Desta Dugassa | Food Science and Nutrition | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Desta Dugassa | Food Science and Nutrition | Best Researcher Award

Fufa Haramaya University | Ethiopia

Dr. Desta Dugassa Fufa is an accomplished scholar and Assistant Professor specializing in Food Science, Nutrition, and Public Health, with strong interdisciplinary training across food technology, environmental health, and water and sanitation management. He holds a Ph.D. in Food Science and Nutrition, an MPH in Public Health with a focus on environmental health, and dual Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Food Science and Technology and Food Postharvest Technologies. With over a decade of academic and research experience, he has served as Associate Director of the Haramaya Institute of Technology and has led extensive teaching, research, community engagement, and media-based nutrition outreach. His professional expertise spans food product development, nutrition analysis, food quality assessment, ISO and HACCP systems, risk analysis, value-added processing, and environmental safety. He has served as Principal Investigator on multiple funded projects, including studies on maternal and child nutrition, digital food behavior, and value-added food technologies, and has contributed to internationally funded initiatives such as the SMIL project supported by the Gates Foundation. Recognized with an International Analytical Chemistry Award, he actively participates in national and international conferences and reviews scientific manuscripts. His research interests center on functional foods, nutraceuticals, food omics, nanofiber-based packaging, microbiota, and sustainable food systems. He remains committed to advancing science-driven solutions for improved health, nutrition, and food security.

Profile : Orcid

Featured Publications

Tamene, A., Fufa, D.D., Bekele, T., Bultosa, G., Kumar, A., & Singh, N. (2025). “Value-addition to composite soft bread wheat cookies using avocado seed and finger millet flours: assessing the nutritional, techno-functional, and sensory properties.” Measurement: Food.

Fufa, D.D. (2025). “Postharvest Physiological Disorders of Apricot.” In Postharvest Physiological Disorders of Fruits.

Fufa, D.D., Bekele, T., Bultosa, G., & Tamene, A. (2025). “Avocado seeds valorization for sustainable food ingredient use: quality attributes evaluation in the traditional fermented teff injera.” Discover Sustainability.

Fufa, D.D., Bekele, T., Tamene, A., & Bultosa, G. (2025). “Drying kinetic models, thermodynamics, physicochemical qualities, and bioactive compounds of avocado (Persea americana Mill. Hass variety) seeds dried using various drying methods.” Heliyon.

Fufa, D.D., Seid, A., & Bitew, Z.W. (2024). “The use of internet-based smartphone apps consistently improved consumers’ healthy eating behaviors: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.” Frontiers in Digital Health.