Guelph Food Engineering Conference

U of G students excel in creating novel food engineering solutions.

On April 10, 2023, the inaugural Guelph Food Engineering Conference was held in Adams Atrium at the School of Engineering. Led by Dr. Manick Annamalai, the day represented the significant growth of interest and research into Food Engineering.

Undergraduates, master’s and PhD students comprised the 100 participants who collectively produced 40 posters. Research ranged from reducing waste by-products, fat and sugar alternatives, to the use of AI in quality control and cold plasma applications in food decontamination.

First place winner projects under each category were:

PhD - Rathna Priya’s group “Real-time detection of Fusarium infection in moving corn grains using video analysis.”

Masters – Kristin Yates’ group “Working at standard height versus an adjustable height during a precision, cooking-specific task- does it make a difference?”

Undergraduate - Jacob Kadar’s group “Optimizing the pre-treatment of kidney beans for the de-hulling process.”

Highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of food, participants came from the School of Engineering in CEPS, Departments of Plant Agriculture and Food Science in OAC, and the Department of Integrated Biology from CBS.

When asked about the day Dr. Manick shared, “I am so impressed with the turnout we have gotten today. It’s a true testament to the School of Engineering’s vital role in finding innovative ways to improve food production and manufacturing. This next generation of students are asking the right questions and seeing the impact of what the field can do when focused on sustainable solutions. I can’t wait to see what students produce next year!”