2022 IN CLIMAX: An overlook at some notable Activities, events and stories of Department of Food Science and Technology, KNUST
With the year coming to an end, the Department of Food Science and Technology, KNUST would like to share with the university community and beyond, some major and notable activities, achievements and success stories throughout the year 2022.
1. HOD OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY-KNUST VISITS ISA LILLE
As part of our collaboration with JUNIA ISA with funding from the Erasmus+ programme, Prof. Isaac W. Ofosu (Head) and Dr. Herman E. Lutterodt (Senior Lecturer) of Department of Food Science and Technology-KNUST visited JUNIA ISA Lille, France on 19-22 January 2022. The visit involved some teaching sessions and a trip to Belgium for a food safety-related workshop. Fruitful interactions on the new syllabi both departments planned to roll out—extending to the drafted, yet to be approved BSc Food Manufacturing programme also came up. There were also interactions with our students at ISA regarding their progress, challenges, and suggestions for the best way forward.
2. KNUST FOOD FESTIVAL (KFF)
The KNUST Food Festival (KFF) 2022 was held on 14th February, 2022 at the Royal Parade Ground -KNUST. It was under the theme, “Achieving the SDGs: Our Food, Our Culture, Our Health”. The program has been organized to celebrate the diverse food, culture and innovative products developed for sustainable development since the year 2016.The event has been a major collaboration between College of Science (CoS) and College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CoHSS). It also involves the SRC and GRASAG. This year's event was chaired by Professor Nana Afia Opoku-Asare, a Distinguished Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Leadership and Governance, and an Associate Professor of Education in the Department of Educational Innovations in Science and Technology (previously Department of Art Education & General Art Studies, Faculty of Art), Faculty of Educational Studies, KNUST, Kumasi.
3. FST-KNUST ALUMNA, MAAME EKUA MANFUL APPOINTED TO THE PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL
Miss Maame Ekua Manful, an Alumni of the Department of Food Science and Technology, KNUST was appointed member of the Partnership Council. The Partnership Council acts as an advisory body to the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Board and Strategic Management Team, providing guidance and recommendations on GAIN’s strategic and investment priorities. The Council is also a platform to support innovation and to mobilise new partnerships aimed at ending malnutrition.
4. FST-KNUST ALUMNUS, EDMUND AFARI FEATURED IN FOOD MATTERS-EPISODE 3
Edmund Larbi Afari, an Alumnus of the Department of Food Science ad Technology, KNUST (FST-KNUST) was featured in a NVTV discussion on Food Maters-Episode 3 – Future of Food in Northern Ireland. Edmund recently graduated with a distinction for the Master’s in Advanced Food Safety at Queen's University Belfast (QUB).
5. THE ASSOCIATION OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS ORGANIZES MAIDEN QUIZ BUZZ 2022
The Association of Food Science and Technology Students (AFSTS) held its Maiden Edition of the AFSTS Quiz Buzz on 1st April 2022. It was a very educative yet entertaining session with about a 100 students in attendance. In attendance were Dr. Francis Alemawor, Patron for the Association of Food Science and Technology and Dr. Eric Owusu Mensah.
6. THE DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WELFARE COMMITTEE HOSTS ITS MAIDEN GET TOGETHER AND APPRECIATION DAY
The Welfare Committee of the Department of Food Science and Technology held its maiden Get Together on Wednesday 27th April 2022 at the College of Science Senior Members Common room. The get together was coupled with a Celebration in honour of the Department’s new Professor, Prof. Jacob Kwaku Agbenorhevi (aka JAK-ISRAEL).
7. THE ASSOCIATION OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS ORGANIZES SOCIO-AEROBICS
The Association of Food Science and Technology Students (AFSTS) held its annual Socio- aerobics event on the 14th of May, 2022. It was an Interesting and fun filled session where students socialized to build their networks as well as exercised to keep healthy and to release some of the stress from the semester. The programme had about 250 students in active participation. The aerobic session to stretch out our muscles begun at the Royal Parade Grounds after which students joyfully strolled to Brunei Sports Complex for our game session. Indoor games such as Ludo, Playing cards, Uno, Dominoes and chess were played. Our gallant footballers from both genders also participated in a football. Females had penalty shootouts and the males played their matches according to fixtures.
8. FST-KNUST ORGANIZES FOOD HYGIENE CERTIFICATE COURSE FOR SAMARTEX
The Department of Food Science and Technology Department (FST), KNUST in collaboration with enviroSAFE Ghana Ltd., organized KNUST Food Hygiene Certificate Course for the Catering Staff/Food Handlers of Samartex Timber and Plywood Company Ltd at Samreboi in the Western Region. The KNUST Food Hygiene Certificate Course started in 2015. The objective of the programme is part of the Departments’ collaboration with the Food and Hospitality Industries for capacity training and to help curb health-related problems like cholera, listeria, salmonella, and others, which are linked to improper/unhygienic food handling and storage.The course content included the importance of food hygiene and safety, laws governing food hygiene, foodborne illness, how food becomes contaminated, HACCP, food preservation, storage and temperature control and preventing contamination through the 4C’s – cross-contamination, cleaning, chilling, and cooking.
