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Prof Olaniyi Amos Fawole

Professor and Director
Name: Olaniyi Amos Fawole
Location: D2 LAB 240. Postharvest and Agroprocessing Research Centre (PARC) Auckland Park Kingsway Campus
Botany & Plant Biotechnology Academic Staff  Staff Members

Contact Details:
Tel: +27(0)11 559 7237

Email: olaniyif@uj.ac.za

About Prof Olaniyi Amos Fawole

Prof. Fawole is a passionate academic whose focus on promoting wellness and sustainability has driven his academic career. Although his original goal was to become a medical doctor, his passion for food systems and agri-food areas led him to obtain a PhD in Horticultural Sciences with a strong focus on postharvest loss and waste reduction. Since then, Prof. Fawole has dedicated himself to preserving and adding value to nutritious food crops to improve health and economic outcomes. Prof Fawole has led and managed over 30 research projects funded by various sources, including the South African horticulture and food industries, government, and research organizations. Prof. Fawole is a Full Professor and the Founding Director of the Postharvest and Agroprocessing Research Centre (PARC) at the University of Johannesburg. He is also the International Society for Horticultural Science Workgroup Chairperson on Pomegranate and Minor Mediterranean Fruits. He has published over 170 indexed articles and has successfully graduated 40 postgraduate students, with 24 currently under his supervision. His contributions have earned him a B2 rating, a rating category reserved for internationally acclaimed researchers by the National Research Foundation of South Africa. Prof. Fawole is an active leader in his field, collaborating with various organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the African Union Commission (AUC), and the World Academy of Sciences. His expertise and leadership abilities have earned him positions on several boards, including being a Technical Board Member of the global organization CIGR Section VI and an Advisory Committee Member of the Food Loss and Waste Initiative of the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa. He is also the Co-Chair of the Technical Committee for the 4th All African Postharvest Congress & Exhibition, hosted by the AUC. Additionally, Prof. Fawole holds academic affiliations with other educational institutions and the UNESCO International Centre for Biotechnology as a Senior Fellow. In his free time, Prof. Fawole leverages his LinkedIn platform with over 30,000 followers to raise awareness about food security, sustainability, and sustainable technologies.

H-Index of 36; i10-Index of 75; over 4000 citations (GoogleScholar, accessed on 4 Jan 2023)

National Research Foundation Rating: B2

Research Focus

My research and development activities cover the following areas:

Sustainable Postharvest Preservation of Fresh Horticultural, Indigenous and Medicinal Crops

Goal: This multidisciplinary research subtheme focuses on applications of novel and sustainable technologies to optimize the quality and ensure the safety of horticultural, indigenous and medicinal crops.

Agroprocessing & Valorisation of Horticultural, Indigenous & Medicinal Crops, Coproducts & Waste

Goal: This multidisciplinary research subtheme focuses on dehydration and value-adding potentials of horticultural crops and agro-waste for minimizing postharvest food losses in support of a circular economy. Optimization of dehydration, pre-treatment and extraction methods are being investigated. Others include green synthesis of nanomaterials using agro-waste as biofactories and micro and nano-encapsulation of phytochemical-rich extracts.

Applications of 4IR Technologies in Postharvest Horticultural and Food Systems

Goal: This multidisciplinary research subtheme focuses on applying 4IR technologies in the postharvest and agroprocessing systems for intelligent and rapid decision-making and information sharing. The following aspects are being explored: Machine Learning applications; Non-destructive techniques; Biosensors in food storage; Blockchain technologies; Real-time monitoring of the supply chain (ICT); Laser labelling of fruit.

Teaching Activities

Plant Physiology (BOT02B2)

Postharvest Technology (BOT8X01)

Scientific Methods (BOT8X02)

Research Topics

  • Development of multifunctional biodegradable packaging films using medicinal plants for food applications
  • Application of sustainable pre-drying and drying techniques for stabilisation of fresh produce for new enterprise creation
  • Alternatives to plastic packaging and synthetic chemicals in exported fruit and vegetables
  • Bioprospecting and valorisation of crop-based residues and unconventional plant parts
  • Formulation and application of edible coatings for food preservation
  • Application of 4IR technologies in postharvest horticulture
  • Mapping postharvest losses and wastes of fresh produce
  • Assessment of agro-chain greenhouse gas emissions (ACE)
  • Maturity indexing and development of storage protocols for new cultivars and indigenous/underutilised crops
  • Assessment of return on investment of postharvest and processing technologies to encourage adoption

