The Durban University of Technology (DUT) will be hosting the Professorial Inaugural Lecture of Professor John Mellem titled: The Future of Food which takes place at the Coastlands Umhlanga Hotel on Friday, 13 September 2024.
The inaugural lecture is being held to celebrate Prof Mellem’s academic achievement and significant contributions to research, innovation and engagement.
Prof Mellem obtained his doctoral degree in Food Technology. He joined the institution as a student in 2001, subsequently becoming a Junior Lecturer in the Department of Biotechnology in 2007. His passion for teaching and learning as well as research has had a major impact on his academic journey.
Highlighting on his forthcoming lecture, Prof Mellem indicated that it will be divided into two aspects looking at the role that food serves in society in terms of health and nutrition. He shared that the consumer drive towards healthier alternate foods such as indigenous underutilized crops have expanded the research focus within the food sector.
“Increasingly, consumers are seeking food sources that are not only nutritious but also provide additional health benefits that can contribute to longevity and good health. A key focus of this lecture is to provide insight into the field of Food Science and its application to health-related issues such as cancer, in addition to exploring how it can be used to address food security concerns,” he said.
Prof Mellem’s research focus is on the characterization of biomolecules for thedevelopment of functional foods or nutraceuticals to address diet and lifestyle diseases and malnutrition. Specific interests include health benefits of antioxidants/ phytochemicals in fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes against oxidative stress/cell proliferation, and the development of bionanomaterials for the delivery of bioactive compound.
He is currently a NRF C2-rated researcher within the Research Focus Area of Food, Nutrition and Security. To date he has graduated nine masters students, three doctoral candidates and hosted two postdoctoral fellows. He has co-authored >45 peer reviewed journal articles and two book chapters with > 1100 citations.
Pictured: Professor John Mellem
Waheeda Peters
