Scientific Programme

SUNDAY 24 AUGUST 2025
07:00-18:00 Exhibition set up
16:00-18:00 Registration Open
MONDAY 25 AUGUST 2025
07:30-17:00 Registration
08:00-09:00 Opening of Exhibition and Poster Session
09:00-09:10 Opening Congress: Plenary Session 1
Venue: Diamond Auditorium
Session Chairpersons: Gary Coulson & Riëtte de Kock
Welcome by Conference Chair, Mr Gary Coulson
09:10-09:55 Plenary Speaker 1
The Role of Personalized Nutrition in a Sustainable Diet Era
Prof Rikard Landberg, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
Ernest Newbury Memorial Lecture
09:55-10:05 Greetings from the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)
Christie Tarantino-Dean, Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)
10:05-10:15 Greetings from the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST)
Joseph Abu, Federal University of Agriculture, Nigeria
10:15-11:00 Plenary Speaker 2
Why Food Isn’t Medicine and You Aren’t What You Eat
Anthony Warner, The Angry Chef, UK
11:00-11:30 Tea/Coffee Break, Poster Viewing, Exhibition
11:30-12:10 Plenary Session 2
Venue : Diamond Auditorium
Session Chairperson:		 Exhibition Product Theatre: FACTS
Venue: Amethyst Room
11:30-12:00 Plenary Speaker 3
Assessing The Food Industry for Claims and Regulatory Compliance- The Case of Flours from Nigeria
Joseph Abu, Federal University of Agriculture, Nigeria		 FACTS
12:00-12:30 Plenary Speaker 4
Bridging Science and Practice: Enhancing Affordability and Access to Whole Grain Foods for Healthier Diets
Johnes David, The Fortified Whole Grain Alliance, Kenya		 Product Theatre
12:30-14:00 Lunch Break / Poster Viewing/Exhibition
14:00-15:30 Session 1: Digital Transformation in Food Manufacturing, Nutritional Innovation, Technological Innovations in Food Processing
Venue : Diamond Auditorium
Session Chairperson:		 Session 2: Theme TBC
Venue: Ruby Auditorium
Session Chairperson:		 Session 3: Food Waste Reduction Strategies
Venue: Emerald Auditorium
Session Chairperson: 		Session 4:  Exhibition Product Theatre: Anton Paar
Venue: Amethyst Room
14:00-14:20 Bianca van der Westhuizen
Eating in the Digital Age: Digital Food Environments and Health Behaviours in South Africa		 Yulia Berezhnaya
Science and Technology in Food: Can We Achieve Healthier, More Nutritious Options?		 Mondli Abednicko Masanabo
Biodegradable foams produced from a bio-based polymer and agricultural waste from cowpea for application in packaging and agriculture		 From Measurement to Mastery: Anton Paar’s Solutions for Food Quality
Banu Sezer
Market Development Manager for Food & Feed, Anton Paar
14:20-14:40 Stellar Frisby
Protecting Innovation in the Food Industry Through Intellectual Property		 Rikard Landberg
How do whole grains influence health
14:40-15:00 Annchen Mielmann
Consumers’ visual attention and choices of fast foods: An Eye-Tracking Experiment		 Tilana Graaff
Methods to extend the shelf life of fortified whole-grain maize meal with the aim of encouraging the use of whole-grain maize products in school feeding programmes.		 Oluwatoyin Onipe
Beyond the surface: Applying the Iceberg Model to unveil systemic barriers and opportunities in Queen Palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana) valorisation for South African food systems
15:00-15:20 Christina Peter
Unveiling the mechanism of lignans as nutraceuticals in type 2 diabetes intervention through integrated computational analyses		 Panel discussion
All speakers, including Johnes David 		Raymond Agaku
The Impact of Science Innovation in Smart Food Packaging for Improved Shelf Life and Waste Reduction
15:20-15:30 Q&A Q&A Q&A
15:30-16:00 Tea/Coffee Break, Poster Viewing, Exhibition
16:00-16:45 Plenary Session 3
Venue: Diamond Auditorium
Session Chairperson:
16:00-16:45 Plenary Speaker 5
Ultra-Processed Confusion: Why Demonizing Sweeteners and Additives Harms Public Health
Márcia Terra, Nutri Insights, Brazil
17:00-19:00 Welcome Reception
TUESDAY 26 AUGUST 2025
07:30-17:00 Registration
08:00-09:00 Exhibition and Poster Session Product Theatre
Kerry Ingredients

