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Hans-Ulrich Aeschbacher (1942–1991)
Obituary,
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Hans-Uldch Aeschbacher (1942-1991) Hans-Ulrich Aeschbacher died after a brief but devastating illness on 15 March 1991, at the age of 48. A farmer's son brought up in the Swiss mountain area of Emmental, he chose an academic career rather than the family farm. After studying at the Swiss Agricultural College he went on to study at the University of Guelph, Canada. On his return to Switzerland he joined the Nestl~ Company based at Vevey, turning his attention to food safety. He was particularly involved in mutagenicity testing and risk assessment, and was responsible for setting up a mutagenicity laboratory especially adapted to the problems of testing the weak mutagens possibly found in food products. As the head of this unit he not only rapidly introduced the newly standardized in.vitro tests to his laboratory, but also carried out considerable
work on developing suitable methods to cope with problems of interactions in such complex products as beef extracts,
coffee, oils and caramels. His numerous publications reflected his desire to elucidate the real risks and to eliminate the artefacts due to inappropriate methodology. He was extremely keen on using molecular biological techniques to improve the available cell lines. His contributions to the field of mutagenicity testing were recognized in many ways; not only was he requested to give many plenary lectures on the topic, but his opinion was also sought by many governmental agencies. He served as Swiss Council Member to the European Environmental Mutagen Society. All those who knew him will remember his forthright and honest character. He was a man who could be depended on and trusted. His loss so early in life has left a void in the lives not only of his wife and two young sons, but also in those of his colleagues and friends. RuthAcheson
Hans-UlrichAeschbacher(1942-1991)
Nestec Ltd, Nestl~ ResearchCentre, Vers-chez-les.Blanc,PC)Box 44, CH-IO00 Lausanne26, Switzerland.
Book Reviews
Enzymes of Psychrotrophs in Raw Food
presenting an excellent source of information. A chart on the classification of proteases could have been included edited by Robin C. McKellar, CRC Press,1989. £143.50 (310 pages)ISBN0 8493 6103 6 in the second chapter, in order to reduce the discussion and facilitate easier understanding. The chapter on thermal Knowledgeabout the microbiology of lipases, because of their importance in stability is likely to be of benefit to dairy food spoilage is essential for the control the deterioration of foods. Unlike bac- technologists, and presents the thermoof processing operations and the main- terial intracellular enzymes, the syn- dynamics of the inactivation of enzymes tenance of good manufacturing practices thesis and activity of which are strictly by heat particularly lucidly. in the food industry. This book provides controlled within the cells, extracellular The synthesis and secretion of extraan up-to-date review of the literature on enzymes, once secreted, can cause cellular enzymes during growth in comthe microbial spoilage of milk, red extensive damage to foods, affecting plex media such as milk or muscle meat, poultry and fish products, with quality and acceptability. Several pro- foods are influenced by several nuparticular emphasis on the hydrolytic teases and lipases are significantly re- tritional and environmental factors. enzymes, including extracellular pro- sistant to heat and are able to spoil Despite the voluminous literature availteases, lipases, phospholipases and gly- pasteurized dairy products, affecting able in this field, a composite model cosidases, that are secreted by bacteria quality during storage. that explains the influences of various that contaminate these foods. The well-written chapters cover the factors on enzyme synthesis and seMost of the book is devoted to a biochemical classification and molecular cretion has yet to emerge, perhaps discussion of the extracellular enzymes characterization of bacterial hydrolytic because such factors may exert their of psychrotrophic organisms that are enzymes, methods for their detection, control during several stages of protein involved in the spoilage of dairy prod- and discussions of their involvement in synthesis and secretion. The mechanism ucts, while one chapter deals with the the spoilage of protein foods. The chap- of protein secretion deserves a more role of such enzymes in the spoilage of ter on 'Producer microorganisms' ex- comprehensive treatment than the passred meat, pou=try and fish products. The haustively covers the microorganisms ing mention it receives; a diagram to two classes of enzyme that receive the that synthesize and secrete the enzymes; highlight the various stages involved in most attention are the proteases and the the authors deserve special credit for the process would have been useful. 208
Trends in Food Science & TechnologyAugust 1991
