UFF Upcycled Food Symposium III - Day 1
Zoom
Event Details
Join us for Day One of an engaging virtual symposium with global participants. An inspiring and informative two days of learning, a global scientific convening on upcycled food innovation! Day Two information can be found here. Speakers and session information below!
Dr. Lee Oon Ling, Doctoral Researcher, Singapore Management University, Singapore
Keynote Talk: AI-Assisted Thematic Analysis on Consumer Acceptance of Upcycled Food in Asia
Tomomi Maki, Collaborative researcher, Kagawa University, Japan
Lightning Talk: : Factors influencing Willingness to Pay for Upcycled Food: Insights from Japan
Bio to come!
Joy Chidinma Nnadiegbulam, PhD Student, University College Dublin, Ireland
Lightning Talk: Reducing food waste, one bite at a time...but did anyone notice? Irish consumers' evaluation of upcycled foods with and without packaging
Joy Nnadiegbulam is a second-year PhD student at University College Dublin, School of Agriculture and Food Science, where she is researching the co-creation of new upcycled foods with Irish consumers under the supervision of Dr Simona Grasso. Her work explores how involving consumers throughout the product development process, from ideation to final concepts, can foster innovation while reducing food waste. She is particularly interested in how consumer engagement influences consumer acceptance of upcycled foods. Outside of her research, Joy enjoys cooking native delicacies and watching movies.
Dr. Lara Ramdin, UFF Board Member/Scientific Committee Chair
Dr. Lara Ramdin is a systems and design thinking leader at the forefront of innovation and sustainability. With executive experience spanning Unilever, Estée Lauder, Molson Coors, Dole Sunshine Company, and Upcycled Foods Inc., she brings a unique perspective to transforming complex food systems. A passionate advocate for shifting from extractive to circular models, Lara focuses her work at the intersection of food, climate, and consumer empowerment. She champions access to nutritious, sustainable foods that promote longer, healthier lives—advancing the food-as-medicine movement with purpose and precision. As Chief Scientist and Ambassador for FoodxClimate, and a board member of the Upcycled Food Foundation, Lara drives scientific progress in upcycling through her leadership of the Research Fellows Program and as Co-Chair of the Scientific Committee. She also serves as Chair of the IFT Trends Group and Chair-Elect of the IFT Sustainable Food Systems Division. Often called the “Upcycling Queen,” Lara is known for transforming overlooked by-products into nutrient-dense, high-quality ingredients—cutting food waste while tackling food insecurity head-on. Her work lives at the nexus of science, sustainability, and social impact, making her a recognized thought leader shaping the future of food. Lara is also an Emeritus Board Member of the Upcycled Food Association, where her visionary leadership continues to influence food system innovation that nourishes both people and the planet.
