Vitalice Owuor | Food Research | Best Researcher Award

Mr Vitalice Owuor |  Food Research |  Best Researcher Award

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology,  Kenya

Calvin Owuor Vitalice is a dedicated environmental and fisheries professional from Kenya. He is currently pursuing an MSc in Environmental Legislation and Management at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), with a funded project in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Calvin holds a BSc in Fisheries from JKUAT and has worked as a Part-time Teaching Assistant at JKUAT, where he supports students in various academic capacities. His experience also includes serving as a Fisheries Officer in Siaya County, where he contributed to sustainable fisheries practices and beach management. Prior to this, he taught biology and business studies at Unibridge High School. Calvin’s expertise extends to data categorization.

Profile:

Education:

  • MSC in Environmental Legislation and Management (2021 – Present), JKUAT (Funded project with JICA)
  • BSc in Fisheries (2015 – 2019), Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)
  • Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E.) (2011 – 2014), Chulaimbo Secondary School
  • Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (K.C.P.E.) (2001 – 2010), Ochok Kadongo Primary School

Employment:

  • Part-time Teaching Assistant (Jan 2020 – Present), JKUAT, Nairobi
    Responsibilities include invigilating exams, consultancy services, student counseling, teaching, and data entry.
  • Fisheries Officer (May 2019 – Aug 2019), Siaya County, Rarieda Sub-county
    Oversaw beach cleanliness, maintained order among fishermen, and ensured the use of appropriate fishing gear and compliance with fishing regulations.
  • High School Teacher (May 2016 – Aug 2018), Unibridge High School, Nairobi
    Taught biology and business studies, managed timetabling, and ensured student discipline.

Skills:

  • Excellent in categorizing data, integrity, patience, communication, and teamwork.

Publication:

Nitrogenous Waste Removal in Closed Freshwater Recirculating Aquaculture Systems Using an Innovative DHS-USB Bioreactor
Journal of Agriculture and Food Research
March 2025 | Journal Article
DOI: 10.1016/j.jafr.2024.101577

 

 

Boukaga Farmani | Food Technology | Best Researcher Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr  Boukaga  Farmani | Food Technology |  Best Researcher Award

Academic staff at  University of Tabriz,  Iran

Dr. Boukaga Farmani is a researcher at the University of Tabriz, specializing in Food Technology. His contributions focus on improving postharvest quality, food preservation, and the development of innovative processing methods.

Profile:

Notable Research Contributions:

  1. Chilling Tolerance in Tomato Fruits: His study on employing exogenous melatonin to enhance chilling tolerance in tomatoes, published in Food Chemistry, has been cited 224 times.
  2. Calcium’s Role in Postharvest: A comprehensive review on calcium’s importance in postharvest life, published in Scientia Horticulturae, cited 201 times.
  3. Brassinosteroids in Chilling Stress: Research on brassinosteroids’ effect on PAL activity in tomatoes under chilling stress, also in Scientia Horticulturae, cited 136 times.
  4. GABA Pathway Activation: Investigation into melatonin-induced activation of the GABA shunt pathway during cold storage in tomatoes, cited 106 times.

Recent Innovations:

  • Food Preservation: Use of β-aminobutyric acid to enhance decay tolerance in strawberries and minimize aflatoxin accumulation in pistachios.
  • Juice Processing: Advances in ultrafiltration techniques for pomegranate juice clarification and sugarcane juice refinement.

Citation Metrics:

  • Citations: 821 (618 since 2020)
  • h-index: 9 (8 since 2020)
  • i10-index: 8 (7 since 2020)

Publication Top Notes:

  1. Employing exogenous melatonin confers chilling tolerance in tomato fruits by upregulating ZAT2/6/12, promoting endogenous polyamines, proline, and nitric oxide
    Food Chemistry, 275, 549-556 (2019)
    Citations: 224
  2. The language of calcium in postharvest life of fruits, vegetables, and flowers
    Scientia Horticulturae, 144, 102-115 (2012)
    Citations: 202
  3. Impact of postharvest brassinosteroids treatment on PAL activity in tomato fruit in response to chilling stress
    Scientia Horticulturae, 144, 116-120 (2012)
    Citations: 137
  4. Melatonin treatment promotes endogenous melatonin accumulation and triggers GABA shunt pathway activity in tomato fruits during cold storage
    Scientia Horticulturae, 254, 222-227 (2019)
    Citations: 104
  5. β-Aminobutyric acid treatment confers decay tolerance in strawberry fruit by warranting sufficient cellular energy
    Scientia Horticulturae, 240, 249-257 (2018)
    Citations: 34
  6. Exogenous adenosine triphosphate application retards cap browning in Agaricus bisporus during low-temperature storage
    Food Chemistry, 293, 285-290 (2019)
    Citations: 32
  7. Efficacy of stinging nettle extract in combination with ε-polylysine on the quality, safety, and shelf life of rainbow trout fillets
    Food Science & Nutrition, 9(3), 1542-1550 (2021)
    Citations: 23
  8. Determining optimum conditions for sugarcane juice refinement by pilot plant dead-end ceramic micro-filtration
    *Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology

 

Amer Mahdi | Functional Food | Best Researcher Award

Assist. Prof. Dr Amer Mahdi |  Functional Food  |  Best Researcher Award

Assistant Professor at  Sana’a University, Yemen

Dr. Amer Ali Mahdi Amer is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Sana’a University, Yemen. He earned his Ph.D. in Food Science and Engineering from Jiangnan University, China (2020), and his M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Food Science and Technology from Sana’a University, Yemen.

 

Publication Profile

🎓 Education:

  • Ph.D. in Food Science and Engineering (2015–2020), Jiangnan University, China
  • M.Sc. in Food Science and Technology (2012–2015), Sana’a University, Yemen
  • B.Sc. in Food Science and Technology (2003–2007), Sana’a University, Yemen

💼 Professional Experience:

  • Assistant Professor (2023–Present), Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Sana’a University
  • Head of Scientific Research Unit (2024–Present), Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment, Sana’a University
  • Postdoctoral Fellow (2020–2023), Jiangsu University, China
  • Lecturer (2015–2015) and Teaching Assistant (2009–2015), Sana’a University
  • Quality Inspector (2007–2009), Coca-Cola Company, Yemen

🔬 Research Interests:

Functional Foods, Essential Oils, Nanofibers, Smart Packaging, Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidants, Encapsulation, and Sensory Evaluation.

📚 Teaching Areas:

Essentials of Food Science, Food Preservation, Food Quality, Chemistry, and Biochemistry.

🏆 Honors and Awards:

  • Jiangnan University President Scholarship (2017–2018)
  • Certificate of Appreciation from Sana’a University’s President (2024)
  • Multiple recognitions from the Yemeni Ministry of Higher Education and the Embassy of Yemen in China

Citation Metrics:

🔢 Total Citations: 1,770
📅 Citations Since 2019: 1,763
📊 h-index: 24 (overall and since 2019)
📈 i10-index: 45 (overall and since 2019)

Publication Top Note:

  • Microencapsulation of fingered citron extract with gum arabic, modified starch, whey protein, and maltodextrin using spray drying
    International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 152, 1125-1134 (2020).
    Citations: 152
  • Effect of maltodextrin combination with gum arabic and whey protein isolate on the microencapsulation of gurum seed oil using a spray-drying method
    International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 171, 208-216 (2021).
    Citations: 136
  • Preparation, deproteinization, characterization, and antioxidant activity of polysaccharide from Medemia argun fruit
    International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 155, 919-926 (2020).
    Citations: 96
  • Application of essential oils as preservatives in food systems: Challenges and future prospectives – A review
    Phytochemistry Reviews, 1-38 (2021).
    Citations: 91
  • Intelligent colorimetric pH sensoring packaging films based on sugarcane wax/agar integrated with butterfly pea flower extract for optical tracking of shrimp freshness
    Food Chemistry, 373, 131514 (2022).
    Citations: 76
  • Enhancement of antioxidant activity, antifungal activity, and oxidation stability of Citrus reticulata essential oil nanocapsules by clove and cinnamon essential oils
    Food Bioscience, 43, 101226 (2021).
    Citations: 72
  • Molecular structure, morphological, and physicochemical properties of highlands barley starch as affected by natural fermentation
    Food Chemistry, 356, 129665 (2021).
    Citations: 64
  • Fabrication and characterization of chitosan/gelatin films loaded with microcapsules of Pulicaria jaubertii extract
    Food Hydrocolloids, 129, 107624 (2022).
    Citations: 58
  • Physicochemical properties, microstructure, and storage stability of Pulicaria jaubertii extract microencapsulated with different protein biopolymers and gum arabic as wall materials
    International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 187, 939-954 (2021).
    Citations: 54
  • Role of peppermint oil in improving the oxidative stability and antioxidant capacity of borage seed oil-loaded nanoemulsions fabricated by modified starch
    International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 153, 697-707 (2020).
    Citations: 52