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ii,, i,iil,,rr,
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Hans-Uldch Aeschbacher (1942-1991) Hans-Ulrich Aeschbacher died after a brief but devastating illness on 15 March 1991, at the age of 48. A farmer's son brought up in the Swiss mountain area of Emmental, he chose an academic career rather than the family farm. After studying at the Swiss Agricultural College he went on to study at the University of Guelph, Canada. On his return to Switzerland he joined the Nestl~ Company based at Vevey, turning his attention to food safety. He was particularly involved in mutagenicity testing and risk assessment, and was responsible for setting up a mutagenicity laboratory especially adapted to the problems of testing the weak mutagens possibly found in food products. As the head of this unit he not only rapidly introduced the newly standardized in.vitro tests to his laboratory, but also carried out considerable
work on developing suitable methods to cope with problems of interactions in such complex products as beef extracts,
coffee, oils and caramels. His numerous publications reflected his desire to elucidate the real risks and to eliminate the artefacts due to inappropriate methodology. He was extremely keen on using molecular biological techniques to improve the available cell lines. His contributions to the field of mutagenicity testing were recognized in many ways; not only was he requested to give many plenary lectures on the topic, but his opinion was also sought by many governmental agencies. He served as Swiss Council Member to the European Environmental Mutagen Society. All those who knew him will remember his forthright and honest character. He was a man who could be depended on and trusted. His loss so early in life has left a void in the lives not only of his wife and two young sons, but also in those of his colleagues and friends. RuthAcheson
Hans-UlrichAeschbacher(1942-1991)
Nestec Ltd, Nestl~ ResearchCentre, Vers-chez-les.Blanc,PC)Box 44, CH-IO00 Lausanne26, Switzerland.
Book Reviews
Enzymes of Psychrotrophs in Raw Food
presenting an excellent source of information. A chart on the classification of proteases could have been included edited by Robin C. McKellar, CRC Press,1989. £143.50 (310 pages)ISBN0 8493 6103 6 in the second chapter, in order to reduce the discussion and facilitate easier understanding. The chapter on thermal Knowledgeabout the microbiology of lipases, because of their importance in stability is likely to be of benefit to dairy food spoilage is essential for the control the deterioration of foods. Unlike bac- technologists, and presents the thermoof processing operations and the main- terial intracellular enzymes, the syn- dynamics of the inactivation of enzymes tenance of good manufacturing practices thesis and activity of which are strictly by heat particularly lucidly. in the food industry. This book provides controlled within the cells, extracellular The synthesis and secretion of extraan up-to-date review of the literature on enzymes, once secreted, can cause cellular enzymes during growth in comthe microbial spoilage of milk, red extensive damage to foods, affecting plex media such as milk or muscle meat, poultry and fish products, with quality and acceptability. Several pro- foods are influenced by several nuparticular emphasis on the hydrolytic teases and lipases are significantly re- tritional and environmental factors. enzymes, including extracellular pro- sistant to heat and are able to spoil Despite the voluminous literature availteases, lipases, phospholipases and gly- pasteurized dairy products, affecting able in this field, a composite model cosidases, that are secreted by bacteria quality during storage. that explains the influences of various that contaminate these foods. The well-written chapters cover the factors on enzyme synthesis and seMost of the book is devoted to a biochemical classification and molecular cretion has yet to emerge, perhaps discussion of the extracellular enzymes characterization of bacterial hydrolytic because such factors may exert their of psychrotrophic organisms that are enzymes, methods for their detection, control during several stages of protein involved in the spoilage of dairy prod- and discussions of their involvement in synthesis and secretion. The mechanism ucts, while one chapter deals with the the spoilage of protein foods. The chap- of protein secretion deserves a more role of such enzymes in the spoilage of ter on 'Producer microorganisms' ex- comprehensive treatment than the passred meat, pou=try and fish products. The haustively covers the microorganisms ing mention it receives; a diagram to two classes of enzyme that receive the that synthesize and secrete the enzymes; highlight the various stages involved in most attention are the proteases and the the authors deserve special credit for the process would have been useful. 208
Trends in Food Science & TechnologyAugust 1991