Ioanna Mandala

Ioanna Mandala serves as Professor at the Agricultural University of Athens, holding dual leadership roles as Head of the Food Process Engineering Laboratory and Head of the Department of Food Science and Technology (renamed from Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition per Greek Government Decree 80/27/5/13). Her academic foundation includes a Chemical Engineering degree from the National Technical University of Athens and a Ph.D. in Food Engineering from the Agricultural University of Athens.

Research Focus

Her work centers on food physical properties including texture, rheology, color, granulometry, macro/micro structure, and sensory attributes under processing conditions. Recent research emphasizes dehydration of plant-based products and size reduction processes, with significant international collaborations in Germany (Karlsruhe), France (ENSIA-Paris), and the USA (Rutgers University). Her publications have accumulated nearly 3,600 citations (as of June 2024) with an h-index of 6.2 and total h-factor of 37 (Scopus).

Academic Leadership

• Teaches core undergraduate courses: Food Preservation, Physical Properties of Foods, and Food Product Development
• Associate Editor for Journal of Food Science (since 2024) and Scientific Committee member (since 2023)
• Principal investigator and coordinator for multiple national/international research projects

Research Infrastructure

Directs the Food Process Engineering Laboratory, which supports experimental work on food composition-structure-property relationships and processing optimization.