Prof. John Muyonga - Head

The Department of Food Science and Technology at Makerere University is Uganda’s leading centre for training and research in Food Science, Food Technology and Human Nutrition.  Since 1989 , DFST has been at the forefront of training professionals for the food sub-sector.  Over 500 graduates have passed through the DFST and are now employed by private industries, government departments and institutions, and NGOs while some are successful entrepreneurs.

DFST offers two undergraduate degree programs: B.Sc  Food Science & Technology and B.Sc Human Nutrition. It also offers the M.Sc.  in Food Science and Technology, and the other in Applied Human Nutrition Plus PhD programs in Food science & Human

Nutrition
DFST is complex located on the western end of the Makerere University main Campus It houses a conference hall, cafeteria and a Pilot processing  Plant. The Pilot processing  Plant hosts the food  Technology and Business Incubation program (FTIP).
To drive the activities of the Department, there are 17 members of staff with experience in different areas of Food Science, Food Technology and Human Nutrition. The majority of the academic staff hold PhD degrees obtained from different universities in and outside Uganda and this give a good mix of experience.

The Department is a major source of researched food value addition technologies and malnutrition alleviation strategies. The thematic research areas include:

1. Improvement of traditional food processing technologies
2. Food biotechnology
3. Improving the nutritional status of the population especially vulnerable groups
4. Cereal protein functionality and use of cereals in novel food products
5. Functional food ingredients
6. Improving food safety and quality
7. Reducing post harvest food losses
8. Therapeutic foods

Vision
To be a premier academic unit providing demand-driven training, research and knowledge to the food sub-sector.

Mission
To catalyze development and vitality of the food sub-sector by providing quality teaching, carrying out innovative and demand driven research and offering professional services.

Programmes/Facilities and Services
Facilities

1. Food Chemistry, Food Microbiology and Nutrition laboratories  
2. Sensory evaluation suite
3. Food processing pilot plant for demonstration, research and developing new products
4. Consultancy services
5. Product analysis
6. Business incubation
7. In service skills development
8. Library
9. Computer Laboratory
10. Conference Hall
    

Tailor-made Short courses

1. Dairy Hygiene
2. Dairy Science & Technology
3. Fruit & Vegetable Processing
4. Starch and Horticultural Crop Processing
5. Food safety and hygiene for food service establishments
6. Food and Nutrition Security for field extension workers
7. Solar drying technology

Planned undergraduate programmes

1. B.Sc. Bioprocessing and Biotechnology
2. Bachelor of Food Technology and Food Industry Management

Research and Outreach Achievements
With support from Nestle foundation. DFID, NORAD, NUFU, the Rockefeller Foundation, USAID, International Foundation for Science, Thrasher Research Fund ,SIDA-SAREC,IFPRI-Harvest plus and from the Government of Uganda,  DFST has completed numerous research and outreach projects. Outcomes of the completed projects include;

1. Protocols for development of value added products from matooke, orange fleshed, sweet potatoes, milk, sorghum   and Mulondo (Mondia Whitei).
2. Development of nutrition Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials for use in different parts of Uganda.
3. Sensitisation of communities in Northern, Western and Central Uganda on aspects of nutrition.
4. Development of processes for improving quality of fish, grains and fruits.

The range of technologies developed include

1. Identification and Isolation of lactic acid bacteria in traditionally fermented food products.
2. Millet beverage (Bushera) processing
3. Banana flour and banana starch processing
4. Extrusion cooking of sweetpotato flour
5. Ghee processing
6. Production of weaning foods from locally grown legumes
7. Child malnutrition amelioration strategies
8. Scientific explanation of the banana juice extraction process and characterisation of banana juice.
9. Improved processing of banana juice extraction (Uganda Patent # UG/PP/03/00003)
10. Extraction of Mulondo (Mondia whitei) flavour and its utilisation in flavouring beverages. (Uganda Patent #UG/PP/99/00002)
11. Extraction and characterisation of gelatin from Nile  perch waste
12. Extraction of coffee and banana flavours and their utilisation in flavouring beverages.
13. Production of banana flour from Uganda’s cooking banana varieties.   

On-going

1. Aspects of Quality Assurance, Food Safety and Hygiene

1. Safety of Street vended foods
2. Microbiology, fermentation and improvement of the process     for production of Malwa, a Ugandan indigenous fermented millet beverage;
3. Extent and Nutritional implications of Hard-to-Cook defect in Uganda’s Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) varieties;  
4. Moulds and Aflatoxin incidence in maize from different ecological zones of Uganda;
5. Pre and Post harvest factors affecting afflatoxin contamination of groundnuts in Ugandan;

       2. Functional and Nutracentical components from Uganda foods

1. Extraction and characterization Nile perch oil.
2. Promoting and preserving indigenous food plants from the Victoria Basin.

       3. Product development for nutrient-enhanced and shelf stable products

1. Improving  the small-scale production  practices and quality of bushera.  
2. Nutricentical properties of grain amarathus.

Contact:

Head
Department of Food Science and Technology
Faculty of Agriculture
Makerere University
P.O. Box 7062
Kampala
Office: 256 414 533865 (Head), 256 414 533676 (General)
Fax: 256 414 531641
Email: foodtech@agric.mak.ac.ug