Predictive Modelling for Enhanced Shelf Life: Harnessing advanced predictive modelling to mitigation optimise product reformulation, increase safety in meat products and food waste
Bert De Vegt, Kerry Ingredients
07:45-08:50 SAAFoST Biennial General Meeting
Venue: Diamond Auditorium
09:00-11:00 Dual Session 1: Sustainability
Venue: Diamond Auditorium
Session Chairperson:		 Dual Session 2: Mini symposium organised by Nutrition Society of South Africa and the Association for Dietetics in South Africa
Venue: Ruby Auditorium
Session Chairperson:		 Product Theatre
09:00-09:30 Mainstreaming sustainability within the palm oil supply chain: the critical role of South Africa’s consumer goods and retail companies
Elikplim Agbitor, Head – Africa Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil,		 Feeding the Future: Food Choice, the Young Child, and the Urban Nutrition Challenge
Prof Mieke Faber, Chief Specialised Scientist at the South African Medical Research Council and Deputy Editor of the journal of Public Health Nutrition
09:30-10:00 Can we redesign a modern African food system with insect-based products?
John Kinyuru, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya		 Ten Years, One Plate: How Our Food Environments Have Transformed
Dr Bianca van der Westhuizen, Senior Lecturer at the University of South Africa 		 
10:00-10:30 Unlocking Africa’s Protein Potential: Scaling Insect-Based Protein for a Sustainable Food Future
Nico Schutte, Bühler 		Panel Discussion: How can food industry and nutrition professionals collaboratively take action to improve public health – Facilitator: Prof Elizabeth Kempen, Professor of Consumer Sciences at the University of South Africa  Product Theatre
Cape Food Ingredients
10:30-11:00 Feeding Our Future: Building Food Security Through Technical Capacity in Africa’s Agribusiness Sector
Mandla Nkomo, Partners in Food Solutions, USA, South Africa
11:00-11:30 Tea/Coffee Break, Poster Viewing, Exhibition
11:30-13:00 Session 5: Food Safety
Venue: Diamond Auditorium
Session Chairperson:		 Session 6: Alternative Proteins/Climate Resilience
Venue: Ruby Auditorium
Session Chairperson:		 Session 7:
Session Chairperson:		 Session 8:  Exhibition Product Theatre: Savannah
Venue: Amethyst Room
11:30-11:50 Michelle Gouws
Clostridioides difficile isolated from farm environments, food-producing-, and game animals in South Africa		 Maryke Labuschagne
Climate resilient crop biofortification in South Africa: quo vadis?		 Kedibone Modika
Determining the profitability of chevon from indigenous goats using carcass yield and meat tenderness: Working towards commercialisation		 Raising the dough:  The role of the Faba Bean and Yeast Proteins in modern baking
Carien Schoeman
Food Technical Manager, Savannah Fine Chemicals
11:50-12:10 Tlangelani, Mlambo
Comparison of probiotic properties of a wildtype and bioengineered Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG strain harbouring Listeria monocytogenes invasion genes		 Opeyemi Olaitan Alabi
