Professor Mohammad Naushad Emmambux completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Mauritius and his postgraduate studies at the University of Pretoria (UP). He has been with UP for 22 years, and has been doing research for 16 years.

“UP is a globally recognised, research-intensive university that provides a platform for growth, independent thinking and for making a difference to society,” he says.

Prof Emmambux’s research is centred on the following:

• Chemistry, nutrition and technology of plant food biopolymers (starch, protein and non-starch polysaccharides) in food and non-food systems;
• Green/energy-efficient technologies such as extrusion, microwave and infrared for quick cooking, instant and convenient nutrient-dense plant-based foods
• Food structure (micro, meso, nano and molecular) and rheology interface in food systems and processing

His research contributes to the betterment of the world because it falls within the area of food and nutrition security. It addresses several Sustainable Development Goals (sDGs) including SDG 2: Zero Hunger and SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.

Prof Emmambux leads the food biopolymer research group in the Department of Consumer and Food Sciences; co-leads the technological innovation programme at the Department of Science and Innovation (DSF)/National Research Foundation (NRF) Centre of Excellence in Food Security; and leads the EU-funded InnoFoodAfrica project at UP. The two latter projects are cross-faculty initiatives that involve UP’s Faculties of Humanities, Health Sciences and Engineering.

Over the past 18 months, Prof Emmambux and his research team have been working on reducing the glycaemic index (GI) of maize meal.  

“We have found that complexation of starch with lipids as well as heat-moisture treatment increased the resistant starch content in maize meal porridge,” he explains. “The latter had a lower GI and the resistant starch comprising of amylose lipid complexes showed good prebiotic effects as it promoted the growth of good microbes and produced beneficial free fatty acids. We have a patent for manufacturing starch microspheres that are stable under mechanical stress. The starch microsphere can be used to mimic fat globules in food systems. Thus, we can reduce food calories by replacing fat.”

The team has also shown that household-level technologies such as a microwave can change the oral processing properties of food to accommodate babies from the age of six to 24 months when complementary foods are introduced. “This will help to increase the nutrient density of complementary foods,” Prof Emmambux says.

A recent highlight for the professor was presenting the EU-sponsored project InnoFoodAfrica at the New European Bauhaus Festival in June 2022.

The research team has started two new projects: making protein nanofibers, which will be used as human tissue scaffolding, and making use of green chemistry to modify proteins from indigenous African plants; these proteins can be used in gluten-free alternatives.

Prof Emmambux says his research matters because he and his research team are pushing scientific boundaries in the field of food science and technology. “We are making a difference by solving African and global problems related to food and nutrition security.”

While no specific person has inspired him in his research effort, he says, “all my teachers, lecturers and supervisors are my role models and they have inspired me to become a good scientist”.

He hopes to mentor the next generation of scientists who will help to create a better world for the future. His advice to school learners or undergraduates who are interested in his field is this: “If you have a curious mind and want to make a difference in the world, join the field of food science.”

In his spare time, he meditates, spends time in nature and travels.

Professor Riëtte de Kock completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Pretoria (UP) and has been doing research at the institution for 25 years. She says that research does not happen in isolation and that it is important to build a network of researchers in various parts of the world that can share knowledge and co-create ideas to solve modern-day problems.

Prof De Kock conducts research to optimise the sensory properties of foods; this contributes to the nutrition status and well-being of consumers in sub-Saharan Africa. Her research involves gaining an understanding of the factors that impact consumers’ food choices by developing and applying suitable measurement instruments; food product development to meet the demands of a growing, more urbanised African population; and the exploration of Africa’s bio-diverse food sources to improve the nutritional value, appeal and taste of the products.

Agricultural, biotechnological and nutritional food innovations require skilful consideration of the sensory aspects of food. Given a choice, all people prefer to eat tasty food that fit their culture, values and traditions. UP researchers like Prof De Kock scientifically listen to, look at, smell, feel and taste the products of their research efforts to build a more sustainable, food-secure future for people in sub-Saharan Africa.

“Whether foods are produced and consumed in affluent or poor conditions, sensory food science can contribute to better understanding the reasons for acceptance or rejection of foods and help to anticipate long-term preferences,” say researchers Prof Erminio Monteleone and Prof Hely Tuorila, two scientists that Prof De Kock holds in high regard. In fact, at the 2007 Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium in Italy, a statement by these academics promoted Prof De Kock to refocus her research efforts. “Sensory scientists should do more to address the needs of the developing world,” they said. “Since that time, and more formally since 2018, Prof Tuorila has become a mentor and a role model to me and my postgraduate students,” says Prof De Kock.

