Dr Marlize Bekker

Senior Lecturer

School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability

m.bekker@uq.edu.au

Researcher biography

Marlize completed BSc (Industrial Chemistry), BSc Hons (Chemistry) and MSc (Chemistry) degrees at Stellenbosch University (South Africa). In 2010 she completed a PhD (Chemistry) at the same university that was focussed on natural product chemistry and the identification of volatile pheromones used in mammalian semiochemical communication. This was followed by a post-doctoral research position at Stellenbosch University where she continued her PhD research. She then joined the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) in 2011 first as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and later as a Principal Research Scientist. Here her research focused on unravelling the factors that negatively impact wine aroma and flavour, with a specific focus on the formation and fate of undesirable sulfur compounds; as well as elucidating the formation pathways of compounds associated with premium aroma characters in wine. Her group also developed innovative tools used to remediate undesirable aromas from wine.

Marlize then joined the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, UQ, as a Senior Lecturer in Food Chemistry in 2023. Her research interests include fermented food and beverages. Specifically, evaluating the formation, fate, and function of key aroma and flavour compounds in these food and beverage products, and examining the impacts of processing on these compounds. Marlize is also interested in the isolation and identification of important flavour and aroma compounds from natural Australian Bush foods and the development of new products. Her research relies heavily on the application of chromatographic techniques. Marlize has authored 22 peer-reviewed publications with 539 citations and an h-index of 12.

In addition to her research, Marlize coordinates and teaches Food Chemistry to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Marlize is a Member of the Australian Society of Enology and Viticulture (ASVO) and serves on the journal advisory committee of the Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research. Dr Bekker is also a Review Editor for the Frontiers in Nutrition - Food Chemistry journal.

Publications

Book Chapters (2)

Journal Articles (21)

Conference Papers (2)

Book Chapters

Bekker, Marlize and Clark, Andrew (2021). Gases. Theory and concepts of chemical, physical and sensory analyses and tests of grapes and wine. (pp. 104-119) edited by Patrick Iland. Adelaide, SA Australia: Patrick Iland Wine Promotions.

Bekker, Marlize and Clark, Andrew (2021). Metal ions and complexes. Theory and concepts of chemical, physical and sensory analyses and tests of grapes and wine. (pp. 99-103) edited by Patrick Iland. Adelaide, SA Australia: Patrick Iland Wine Promotions.

Journal Articles

Espinase Nandorfy, Damian, Likos, Desireé, Lewin, Simone, Barter, Sheridan, Kassara, Stella, Wang, Shaoyang, Kulcsar, Allie, Williamson, Patricia, Bindon, Keren, Bekker, Marlize, Gledhill, John, Siebert, Tracey, Shellie, Robert A., Keast, Russell and Francis, Leigh (2023). Enhancing the sensory properties and consumer acceptance of warm climate red wine through blending. OENO One, 57 (4), 1-18. doi: 10.20870/oeno-one.2023.57.3.7651

Espinase Nandorfy, Damian, Siebert, Tracey, Bilogrevic, Eleanor, Likos, Desireé, Watson, Flynn, Barter, Sheridan, Pisaniello, Lisa, Kulcsar, Allie, Shellie, Robert A., Keast, Russell, Francis, Leigh and Bekker, Marlize (2023). The role of potent thiols in “empyreumatic” flint/struck-match/mineral odours in Chardonnay wine. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research, 2023 8847476, 1-17. doi: 10.1155/2023/8847476

Bekker, Marlize Z., Cuijvers, Kathleen M., Kulcsar, Allie C., Sanders, Ross D., Capone, Dimitra L., Jeffery, David W. and Schmidt, Simon A. (2023). Effects of yeast strain and juice nitrogen status on glutathione utilisation during fermentation of model media. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research, 2023 8041096, 1-13. doi: 10.1155/2023/8041096

Mierczynska-Vasilev, Agnieszka M., Kulcsar, Allie C., Dabare, Panthihage Ruvini L., Vasilev, Krasimir A. and Bekker, Marlize Z. (2023). Surface nanoengineering technology for the removal of sulfur compounds associated with negative attributes in wines. n p j Science of Food, 7 (1) 5. doi: 10.1038/s41538-023-00180-8

Day, M. P., Nandorfy, D. Espinase, Bekker, M. Z., Bindon, K. A., Solomon, M., Smith, P. A. and Schmidt, S. A. (2021). Aeration of Vitis vinifera Shiraz fermentation and its effect on wine chemical composition and sensory attributes. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research, 27 (3), 360-377. doi: 10.1111/ajgw.12490

Bekker, M. Z., Nandorfy, D. Espinase, Kulcsar, A. C., Faucon, A., Bindon, K. and Smith, P. A. (2020). Comparison of remediation strategies for decreasing 'reductive' characters in Shiraz wines. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research, 27 (1), 52-65. doi: 10.1111/ajgw.12459

Burger, Barend, Slade, Desmond, Bekker, Marlize Z. and Goitom, Aron H. (2020). Mammalian exocrine secretions XIX. Chemical characterization of the interdigital secretion of the Black Wildebeest, Connochaetes gnou. Zeitschrift Fur Naturforschung Section C-A Journal of Biosciences, 75 (9-10), 339-351. doi: 10.1515/znc-2019-0159