The physicochemical and functional properties of microwave-heated Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) starch		 Jacobus Marthinus Behrens
Do crocodile stunning methods have an influence on crocodile meat quality?
12:10-12:30 Mapitsi S. Thantsha
Probiotic-derived extracellular vesicles: Postbiotics or not?		 Eric Amonsou
Designing plant-based emulsion gels: Physical and rheological tuning of cowpea proteins via hydrocolloids and processing		 Livhuwani Prudence Seema
Proximate and fatty acid composition of cow blood sausages formulated with meat by-products and cereal fillers
12:30-12:50 Karabo Mabetoa
Probiotic-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs): Characterization and inhibitory effects on foodborne pathogens		 John Gwamba
Sensory characteristics of fermented or extruded sorghum and morama bean composite porridges		 Ilke Olivier
Anova-simultaneous component analysis for interpreting near-infrared spectra of gummy candies made from different gelatin sources
12:50-13:00 Q&A Q&A Q&A
13:00-14:00 Lunch Break / Poster Viewing/Exhibition
14:00-15:30 Dual Session 3:
The General Trade in South Africa: Innovation, Challenges & Opportunities
Venue: Diamond Auditorium
Session Chairperson: Debora van der Merwe Stellenbosch University		 Dual Session 4:
Venue: Ruby Auditorium
Session Chairperson:		 FACTS Product Theatre
14:00-14:20 Data, Distribution, and Dignity: The future of Food Commerce in the Informal Sector
Jessica Boonstra, Yebo Fresh, South Africa 		Enhancing Bread Quality: The Importance of Gluten Functionality
Kees Veeke, DSM-Firmenich
14:20-14:40 Food products at Spaza Shops
Miles Khubeka, Wakanda, South Africa 		The impact of devitalised sourdough on the digestibility, satiety and nutritional profile of yeast raised products
Bronwyn Lacey, Eurogerm South Africa
14:40-15:30 Panel discussion
DJ Sbu, Miles Khubeka, Jessica Boonstra		 Ensuring Authenticity in the Vegetable Oil Industry Mathilda Mostert, Precision Oil Laboratories
15:30-16:30 Tea/Coffee Break, Poster Session
16:30-17:30 Session 9: Food Safety
Venue : Diamond Auditorium
Session Chairperson:		 Session 10: Cultural & Indigenous
Venue: Ruby Auditorium
Session Chairperson:		 Session 11: Nutritional Innovation/Technological Innovations in Food Processing
Venue: Emerald Auditorium
Session Chairperson:		 Session 12:  Exhibition Product Theatre: Ingrain
Session Chairperson:   
16:30-16:50 Seth Rapoo
PFAS Contamination in Drinking Water: Implications for Food Safety – Distribution, Source Apportionment, and Health Risk Assessment in South African Drinking Water treatment plants.		 Elizabeth Kempen
Heritage on the plate: Expectations and outcomes in local food recipe documentation		 Erich Midigo
Effect of food-to-food fortification of sorghum porridges with mango pulp and amaranth leaf powder on iron and zinc bio accessibility