Prof De Kock collaborates with various research teams and colleagues in food, consumer and nutrition sciences. She is the project leader of a research team from UP and the University of Venda that is part of a project funded by the Long-term EU-Africa research and innovation Partnership on food and nutrition security and sustainable Agriculture (LEAP-Agri). The project – the title of which is Nutrifoods: Innovative Approaches to Value-Addition and Commercialisation of Climate-Smart Crops for Enhanced Food Security and Nutrition in Africa and Beyond – also includes Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands, Uganda’s Makerere University, the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute and the Technical Research Centre of Finland. Various commercial entities are also involved, such as Bake Five in the Netherlands, two enterprises from Kenya and Uganda, and the Bakery and Food Technology Incubator of South Africa.
The Nutrifoods project began in 2018 and will continue until 2022. It aims to develop novel gluten-free bread products where alternatives to wheat flour ¬– which African countries import at huge cost ¬¬– can be used. Target crops include sorghum, cowpeas and cassava. Manufactured foods such as bread made from imported raw materials like wheat flour are popular but limit local agricultural activity and subsequent economic growth. Success with this project could stimulate value addition all along the value chain and create employment for many.

A research programme is also underway to develop instruments to segment food users in African countries (SA, Lesotho, Botswana, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia) in order to structure and apply healthy food intervention strategies. Common to all the countries is the rapid change of food consumption patterns. By understanding the factors that drive consumers’ food choices and preferences, researchers are better able to design acceptable food product options.

Prof De Kock says a recent highlight was her participation in the Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium, which was held online. The first workshop that she participated in – Consumer Sensory Research in Africa: the Africa Country Profile Project – provided an opportunity to present the progress of this project to grow and develop the discipline of sensory and consumer science in Africa. She says that the quest to improve food security in Africa requires the involvement of researchers from various disciplines to investigate challenges from many perspectives. Understanding people’s attitude to food is part of the process.

The second workshop was titled How to Create Inclusive Models for Sensory and Consumer Research. Prof De Kock presented research on challenges faced when testing food products with consumers of low socio-economic status in Africa. “Sensory and consumer scientists should work in symbiosis with nature and the research should leave a positive impact on society,” she says.

Prof De Kock founded the African Network for Sensory Evaluation Research (ANSWER) in 2019 and is the current Chair. ANSWER was created to build capacity, and to transfer knowledge and skills in order to help sensory and consumer science researchers in African countries to adapt and apply global best-practice principles to the specific circumstances and challenges faced in Africa’s product value systems. “My dream is that my academic work and research endeavours will align food choice determinants with product development and intervention strategies to reduce food insecurity on the continent,” she says.

Prof De Kock credits Prof Hildegarde Heymann – a Distinguished Professor and the Ray Rossi Endowed Chair in Viticulture and Enology at the University of California Davis, who is originally from Stellenbosch – for inspiring her career choice. Prof Heymann presented a short course on the sensory evaluation of food during a visit in 1994. “She has a special gift of transferring knowledge in a practical, meaningful manner, and that short course kick-started my research career,” says Prof De Kock. “Prof Heymann encouraged me to attend the Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium the following year in Davis, California. My participation in the event over the years has helped me to build an extensive international network of research colleagues.”

Her research matters, she says, because while food products contain wonderful nutrients, if they are not appealing to consumers, then they have no value. Sensory scientists are part of the food product development teams who engineer the needs and preferences of consumers into acceptable food products. The look, feel and taste of foods provide key inputs for consumers and affect their choices, emotional responses and well-being. Food waste can be reduced if the shelf life of products can be optimised and positively contribute to enhanced food experiences.
About her current students she has this to say: “Our students are the future, and it is vital for me to assist and empower them to carry on and expand the research that I was part of and which I had started during my career.” As for school learners and undergraduate students interested in her field, she advises them to use their senses and to heed the sensory properties of their food. “Develop a sensory language to describe what you see, hear, smell, taste and feel. I do not like routine; sensory science allows me to solve a variety of problems every day. It involves so many different aspects that I am constantly learning: I have to understand human physiology, the psychology behind food choices and consumer behaviour; the chemical, physical and microbiological properties of food ingredients; and the influence of processing and technology.”

For recreation, Prof De Kock loves swimming because “so many muscles have to work simultaneously”. While she swims, she relaxes, thinks and plans her day. She enjoys travelling, and her research work has given her wonderful opportunities to travel, meet people and enjoy incredible experiences and adventures.

