College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences
Addressing food quality and safety challenges through food science research
Prof Fredrik Tabit
Prof Fredrik Tabit from the Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, delivered his inaugural lecture, entitled "Addressing food quality and safety challenges through food science research", on 24 May 2022.
In his inaugural lecture, Tabit showcased some of the research conducted in the recent past and the impact of the research findings on society. His focus is on research that seeks to improve the lives of people in less affluent communities. "I also intend to produce postgraduate students who will ensure continuity in research aimed at improving the life of mankind in general," he said.
"I have learnt that one has to work very hard, relentlessly and consistently to achieve success. Furthermore, it is necessary to be humble and to respect all those you meet along the way on your academic journey."
Tabit’s academic journey has made him to depend first on himself and then others. He left the warmth of his family after primary school and pursued academic activities far away from home. He said the only way to succeed in one’s personal life and studies is to blend in with one’s adoptive environment. He noted that in order to stay focused as an academic while being a husband and a father, a balanced family life is essential.
His research interest is in the field of microbial quality, food safety, food safety awareness, food safety implementation and food product development.
In most developing countries, the provision of safe and nutritious food to everyone is far from a reality despite the potential of agriculture. This aspect prompted his interest in food safety and the production of novel value-added food products using indigenous crops.
He takes the supervision of postgraduate students seriously because of the importance of ensuring the production of quality researchers in the future. He believes that postgraduate students must be well grounded in academic writing, research principles and subject knowledge to be able to solve contemporary problems through research and innovation.
Tabit said that supervision is part of mentorship but not necessarily the same as mentorship. Supervision is focused on the academic project of producing a graduate who becomes a sound researcher who can contribute to solving real-life problems through research. Mentorship is more general and holistic, and may include many aspects other than research.
Tabit has supervised one PhD and eighteen master’s students to completion so far and is currently supervising five PhD and nine master’s students. "I am very satisfied with my graduates because I believe I have provided them with the necessary tools to plough their way into the academic landscape."
"Teaching is not challenging for those whose God-given talents are refined through education and training. After working hard through master’s and PhD research, becoming an academic is the obvious liquid that can quench the thirst of doing research and imparting knowledge to others," he said.
Career orientation and career choice are major issues, according to Tabit. For a scientist, the biggest problem is inadequate experiential learning in some of the disciplines. Many student graduates do not know the job market that is relevant to the qualification they have obtained. Many students just pursue a qualification because they meet the minimum admission requirements and do not take their personal, family and socioeconomic circumstances, as well tangible foreseeable employment opportunities, into account.
Tabit stated that he is one of the leaders in a community engagement project aimed at evaluating the food safety knowledge and hygiene practices of people involved in food processing and vending at informal and small food-processing establishments.
The role of this community engagement project is to help improve the community’s food safety knowledge and hygiene practices, and increase the likelihood that they will produce safe and nutritious food destined for the less privileged.
Tabit is the review editor for the journal Frontiers in Food Science and Technology. He is also involved as an expert food safety reviewer of the CODEX Alimentarius document for the South African Department of Health. He is open for research collaboration with anyone from any part of the globe.
In conclusion, Tabit remarked that he would like to be remembered for the contributions he made to society in resolving problems through food science research. Furthermore, he would like to be remembered for the postgraduate students he produced when they rise to greatness in academia.
* By Gugulethu Ngcobo, Admin Marketing Assistant, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
Publish date: 2022/06/02
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