Biniam Kebede

Dr. Biniam Kebede is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph. His research focuses on integrating bioprocessing, food analytics, and data science to enhance food functionality and sustainability. He leads the Food Bioprocessing and Data Science Research Group, which explores fermentation, enzymatic treatments, and machine learning for food innovation.

Academic History:

• B.Sc. in Food and Biochemical Technology, Bahir Dar University (Ethiopia)
• M.Sc. in Food Technology, Ghent University (Belgium)
• Ph.D. in Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven (Belgium)

Research Interests: Dr. Kebede's work addresses sustainable food systems through:

• Optimizing fermentation to unlock bioactive compounds from plant-based sources
• Mitigating off-flavors in pulses via value-chain analysis
• Engineering food structures to improve nutrient bioaccessibility
• Developing portable machine learning tools for food authenticity
• Valuing indigenous food ingredients and traditional processing methods

His approach combines multi-omics, imaging, and AI to create predictive models for food innovation.

Awards & Affiliations:

• 2022 IUFoST Young Scientist Award
• 2014 EFFoST PhD Student of the Year Award
• Member of IFT, CIFST, and IUFoST
• Honorary affiliation with University of Otago (New Zealand)

Training Philosophy: Dr. Kebede emphasizes personalized mentoring through Individual Development Plans (IDPs), biweekly lab meetings, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Students engage in all research phases, including conference presentations and industry partnerships to build technical and professional skills.