External Links

Selected Publications

Journal Articles

  • Bhardwaj, R., Aghdam, M.S., Arnao, M.B., Brecht, J.K., Fawole, O.A., Pareek, S. 2022. Melatonin Alleviates Chilling Injury Symptom Development in Mango Fruit by Maintaining Intracellular Energy and Cell Wall and Membrane Stability. Frontiers in Nutrition, 9, art. no. 936932; IF = 6.590. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.936932
  • Ferrara, G., Melle, A., Marcotuli, V., Botturi, D., Fawole, O.A., Mazzeo, A. 2022. The prediction of ripening parameters in Primitivo wine grape cultivar using a portable NIR device. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 114, art. no. 104836; IF = 4.52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2022.104836
  • Kobo, G.K., Kaseke, T., Fawole, O.A. 2022. Micro‐Encapsulation of Phytochemicals in Passion Fruit Peel Waste Generated on An Organic Farm: Effect of Carriers on the Quality of Encapsulated Powders and Potential for Value‐Addition. Antioxidants, 11, 1579; IF = 7.675. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox11081579
  • Lin, M. Fawole, O.A., Saeys, W., Wu, D., Wang, J., Opara, U.L., Nicolai, B., Chen, K. 2022. Mechanical damages and packaging methods along the fresh fruit supply chain: A review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition; IF = 11.208. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2022.2078783
  • Mwelase, S., Opara, U.L., Fawole, O.A. 2022. Effect of chitosan-based melatonin composite coating on the quality of minimally processed pomegranate aril-sacs during cold storage. Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, 00:e17096; IF = 2.609. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfpp.17096
  • Nxumalo, K.A., Fawole, O.A. 2022. Effects of chitosan coatings fused with medicinal plant extracts on postharvest quality and storage stability of purple passion fruit (Passiflora edulis var. Ester). Food Quality and Safety, 6, art. no. fyac016; IF = 3.949. https://doi.org/10.1093/fqsafe/fyac016
  • Nxumalo, K.A., Fawole, O.A. 2022. Green synthesized nanomaterials as an alternative to restricted chemicals in postharvest preservation of horticultural crops: a review. E3S Web of Conferences, 337, 05006 https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202233705006
    8. Nxumalo, K.A., Fawole, O.A., Oluwafemi, O.S. 2022. Evaluating the Efficacy of Gum Arabic-Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Composite Coating on Shelf-Life Extension of Mandarins (cv. Kinnow). Frontiers in Plant Science, 13, art. no. 953861; IF = 6.627. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.953861
  • Olarewaju, O.O., Magwaza, L.S., Fajinmi, O.O., Fawole, O.A., Plackova, L., Dolezal, K. 2022. Changes in cytokinins and auxins levels in the rind of ‘Nules Clementine’ mandarin as related to the fruit position on the tree and the susceptibility to non-chilling rind breakdown disorder. South African Journal of Botany, 151(2022), 667-674; IF = 3.111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2022.10.046
  • Pfukwa, T.M., Fawole, O.A., Manley, M., Mapiye, C. 2022. Phenolic profiling and antioxidant evaluation of extracts from Southern African indigenous fruits byproducts. Food Research International, 157, art. no. 111388; IF = 7.425. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111388
  • Pfukwa, T.M., Pheiffer, W., Fawole, O.A., Manley, M., Mapiye, C. 2022. Cellular antioxidant and viability efficacy of Harpephyllum caffrum peel and Syzygium guineense seed extracts. Food Bioscience, 49, art. no. 101934; IF = 5.318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fbio.2022.101934
  • Rao, J., Shen, C., Yang, Z., Fawole, O.A., Li, J., Wu, D., Chen, K. 2022. Facile microfluidic fabrication and characterization of ethyl cellulose/PVP films with neatly arranged fibers. Carbohydrate Polymers, 292, 119702; IF = 10.723. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.119702
  • Singla, M., Pareek, S., Kumar, N., Sagar, N.A., Fawole, O.A. 2022. Chitosan-Cinnamon Oil Coating Maintains Quality and Extends Shelf Life of Ready-To-Use Pomegranate Arils under Low-Temperature Storage. Journal of Food Quality, 2022, IF = 3.200. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/3404691
  • Yang, Z., Shen, C., Rao, J., Li, J., Yang, X., Zhang, H., Li, J., Fawole, O.A., Wu, D., Chen, K. 2022. Biodegradable gelatin/pullulan aerogel modified by a green strategy: Characterization and antimicrobial activity. Food Packaging and Shelf Life, 34, 100957; IF = 8.749. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fpsl.2022.100957
  • Mina, ZP., Kaseke, T., Fadiji, T., Fawole, OA., 2022. Effect of gum Arabic and ethanol pretreatments on drying kinetics and quality attributes of dried carrot slices. Heliyon, e12037 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12037

Conference Proceedings

  • Fawole, O.A. and Opara, U.L. (2018). Value-addition of sunburned pomegranate fruit to reduce postharvest losses: a cosmeceutical perspective. Acta Horticulturae 1225, 221-226
  • O.A. Fawole, U.L. Opara, L. Chen (2015). Bioavailability of total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of pomegranate fruit juice and marc after in vitro digestion. Acta Horticulturae, 1079: 285–290
  • O.A. Fawole, Umezuruike L. Opara, Karen I. Theron (2013). Influence of fruit developmental and maturity stages on chemical, phytochemical and antioxidant properties of pomegranate juice. Acta Horticulturae, 1007: 461–469
  • O.A. Fawole, A.R. Ndhlala, J.F. Finnie, J. Van Staden (2009). Comparative pharmacological and phytochemical evaluation of Protea simplex leaves and bark. South African Journal of Botany, 75: 432
  • Popular Scientific Article
  • Olaniyi Fawole and Shannon Riva. Let’s seal the deal: Edible coating application on stone fruit. South African Fruit Journal, October 2018.
    Research Reports
  • OA Fawole (2019). Functional and biological properties of pomegranate fruit waste. Reported submitted to Stellenbosch University.
  • OA. Fawole and U.L. Opara (2015). Integrated postharvest management of pomegranate fruit. Report submitted to Postharvest Innovation Fund and POMASA
  • OA. Fawole and U.L. Opara (2013). Maturity indexing and handling protocol for pomegranate fruit. Report submitted to Citrogold Limited