Make Life Easier Ingrain’s GMO-Free Pregelatinized Starches
A demonstration of applying our products into final consumable products

 

Lee Tsholo, Head of Technical Services, Ingrain
Nonhlanhla Dlamini, Field Services Manager, Ingrain
16:50-17:10 Anthony Chemaly
The use of AI NLP/Chatbots in Food Safety and Hygienic Design Integration and Risk Assessments – Leveraging AI-Driven Chatbots for Enhancing Food Safety in Resource-Limited Settings		 Chantelle Human
Cold plasma treatment of phytosomes containing Cyclopia subternata (honeybush) extract in ready-to-drink (RTD) model beverages.		 Malory Jumat
Harnessing South African Dietary Polyphenol Research Data: A systematic approach to building a national composition database in support of nutritional innovation
17:10-17:30 Ntombizethu Mkhwanazi
Food Safety in the Informal Sector of South Africa		 Mmaphuti Abashone Ratau
Effects of different inocula fermentation on physicochemical, nutritional and antioxidant activities of non-alcoholic finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.) beverages		 Olga Mashandule
Isolation and characterization of garlic fructans for the enzymatic conversion into fructooligosaccharides (FOS) for prebiotic use
17:30-17:50 Harold Malahlela
Investigating the effects of ozone micro-nano bubble water against Escherichia coli		 Dalene De Beer
Brewing water characteristics are crucial for the perfect cup of rooibos and honeybush tea		 Yusuf Kewuyemi
Fermentation and Germination-Driven Enhancement of Health-Promoting Compounds in Cowpea, Sorghum, and Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato Flours		 Product Theatre
17:50-18:00 Q&A Q&A Q&A
19:00 SAAFoST Conference Dinner, CSIR ICC
19:00 SAAFoST Young Professionals Evening, Time Out Café, High Performance Centre, Burnett Street, University of Pretoria Hillcrest Sports Campus.
WEDNESDAY 27 AUGUST 20 25
07:30-15:00 Registration
08:00-09:00 Exhibition and Poster Session Product Theatre
09:00-10:30 Plenary Session 4
Venue: Diamond Auditorium
Session Chairpersons: Jana Schreuder & Josiah Muriuki
09:00-09:30 Plenary Speaker 6
How can we prepare the next generation of food scientists to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges?
Prof Christopher Daubert, President IFT
09:30-10:30 Plenary Speaker 7
The Power of Mentorship: Unlocking Success for Individuals, Mentors & Businesses
Yolande Schulz, R&D Director Emerging Markets: McCormick Flavour Solutions, EMEA
Anja Laubscher, Sally-Ann Creed, South Africa
10:30-11:00 Tea/Coffee Break, Poster Viewing, Exhibition
11:00-12:20 Session 13:
Session Chairperson:		 Session 14: SASDT
Session Chairperson:		 Session 15: GMO Session
Venue: Emerald Auditorium
Session Chairpersons: Alison Levesley & Karin Carstensen 		Session 16:  Exhibition Product Theatre
11:00-11:20 Nomzamo Dlamini
Predicting consumer interest in a sustainable high-fibre sorghum-based snack in Africa and Europe		 Jay Stock
The convergent evolution of adult human milk consumption		 Corne Louw
The status of GMO Agriculture and its impacts on Food Security 		 
11:20-11:40 Mariam Nakitto
Exploring critical volatile organic compounds for flavour quality assurance of sweetpotato lines in breeding programs using descriptive sensory analysis and HeadSpace Solid-Phase MicroExtraction GCMS 		Josphat Gicure
Probiotic Yoghurt as a Strategy to Enhance Gut Microbiota in Obese Women		 Gabrielle Stevens
Clarifying the regulations relating to GMO in South Africa
11:40-12:00 Chioma Asiegbu
Prospecting and characterization of potential probiotic Lactobacillus species from animal gut and food sources		 Carsten Orzol
Value Engineering by applying membrane technology		 Tertia Erasmus
Detecting and Quantifying GMOs: Analysis methods relevant to the Food Industry 		Product Theatre
12:00-12:20 Micael Iswalal
Structural and physicochemical characterisation of enzymatically hydrolysed porous starch isolated from cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)		 Nomsa Leatswe
Nutritional composition and microbial quality of Kalahari donkey milk: Pathogen load, lactic acid bacterial isolation and screening of probiotic attributes		 Panel discussion
Alison Levesley, Karin Carstensen, Corne Louw, Gabrielle Stevens & Dr. Tertia Erasmus
12:20-12:30 Q&A Q&A Q&A
12:30-13:50 Lunch Break | Last chance to visit the Exhibition
13:50-15:00 Plenary Session 5
Venue: Diamond Auditorium
Session Chairperson
13:50-14:20 Plenary Speaker 8
Teaching Sensory Science at Scale: Lessons from China
Bryson Bolton, Compusense, Canada
14:20-15:00 Plenary Speaker 9
Topic to be announced
Prof Ryk Lues, Free State University
15:00-15:30 Closing and Awards
Programme is preliminary and subject to change. New information will be posted as it becomes available.

NSF

As a leading certification body, NSF has a comprehensive suite of food safety and quality services that span from farm to fork.

Achieve your continuous improvement goals through certification by efficiently navigating audits and Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) benchmarked standards.

