Keynote Speakers

Prof. Jong-Whan Rhim

Kyung Hee University, Korea

Biography: Prof. Rhim received his Ph.D. in food engineering from Dept. of Food Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA in 1988. He got his M.Sc. in food engineering from Dept. of Biological Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Korea in 1980 and B.Sc. in food engineering from Dept. of Food Engineering, YonSei University, Seoul, Korea in1977. He is now a Professor working at the Dept. of Food and Nutrition, Kyung Hee University, Korea since 2017. Before that, he was a Professor at the Dept. of Food Engineering, Mokpo National University, Korea. He used to work as Head of Dept. of Food Engineering, Mokpo National University, Korea, and Visiting scholar at School of Packaging, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA and Dept. of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, USA. He was the head of Food Packaging Lab, R & D Center, Miwon Co. Ltd., Seoul, Korea and a research scientist in the Food Chemistry Lab, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Korea. He established a Food Packaging Laboratory (including equipment worth over $2.0 million for the Food Packaging and Food Engineering Lab) from “ground zero” at Kyung Hee University. He has over 30 years of continuous research support totaling over $ 4 million in competitive grants from governments and university, as well as from industry. He graduated 7 M.S. and 4 Ph.D. students in the Food Packaging and Food Engineering fields. And he has over 240 scientific publications, five book chapters, and five patents. He was also  invited to give short courses/seminars to scientists for a number of major food packaging and food engineering organizations and serve in a number of leadership and program chair positions in food packaging science-related national and international organizations. He was a Highly Cited Researcher (2016, 2017, 2018, Clarivate Analytics).

Speech Title: Multifunctional Biopolymer-Based Nanocomposite Films for Food Packaging Applications

Abstract: Concerns about environmental pollution caused by non-biodegradable petrochemical-based plastic packaging materials and consumer demand for high quality food products have increased interest in developing biodegradable packaging materials that use annually renewable natural biopolymers such as polysaccharides and proteins. However, the inherent disadvantages of natural polymer-based packaging materials, such as low mechanical properties and somewhat hydrophilic properties, are leading to major limitations for their industrial applications. One of the ways to solve the problem of bio-polymeric films is to develop nanocomposite films by combining nano-sized fillers such as nanoclays, nanometals or metal oxides, and organic fillers like cellulose or chitin nanocrystals. Polymer nanocomposites have significantly improved packaging properties due to nanometer-sized dispersion. These improvements include increased mechanical strength, reduced gas permeability, and increased water resistance. In addition, some nanoparticles-incorporated bio-nanocomposite films exhibit additional functional properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, and UV-light barrier properties. As a result, natural bio-polymer-based nanocomposite packaging materials with bio-functional properties have great potential for active food packaging applications.

 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Apiradee Uthairatanakij

King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) , Thailand

Biography: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Apiradee Uthairatanakij received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in horticulture from Kasetsart University, Thailand. She got her Ph.D degree in postharvest technology from University of Western Sydney, Australia. She is now with the Division of Postharvest Technology, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) , Thailand. Her curret research areas include Pre and Postharvest of fresh produces and agricultural processing. The areas of her research group relate to postharvest physiology of fresh produces especially mangosteen and mangoes and also organic vegetables. In addition, her group develops the protocol of some tropical fruits such as gamma irradiated mango and mangosteen fruits. Using LED lights in plant factory to enhance bioactive compounds in various vegetables have also been study.