Bekker, Marlize Z., Day, Martin P. and Smith, Paul A. (2019). Changes in Metal Ion Concentrations in a Chardonnay Wine Related to Oxygen Exposure during Vinification. Molecules, 24 (8) 1523, 1523. doi: 10.3390/molecules24081523

Kontoudakis, Nikolaos, Schmidtke, Leigh M., Bekker, Marlize Z., Smith, Mark, Smith, Paul A., Scollary, Geoffrey R., Wilkes, Eric N. and Clark, Andrew C. (2019). Analytical strategies for the measurement of different forms of Cu and Fe in wine: Comparison between approaches in relation to wine composition. Food Chemistry, 274, 89-99. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.08.084

Bekker, Marlize Z., Kreitman, Gal Y., Jeffer, David W. and Danilewicz, John C. (2018). Liberation of Hydrogen Sulfide from Dicysteinyl Polysulfanes in Model Wine. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 66 (51), 13483-13491. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.8b04690

Bekker, Marlize Z., Wilkes, Eric N. and Smith, Paul A. (2018). Evaluation of putative precursors of key 'reductive' compounds in wines post-bottling. Food Chemistry, 245, 676-686. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.10.123

Burger, B. V., Posta, M., Light, M. E., Kulkarni, M. G., Viviers, M. Z. and Van Staden, J. (2018). More butenolides from plant-derived smoke with germination inhibitory activity against karrikinolide. South African Journal of Botany, 115, 256-263. doi: 10.1016/j.sajb.2018.01.023

Bekker, Marlize Z., Mierczynska-Vasilev, Agnieszka, Smith, Paul A. and Wilkes, Eric N. (2016). The effects of pH and copper on the formation of volatile sulfur compounds in Chardonnay and Shiraz wines post-bottling. Food Chemistry, 207, 148-156. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.03.060

Bekker, Marlize Z., Smith, Mark E., Smith, Paul A. and Wilkes, Eric N. (2016). Formation of Hydrogen Sulfide in Wine: Interactions between Copper and Sulfur Dioxide. Molecules, 21 (9), 1214. doi: 10.3390/molecules21091214

Bekker, M. Z., Day, M. P., Holt, H., Wilkes, E. and Smith, P. A. (2016). Effect of oxygen exposure during fermentation on volatile sulfur compounds in Shiraz wine and a comparison of strategies for remediation of reductive character. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research, 22 (1), 24-35. doi: 10.1111/ajgw.12172

Smith, M. E., Bekker, M. Z., Smith, P. A. and Wilkes, E. N. (2015). Sources of volatile sulfur compounds in wine. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research, 21, 705-712. doi: 10.1111/ajgw.12193

Viviers, Marlize Z., Bekker, Jan P. I., Burger, Barend V., Le Roux, Niel J., Morris, John and Le Roux, Maritha (2015). Characterization of amniotic fluid of Dohne Merino ewes (Ovis aries) and its possible role in neonatal recognition. Zeitschrift Fur Naturforschung Section C-A Journal of Biosciences, 70 (5-6), 115-128. doi: 10.1515/znc-2014-4120

Viviers, Marlize Z., Burger, Barend V., le Roux, Niel J., Morris, John and le Roux, Maritha (2014). Temporal Changes in the Neonatal Recognition Cue of Dohne Merino Lambs (Ovis aries). Chemical Senses, 39 (3), 249-262. doi: 10.1093/chemse/bjt075

Viviers, Marlize Z., Smith, Mark E., Wilkes, Eric and Smith, Paul (2013). Effects of Five Metals on the Evolution of Hydrogen Sulfide, Methanethiol, and Dimethyl Sulfide during Anaerobic Storage of Chardonnay and Shiraz Wines. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 61 (50), 12385-12396. doi: 10.1021/jf403422x

Burger, Barend V., Viviers, Marlize Z., Le Roux, Neil J., Morris, John, Bekker, Jan P. I. and Le Roux, Maritha (2011). Olfactory Cue Mediated Neonatal Recognition in Sheep, Ovis aries. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 37 (10), 1150-1163. doi: 10.1007/s10886-011-0020-7

Burger, B. V., Viviers, M. Z., Bekker, J. P. I., le Roux, M., Fish, N., Fourie, W. B. and Weibchen, G. (2008). Chemical characterization of territorial marking fluid of male Bengal tiger, Panthera tigris. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 34 (5), 659-671. doi: 10.1007/s10886-008-9462-y

Conference Papers

Bekker, Marlize, Smith, Mark, Mierczynska-Vasilev, Agnieszka, Smith, Paul and Wilkes, Eric (2016). Synergistic effects of copper and pH - wine making variables that significantly impact reductive aromas in wines. ACS Spring 2016: Computers in Chemistry, San Diego, CA United States, 13 - 17 March 2016. Washington, DC United States: American Chemical Society.

Burger, Barend V., Viviers, Marlize Z., le Roux, Niel J., Morris, John, Bekker, Jan P. I. and le Roux, Maritha (2013). Neonatal recognition in sheep. 12th Meeting of the Chemical Signals in Vertebrates International Symposium, Berlin, Germany, 28-31 August 2011. New York, United States: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4614-5927-9_5

Areas of research

Food science and technology