Dr Arina Hitzeroth

Have you ever wondered what’s lurking in your fridge besides last week’s leftovers? Dr Arina Hitzeroth has made it her mission to find out. 

Born in Kuruman and raised among four brothers, Dr Hitzeroth’s journey from a small-town girl to a microbiology maven is anything but ordinary. She said: “Education was always important to my parents, and I enrolled for a BSc degree at Stellenbosch University.”

Her scientific spark was lit during a lecture when she discovered the microscopic world’s massive impact on our environment and industry. Fast forward through an MSc and PhD at the University of the Free State, and Dr Hitzeroth was knee-deep in bacteria, investigating resistance to disinfectants and developing vaccines for birds. Her early research tackled disinfectant-resistant bacteria and avian (bird) diseases such as Beak and Feather Disease.

Her postdoctoral adventures included early detection methods for the Crimean-Congo virus and molecular tools for chicken diseases. But in 2017, while working in Food Science, she met her microbial match: Chryseobacterium - a sneaky little species responsible for food spoilage.

With mentorship from Prof Celia Hugo, and a growing team of students, Arina dove into the slimy world of spoiled food. She aims to fight food waste and support UN Sustainable Development Goal 2, which is about achieving Zero Hunger.

Now based at the University of the Western Cape’s (UWC) Department of Biotechnology, Dr Hitzeroth's lab is buzzing with students and bacteria. Her current research zooms in on how Chryseobacterium interacts with other spoilage organisms, especially those that thrive in cold environments - like your fridge. With a National Research Foundation grant in hand and three students on board, she’s tackling the science of spoilage head-on.

“Food is a basic human right, and most food in the developing world does not reach the consumer due to spoilage. We are trying to prevent this from happening,” said Dr Hitzeroth.

By understanding how these microbes behave, she hopes to develop strategies to keep food fresher for longer, making a real impact on hunger and sustainability. Dr Hitzeroth is not just a researcher - she’s a mentor and collaborator. With international partnerships, multiple student graduations, and a growing list of publications, she proves that science is about solving problems that affect us all.

Watch her video by multimedia content producer, Jesi Townsend, by clicking here.