Boyle and Singh Represent AAMU with Top Honors in IFT Research Competition
AAMU Graduate Students Excel at National Food Science Conference
Graduate students from Alabama A&M University’s Food Science Department made a powerful impression at the 2025 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) FIRST Annual Conference in Chicago, earning top national honors and showcasing research that reflects the University’s growing reputation in food and nutritional sciences.
The IFT FIRST conference – short for Food Improved by Research, Science, and Technology – offers a dynamic platform where academic research meets industry innovation. This year’s event drew more than 18,000 participants from across the globe, making it the world’s largest gathering of food scientists and innovators.
Katelyn Boyle and Harpreet Singh, both Ph.D. candidates under the advisement of Dr. Martha Verghese, emerged as leading scholars in highly competitive oral presentation divisions. Boyle placed first in the Product Development division, while Singh earned second place in the Toxicology division – outperforming peers from major institutions such as the University of Georgia, Kansas State, LSU, and the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Their selection followed a rigorous, three-stage review process that narrowed hundreds of submitted abstracts to a small group of finalists.
Boyle presented her innovative work titled “Development of a Functional Food Snack Product Utilizing Antioxidant-Rich Spirulina Microalgae and Bilberry.” Singh impressed judges with his research on “Antioxidant Activity and Cytotoxic Effects of Date Seed Extracts on Colon Cancer Cells (HT-29).”
Their achievements were part of a broader, University-wide showing at IFT FIRST. The AAMU delegation included three faculty members, two staff, and fifteen students who attended scientific sessions, explored industry exhibits, and presented research through oral and poster presentations.
Eight abstracts from AAMU were selected for presentation, covering areas such as nutritional biochemistry, food toxicology, food engineering, and product development. Among the presenters were Ph.D. students Tejasri Thatipamula, Karthik Medabalimi, Vinay Madala, Mariam Yakubu, along with Boyle and Singh. Their work tackled a range of timely topics – from the anti-obesity potential of natural compounds like curry leaf and Spirulina, to the engineering of 3D-printed plant-based meat analogs and innovations in food safety.
Faculty members in attendance included Dr. Martha Verghese, Professor and Chair of the Food Science Department; Dr. Josh Herring, Professor of Food Chemistry; and Dr. Judith Boateng, Professor of Food and Nutrition Toxicology. Staff participants included Dr. Elvis Baidoo and Dr. Ogechukwu Tasie, who also served as a competition judge for the IFTSA Smart Snacks for Kids Product Development competition.
Boyle, the President of the AAMU chapter of the Institute of Food Technologists Student Association (IFTSA), holds a national leadership role as Vice President and Board Member of the IFTSA Executive Board. Her presence and contributions at the conference reflected both academic excellence and service leadership.