Axiom Media GroupThe Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has named Marleny D.A. Saldaña, professor of bio-engineering processing at the University of Alberta, an IFT Fellow alongside five other researchers. The fellowship honours outstanding contributions to food science through service, career excellence, and leadership.
Saldaña started out with a background in chemical engineering, heading to do her Master’s degree in Brazil. After discovering an amazing amount of products, she felt inspired to explore food production and bioactive compounds. Sensitive to caffeine, she gravitated toward decaffeinating coffee beans with supercritical carbon dioxide, a method that heats and pressurizes the gas. Various industries, from cosmetics to agriculture, also rely on supercritical carbon dioxide to extract many other compounds, and its byproducts find wide use in pharmaceuticals and beyond.
Her research exploring the application of supercritical carbon dioxide was recognized worldwide, inspiring and motivating her further. She is currently an editor of the Food Engineering Reviews Journal, and has served as guest editor of The Journal of Supercritical Fluids and the LWT Food Science and Technology Journal. Saldaña has also been invited as a keynote speaker in several countries worldwide to speak about emerging processing technologies.
Breakthroughs in supercritical processing
Throughout her career, Saldaña has focused on advancing new methods to make food production more efficient, sustainable, and safer. “My work has dedicated a lot of time to [implementing] new processes,” Saldaña said. “One is the supercritical carbon dioxide, the supercritical water processing, the high pressure processing, and the ultrasound processing.”
The applications of her research include extending the life of food products, the inactivation of enzymes, and overall, avoiding waste by upcycling and preventing health issues for consumers.
Saldaña highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in the field of food science and technology. From expertise in agriculture, to processing engineering, to microbiology, social science, and beyond, each discipline brings the team closer to their goal.
“Go with your passion, be committed, keep reading, [and] network a lot,” Saldaña said. “Don’t feel that you do not contribute, because even with your questions, you can contribute.”
Saldaña places her hope in the youth. “Continue to be the person that will make the next changes and contribute [to] the advancement of the field of science and technology.”
Becoming an IFT Fellow, she added, is a recognition from peers that reflects years of dedication to advancing the field. “It’s really the highest honour in food science and technology,” she said. “That designation encourages me to continue my work and to inspire the next generation, as I was inspired by those before me.”
Driving sustainability through upcycling waste
At the U of A, her projects have focused on tackling sustainability challenges by finding ways to upcycle food waste. Her research transforms potato peels rich in lycopene and cereal straws that yield cellulose into bioactive compounds, films, packaging, and even pharmaceutical or cosmetic ingredients.
“Upcycling is really urgent right now,” Saldaña said. “We cannot keep relying on landfilling. With the right technologies, we can extend shelf life, inactivate harmful microbes, and provide healthier food while reducing waste.”
Looking ahead, she sees food science playing a vital role in responding to climate change and global food insecurity. “Millions of people need to eat safe, healthy, and high-quality food,” she said.
International mentorships and a love of food has shaped Saldaña’s personal journey into food science. From her early work decaffeinating coffee to her later research on emerging processing technologies, she continues to draw inspiration from the possibilities that food offers.
“Food is really essential,” Saldana said. “I think when you share with your family, it’s passion, it’s something that [makes] you feel happy.”
