Oluwatosin Ademola Ijabadeniyi, Ph.D., MBA, is a distinguished researcher, academic, and entrepreneur with a global footprint in food quality and safety. He earned his Ph.D. in Food Sciencefrom the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and an MBA from the Durban University of Technology. Since 2001, he has built an international career in academia and research, contributing extensively to the field. He is the editor of Food Science and Technology: Trends and Future Prospects and has authored numerous scientific publications as well as five inspirational books. An alumnus of the UC Davis Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Oluwatosin has further honed his expertise through executive programs, including Sustainable Business Strategy and Disruptive Strategy from Harvard Business School. His work has earned him prestigious research grants, awards, and fellowships, including the Association of Commonwealth Universities Fellowship and the APHL-CDC Fellowship. Currently, he serves as an Honorary Research Professor at Durban University of Technology and is the Director of Tosin Badeniyi & Associates, LLC, USA. His career bridges academia and industry, driving innovation in food safety, sustainability, and strategic business growth. Dr. Christiana Eleojo Aruwa, Ph.D., with a track record of cum laude honours and master’s degrees in Microbiology and Food Microbiology, respectively, and a Ph.D. in Biotechnology earned at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), South Africa, in 2019, Dr. Christiana Eleojo Aruwa portrays expertise in enzyme technology (biocatalysis) for novel molecules synthesis, antimicrobial drugs design, discovery, development; and bio-resources optimization. Her other research areas span food and industrial microbiology, fermentation technology, computational biology and bioanalytical chemistry, microbial risk and hazard assessment, microbiome characterization, antimicrobial resistance, public health, plant metabolomics, phyto-therapeutics, and medicinal chemistry. Dr. Aruwa also has over a decade long experience in curricula development, mentoring, projects' management and supervision, tertiary education, administration and R&D within academia and industry. She continues to collaborate internationally, present at and lead national and international conference discussions, while being actively engaged in journal peer review services. Dr. Aruwa holds professional several certifications, and remains affiliated to various professional bodies, and has been the recipient of several research awards and distinctions. She has over 50 publications (over 35 journal articles, and over 10 book chapters). However, this book marks her entry into the new world of book publishing given her drive to advance the microbial and food biotechnology research fields, and in the light of emerging 4-6IR initiatives that are ‘big data’, AI and ML-based for smarter work, enhanced outputs/products, and greater insights on findings from scientific data. Dr. Titilayo Adenike Ajayeoba Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Food Science and Nutrition Unit, Department of Microbiology, Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State, Nigeria. She obtained her Ph.D. in Food Microbiology and Biotechnology from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria, in 2016. Since 2007, Dr. Ajayeoba has been actively engaged in teaching, tutoring, mentoring, and carrying out research in the fields of microbial technology, food and beverage fermentation, food microbiology, food genomics, biotechnology and genetic engineering, as well as food quality and safety. Her work consistently bridges scientific innovation and practical application in the food and nutrition sector. In 2020, she completed her NRF-TWAS postdoctoral fellowship under the supervision of Professor Ademola Ijabadeniyi, focusing on the application of microorganisms and microbial metabolites derived from fermented foods and beverages in promoting food and health development. Her research emphasized the safety and value addition of indigenous food products, as well as improved food waste management strategies. Dr. Ajayeoba is an active member of several national and international professional organizations and has been recognized with multiple research awards for her contributions to the advancement of food safety.
