Prof. Oluwafemi Adebo is a Professor in the Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology and Director of the Centre for Innovative Food Research (CIFR) at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), in South Africa. He received both his master’s and doctoral degrees (Food Technology) at UJ.

In addition to teaching responsibilities, his research activities conducted within CIFR revolve around the improvement of various traditional food processes, food product development, and value addition using conventional, novel, and 4th industrial revolution (4IR) approaches, including predictive optimization, pattern recognition of food metabolites, and three dimensional (3D)-printing of foods, as well as other innovative solutions to address food insecurity. Prof. Oluwafemi Adebo has 115 Journal Articles (majorly in high impact factor journals), 25 Book Chapters, a Book (as lead editor, with other books currently being finalized), a number of invited talks and keynote presentations as well as a Patent filed in two countries, all of which continue to advance the science of food. He has successfully supervised Post-Doctoral Research Fellows, Postgraduate Students (Doctorals and Masters), BTech/Honours Students and mentored Interns. He currently has over 20 post graduate students, post-doctoral research fellows and interns he is supervising within CIFR.

Prof. Adebo has received about 16 million South African Rands in Grants, from local and international organizations such as the National Research Foundation (NRF), FoodBev SETA, AgriSETA, and University of Johannesburg/Faculty of Science Research Committee (URC/FRC), International Association of Food Protection (IAFP), European Union Horizon 2020 (as a Co-PI), AAKTP (as a Co-PI), etc. Being a recipient of highly coveted awards, affirms and recognizes his contribution as a Researcher. Some of these awards include the Y1 NRF of South Africa Rating, selection as a 2023 Fellow of the South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS), 2022 Young Affiliate of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) (one of the 5 recipients from sub-Saharan Africa), 2022 and 2021 UJ’s Faculty of Science Research Award, 2021 NRF Excellence Award for Early Career/Emerging Researchers, 2021 UJ’s Vice Chancellor’s Distinguished Award for the Most Promising Young Researcher and 2019 Institute of Food Technologists’ (IFT’s) Emerging Leaders Network Award (one of the 5 recipients globally, the only one from Africa in 2019), among other awards. 

He was Deputy Head of Department (Research) at the Department of Biotechnology & Food Technology, UJ between Jan 2022 – Dec 2023 and prior to that a former Postgraduate Coordinator in the Department. Externally, he continues to be on the Editorial Board of Scientific Reports (a Nature Group Journal), Journal of Food Science (published by Wiley), and an Associate Editor of Agriculture and Food Security Journal (published by BMC). In the same vein, are Guest Editor roles in Special Issues of Journals. Likewise, he is a regular reviewer for over 20 high impact factor journals that cut across the discipline of Food Science and Technology, an adjudicator for funding bodies, a regular examiner for postgraduate studies from several universities in Africa, and an External Panelist for promotion applications within and outside South Africa. He is also a regular volunteer for activities that promote the profession and an active member of different professional organizations, including Institute of Food Technologists, USA, Royal Society of Chemistry, UK, Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology, South African Association of Food Science and Technology (SAAFoST), African Food Research Network (AFReN), among others. He served as an IFT Division Leader, was on the IFTSA board, IFTSA Nominating Committee, currently an NGAP (New Generation of Academics Programme) mentor, a Branch Committee Member of the South African Association of Food Science and Technology (SAAFoST) and was formerly a National Exco member of MySAAFoST (SAAFoST division for young professionals). The media (both print and radio) has profiled Prof. Adebo and students under his supervision, engaging them in discussions on various food security issues. Prof. Adebo is ranked 4th in South Africa and 13th on the African continent. For two consecutive years (2022 and 2023), Prof. Adebo has been included in the Stanford University’s List of Top 2% Scientists Globally.

Membership No. PM/21/0004