Professor Shakila Dada of the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication did her undergraduate studies at the University of Durban-Westville (now the University of KwaZulu-Natal). She has been doing research at UP in various capacities since 2003 and has been a full-time employee since 2014.
Her research seeks to systematically describe and understand the communication and participation patterns of people with complex communication needs. Prof Dada focuses her research on the way in which graphic symbol-based augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems can be used to facilitate both language learning for these individuals and their participation in society.

She says that her field of research contributes to the betterment of the world because communication is a basic human right and is intrinsic to our humanity. “AAC helps people who have communication disabilities to participate in everyday life situations such as going to school or university, or being employed,” Prof Dada says. “Participating in society is an important health outcome and is vital for well-being.” Her research matters, she says, because it aims to ensure that people who are unable to speak can tell their stories using AAC systems.

Much of Prof Dada’s work focuses on the role of graphic symbol learning to facilitate the comprehension of language. She is particularly interested in the amount of intervention required and how to train communication partners to facilitate language learning. Prof Dada has also looked at the role of aided modelling for children and adults who require AAC; this includes people with aphasia and dementia.

Over the past 18 months, she has embarked on several new research projects, one of which deals with the accessibility of health information for those with communication disabilities. Taking care of our health involves getting information by accessing relevant health services in order to educate ourselves. For those with severe communication disabilities, this can prove to be an uphill battle as many have difficulty understanding this sort of information. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation. Easily accessible, reliable health information is absolutely necessary in these times, and for people with communication disabilities, navigating this landscape can be particularly challenging. Health information is often couched in confusing, inaccessible language and presented in formats that do not support comprehension and retention. As a result, those with communication disabilities may be underinformed or misinformed, with detrimental health outcomes.

As such, UP’s Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, the Future Africa Institute at UP and UNICEF jointly embarked on a project titled Co-designing Health Communication and Education Materials. These materials were co-developed through extensive consultations and collaborations with various stakeholders, including youth with disabilities, caregivers of children and youth with communication disabilities, and professionals who work in the health and education sectors.

Prof Dada is also working with colleagues to develop and implement a youth leadership programme that will provide vulnerable youth and youth who are Deaf with the skills and opportunities to participate in decisions regarding their lives and futures. In addition, the programme aims to provide youth with the mechanisms they require to hold the structures and institutions that should be looking after them accountable for the care their receive. The project will be implemented in partnership with Leeds University in the UK and various NGOs. Ultimately, it aims to provide evidence of how youth can guide and improve their own futures and those of their communities through meaningful engagement with government in order to maintain accountability for their rights.

Another notable project that Prof Dada is involved in focuses on optimising the effectiveness and equality of collaborations in early childhood intervention (ECI) in South Africa. It takes into account new challenges that have been brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. A nationwide survey is currently being conducted to understand how ECI practitioners across disciplines communicate with one another in the context of the pandemic. The project is being conducted with colleagues at Roehampton University, London, and UP’s Information Design Division of the School of the Arts in the Faculty of Humanities. It will generate a set of evidence-based strategies for multi-agency work in ECI in South Africa using digital animation as a channel for dissemination.

The InnoFood Project at UP is yet another initiative that Prof Dada is bringing her expertise to. It is being conducted with colleagues in the University’s Department of Consumer and Food Sciences in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. Prof Dada is exploring strategies such as graphic symbol supports to ensure that no person is excluded from the research because of low literacy levels or because they do not speak the language of the researchers. “Our main role is to ensure that the materials, instructions, surveys and communication about the project are accessible (easy to read),” Prof Dada explains.

She also liaises with UP’s Department of African Languages in translating project material into local languages. “This ensures a more inclusive, equitable research agenda, ensuring that participants who may be otherwise marginalised are included in the research process,” she says. A further intersection with the Humanities Faculty is exploring the impact of research on policy as well as ensuring knowledge translation from the sciences into an accessible format – infographics, training manuals and animation – so that findings are disseminated in an equitable manner.
As for who inspires her research efforts, Prof Dada says: “Quite simply my mother – she always encouraged me to study further and understand better. She was adamant that I get the opportunities for education denied to her.”

Prof Dada encourages school learners or undergraduates who are interested in her field to be brave, ask questions about the field of study and make contact with professionals in the field.
In her free time, she enjoys reading and taking long, leisurely walks. She loves spending time with her family and listening to the views of her children.