Our food safety audit services are built upon a world-class integrity program, a customer-centric approach, and unmatched technical excellence. Let’s build trust together. Across the global food supply chain, NSF is here and proud to work with you.

www.nsf.org

inqaba biotec™

inqaba biotec™, is a unique South African Genomics company that was established in 2002. Our in-house services include oligonucleotides/probes synthesis, Sanger and NGS sequencing, SNP & Methylation analysis, Bioinformatics support, and Phylogenetic & Molecular techniques courses. We are also distributors of strong leading international manufacturers of Food testing, Molecular Biology, Chemicals and instruments.

www.inqababiotec.co.za

Cranbrook Flavours

Cranbrook Flavours is a trusted, family-owned leader in flavour manufacturing in South Africa since 1984. With decades of experience in a competitive industry, we deliver high-quality, innovative solutions tailored to meet the needs of every customer. Our commitment to excellence is backed by our FSSC 22000, V6 certification, and our full Halaal and Kosher compliance, ensuring top-tier standards in food safety and quality. At Cranbrook Flavours, we focus on efficient processes, exceptional products, and customer satisfaction — all while fostering a positive work environment for our employees. From development through to production, our goal is simple: to consistently exceed expectations, setting the benchmark for flavour companies across Africa and beyond.

www.cranbrookflavours.com

Synercore

Synercore Holdings is a science-led investment company focused on innovation within the food industry in Africa. Along with an acute awareness of market developments and opportunities, Synercore aims to deliver research backed and commercially viable food solutions within growing markets. With the acquisition of various food and research companies, Synercore has established itself as a sustainable and dynamic group, with a unique service offering to the food industry.

www.synercore.co.za

Progress Excellence

At Progress Excellence we don’t just train people! We assist individuals to develop an understanding of food safety, quality, health and safety and environmental management systems through our training programmes.

Our passion is contagious, and every interaction is another opportunity for us to extend our influence and share our experience in the food industry.

As a customer-focused organization, we are constantly improving and updating our offerings to ensure delivery of up-to-date and industry-relevant programmes. Whether it be on-site, face-to-face or virtual training, we have something to suit your unique needs. We also offer public workshops as well as a range of online, self-paced training options. From introductory to intermediate and advanced programmes; we cater to all levels within your organization.

This year marks our 20th anniversary. That means 20 years of growing, learning and sharing. We are excited about the future…

www.progress-excellence.co.za

IMCD South Africa

IMCD South Africa is a leading distributor of specialty chemicals and ingredients, committed to providing innovative solutions to diverse industries across the region. Within the food and nutrition sector, IMCD South Africa’s Food and Nutrition Division plays a pivotal role in delivering high-quality, tailor-made ingredient solutions to manufacturers, helping them develop products that meet evolving consumer demands.

Leveraging global expertise and a deep understanding of local markets, the Food and Nutrition Division partners with world-class suppliers to offer a comprehensive portfolio of functional ingredients. These solutions cater to a variety of applications, from beverages, dairy, and bakery to snacks, confectionery, and savoury innovations.

IMCD South Africa’s Food and Nutrition Division prides itself on its customer-centric approach, offering technical support, formulation advice, and regulatory guidance to help clients overcome challenges and drive product development. The division is supported by a skilled team of food technologists and access to cutting-edge facilities, ensuring the delivery of solutions that align with global trends like health-conscious consumption, clean-label formulations, and sustainable production.

With a focus on innovation, expertise, and collaboration, IMCD South Africa’s Food and Nutrition Division is dedicated to empowering its customers to succeed in a competitive and rapidly changing market.

www.imcdgroup.com

Cape Foods

Cape Food Ingredients is your gateway to innovation and excellence. With our speciality divisions in Beverages, Dairy, Bakery, Sauces and Confectionery we specialise in cutting-edge technology, offering unique solutions tailored to meet African taste preferences and lower costs. Our services encompass product development, technical advisory and innovative solutions that set us apart in the market. Whether you are a prospective customer or simply curious about what we do, visit our stand to discover how we can elevate your product quality while lowering costs. Find out about the latest in sugar-reduction, flavours (savoury and sweet, liquid and powder) and new stabiliser options which enable cost savings. We are a global leader in natural sugar-reduction technologies.

www.capefoodingredients.com