9. ASSOCIATION OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS' WEEK CELEBRATION 2022
The Association of Food Science and Technology Students (AFSTS) organized their annual week celebration from the 18th July to the 22nd July, 2022. The theme for this year’s AFSTS week was “Food Safety, A Collective Goal.”
10. FST-KNUST ORGANIZES FOOD HYGIENE CERTIFICATE COURSE FOR AQUA SAFARI STAFF
The Department of Food Science and Technology, KNUST trained the Food and Beverage Staff of Aqua Safari Resort at Ada, on food hygiene and safety. The short course was facilitated by Dr. (Mrs.) Gloria M. Ankar-Brewoo and Prof. Jacob K. Agbenorhevi (Course Coordinator) on 23-24 August, 2022. They were supported by Ms Josephine Asare-Bediako(Senior Administrative Assistant). This marked the third time the KNUST Food Hygiene Certificate course and HACCP Training was run for staff of Aqua Safari Resort, Ada; the previous ones in 2019 and 2020. The training was organised in collaboration with enviroSAFE Ghana Ltd.
11. PROF. MRS. IBOK ODURO DELIVERS GUEST LECTURE AT THE HUNGARIAN UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND LIFE SCIENCES, BUDAPEST
Professor Mrs. Ibok Oduro, a professor at the Department of Food Science and Technology, KNUST and Mr. William Appaw, a PhD student in the Department visited the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Budapest under the frame of the Eramus+ mobility exchange program. Prof. Oduro gave a guest lecture to lecturers and students at the Department of Measurement and Process Control, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Budapest on the 12th October 2022. Her lecture was on the topic KNUST-GHANA, a centre of excellence for Collaborative Teaching and Research.
12. PROF. MRS. IBOK ODURO HONOURED AT THE AFRICA ROLE MODEL IN LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE AND YOUTH MENTORING MTN PULSE AWARDS
Prof. Mrs. Ibok Oduro was awarded at the 13th PULSE AFRICA ROLE MODEL AWARD 2022. The event, held together with the Transform Africa Conference, came off at the Great Hall of KNUST on the theme: ‘Future of Our Youth: job, leadership, entrepreneurship and digitalization’. The awards recipients are YPYC's finest selection of the most outstanding personalities who have truly excelled as transformational leaders and role models impacting society, young people and also, inspiring change in their various filed of endeavours. Also honoured at this ceremony, were the Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, Professor Mrs. Rita Akosua Dickon, the Pro-Vice Chancellor, Professor Ellis Owusu Dabo and others.
13. DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PROVIDES BREAKFAST FOR TEAM KNUST AND SUPPORTING OFFICIALS AT 2022 GUSA GAMES
The Ghana University Sports Association (GUSA) Games 2022 was hosted by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) from 4th to 19th November 2022. The Department of Food Science & Technology was selected among other food service providers to manage and prepare breakfast for Team KNUST and supporting officials. The Team KNUST comprised of sportmen or women of different disciplines including football, volleyball, basketball, athletics, and hockey while the supporting team was made up of officials from the LOC and its secretariat, medical, media, security, sanitation, drivers, IT, cadet corps (KNUST), sub-committees, and volunteers (under the various sub-committes). The Food Science and Technology Department employed its Food Processing Unit (FPU), managed by Dr. Eric Owusu Mensah (who is also a lecturer in the department), to provide the breakfast for an average of 850 people for 16 days.
14. DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OPENS ITS OFFICIAL TWITTER ACCOUNT
The Department of Food Science and Technology, KNUST opened is official twitter account in December 2022 for enhanced information dessemination and visibility. Kindly follow the official account for reliable and trust worthy news. https://twitter.com/FST_KNUST
15. DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ORGANIZES 2022 END OF YEAR GET TOGETHER
The welfare committee for the Department of Food Science and Technology, KNUST, organized the end of year get together at the FST-Forecourt on 21st December, 2022. Staff and teaching assistants gathered together to celebrate and thank God for a successful year. The Head of Department, Prof. I.W Ofosu gave the closing remarks and wished colleagues and friends, a joyous and a happy new year. Also, present were, Prof. Faustina Dufie Wireko-Manu, Prof. Jacob K. Agbenorhevi, Dr. Gloria Ankar-Brewoo (Welfare committee member), Dr. Leonard D.K. De-Souza (Welfare committee member), Dr. Emmanuel Amankwah, Dr. Francis Alemawor, Dr. John-Lewis Zinia Zaukuu and Miss Josephine Asare-Bediako (Welfare committee member).
