Tilahun Abera | Food Sciences | Best Researcher Award

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Dr Tilahun Abera |  Food Sciences |  Best Researcher Award

Instructor and Researcher at Jimma University,  Ethiopia

 

Dr. Tilahun Abera Teka is an Associate Professor in the Department of Postharvest Management at Jimma University, Ethiopia. He holds a Ph.D. in Food Science and Nutrition from Addis Ababa University, with research focused on the nutritional and phenolic composition of cowpea varieties in Ethiopia. His expertise spans food chemistry, nutrition, and postharvest management, with a particular interest in the nutritional and phytochemical characterization of grains and the development of functional foods. Dr. Teka has contributed significantly to food security research and has received several grants to address postharvest loss and improve nutritional security in Ethiopia.

Profile:

Education:

  • Ph.D. in Food Science and Nutrition, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia (2019)
    Dissertation: Nutritional and phenolic composition of improved cowpea varieties and landraces in Ethiopia
  • M.Sc. in Food Science and Nutrition, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia (2009)
    Thesis: Effect of processing on physicochemical composition and antinutritional factors of cassava
  • B.Sc. in Chemistry, Alemaya University, Ethiopia (2000)

Research Interests:

  • Nutritional and phytochemical characterization of grains
  • Functional foods and nutraceuticals from bioactive compounds of cereals and legumes
  • Process-induced chemical and biochemical changes in foods
  • Food safety and quality analysis across food value chains

Notable Research Grants:

  • Harnessing food, feed, and pharmaceutical potentials of wild plants (2023) – Jimma University, Ethiopia
  • Postharvest loss reduction of selected cereals (2022) – Jimma University, Ethiopia

Short-Term Trainings & Certifications:

  • Advanced Postharvest Management, Wageningen University, Netherlands (2015)
  • Customized Training in Food Quality and Chemical Analysis, Jimma University (2012)

Teaching & Administrative Experience:

  • Teaches Ph.D. and MSc courses in Food Science, Nutrition, and Postharvest Management
  • Previously served as Treasurer at Jimma University and Department Head of Chemistry at the School of Tomorrow

Citations:

  • Total Citations: 486
  • Citations Since 2020: 430

h-index:

  • Overall: 11
  • Since 2020: 11

i10-index:

  • Overall: 12
  • Since 2020: 12

Publication Top Notes:

  • Analysis of the effect of maturity stage on the postharvest biochemical quality characteristics of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruit
    TA Teka
    International Research Journal of Pharmaceutical and Applied Sciences, 3(5), 130, 2013
  • Protein fractions, in vitro protein digestibility and amino acid composition of select cowpea varieties grown in Ethiopia
    TA Teka, N Retta, G Bultosa, H Admassu, T Astatkie
    Food Bioscience, 36, 100634, 2020
  • Fruit by-products and their industrial applications for nutritional benefits and health promotion: a comprehensive review
    E Teshome, TA Teka, R Nandasiri, JR Rout, DV Harouna, T Astatkie, et al.
    Sustainability, 15(10), 7840, 2023
  • Palm oil processing and controversies over its health effect: overview of positive and negative consequences
    MM Urugo, TA Teka, PG Teshome, TT Tringo
    Journal of Oleo Science, 70(12), 1693-1706, 2021
  • Food flavor enhancement, preservation, and bio-functionality of ginger (Zingiber officinale): a review
    T Laelago Ersedo, TA Teka, S Fikreyesus Forsido, E Dessalegn, et al.
    International Journal of Food Properties, 26(1), 928-951, 2023
  • Effect of soybean varieties and processing methods on nutritional and sensory properties of soymilk
    NA Abagoshu, AM Ibrahim, TA Teka, TB Mekonnen
    Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, 41(4), e13014, 2017
  • Effects of processing on nutritional composition and anti-nutritional factors of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L): A review
    D Hailu, S Abera, TA Teka, PO Box, E Jimma
    Food Science & Quality Management, 36, 61-71, 2015
  • Nutrient and antinutrient composition of improved sweet potato [Ipomea batatas (L) Lam] varieties grown in eastern Ethiopia
    DH Mitiku, TA Teka
    Nutrition & Food Science, 47(3), 369-380, 2017
  • Bio-based smart materials for fish product packaging: A review
    AL Abelti, TA Teka, S Fikreyesus Forsido, M Tamiru, G Bultosa, A Alkhtib, et al.
    International Journal of Food Properties, 25(1), 857-871, 2022
  • Review on edible water lilies and lotus: Future food, nutrition and their health benefits
    AL Abelti, TA Teka, G Bultosa
    Applied Food Research, 3(1), 100264, 2023

 

Boukaga Farmani | Food Technology | Best Researcher Award

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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

 

Reem Hashad | Food Systems | Best Researcher Award

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Dr Reem Hashad |  Food Systems |  Best Researcher Award

Collaborator at  International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI),  Egypt

Reem Nabil Hashad is a dual U.S. and Egyptian citizen and an economist specializing in development economics, food policy, and public finance. She earned her Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) in 2021, with a dissertation on public policy’s impact on nutrition, childhood stunting, and corruption. She holds two master’s degrees in economics from UIC and the American University in Cairo (AUC), where she graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Economics.

Publication profile:

🎓 Education:

  • Ph.D. in Economics – University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), 2021
    Dissertation: “The Role of Public Policy in Nutrition, Childhood Stunting, and Corruption”
  • M.A. in Economics – UIC, 2017
  • M.A. in Economics – American University in Cairo (AUC), 2014
    Dissertation: “Repayment Determinants for Egyptian Microfinance Institutions”
  • B.A. in Economics – AUC, Magna Cum Laude, 2012

🔬 Research Fields:

  • Development Economics
  • Food Policy
  • Public Finance
  • Applied Microeconomics

💼 Professional Experience:

  • Consultant – International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) & World Bank, 2023-24
    Designed and implemented projects related to smallholder farmers, gender equality, and entrepreneurship.
  • Research Economist – USDA, 2021-22
    Focused on food security research, policy evaluation, and nutrition assistance programs.
  • Financial, Market, and Economic Analyst – HLB Egypt Makary Consulting, 2014-15
    Conducted feasibility studies and market research for national projects.

📊 Research & Teaching Experience:

  • Research Assistant – UIC, 2018-19
    Collaborated on economic and health research projects.
  • Instructor – Econometrics, UIC, 2017-18
    Taught graduate and undergraduate courses in econometrics, microeconomics, and statistics.

🏅 Awards & Honors:

  • Team Recognition – CIA’s Center for the Study of Intelligence, 2022
  • Graduate Student Excellence in Teaching Award – UIC, Honorable Mention, 2021
  • Top GPA – Master’s in Economics, AUC, 2014

Publication Top Notes:

  • Global food value chains and obesity in low- and middle-income countries