, pp648-656.
  6. Marinopoulou, A., Zoumaki, M., Goulas, A., Petridis, D., Raphaelides, S., Aslampaloglou, A., Tzikas, A. & Karageorgiou, V. (2021). Functional Characteristics and Physical Properties of Spray Dried Starch Inclusion Complexes with Drugs. Starch- Stärke, 74, 2100176. https://doi.org/10.1002/star.202100176.
  7. Marinopoulou, A., Zoumaki, M., Goulas, A., Raphaelides, S., & Karageorgiou, V. (2022). Biodegradable Films from Spray Dried Starch Inclusion Complexes with Bioactive Compounds—The Effect of Glycerol and pH. Starch- Stärke, 74, 2200133. https://doi.org/10.1002/star.202200133.

PATENTS GRANTED

  1. Inventors: Goulas, A.K., Tzortzis, G. (2007). Process for the production of oligosaccharides, Pub.No.: WO/2007/054459.
  2. nventors: Tzortzis, G., Goulas, A.K., Goulas, T. (2007). Alpha-Galactosidase from Bifidobacterium bifidum and its use, Pub.No.: WO/2007/071987.
  3. Inventors: Tzortzis, G., Goulas, A.K., Goulas, T. (2007). Galactosidase with alpha-galactosyltransferase activity, Pub.No.: WO/2007/088324.
  4. Inventors: Tzortzis, G., Goulas, A.K., Goulas, T. (2007). Beta-Galactosidase with transgalactosylating activity, Pub.No.: WO/2007/110619.

Curriculum Vitae (pdf)

Scientific Field:
Food processing with emphasis on component synthesis and separation processes / Food Technologist
Courses taught:
(276-190107) Introduction to Food Science and Technology, (276-190301) Food Engineering I – Mass and Energy Balances, (276-190401) Food Engineering II, (276-190402) Food Plant Sanitation and Safety, (276-190505) Food Processing II, (276-190702) Food Packaging, (276-190801) Food Biotechnology and Industrial Fermentation, (276-190802) New Food Product Development
Office Hours:
Daily 09:00 - 14:30
Room:
Office 34 (corridor of the first aid room)
Phone Number:
+30 2310 013909
Email:
[javascript protected email address]
Public Profiles: