Prof Shahin Rahimifard
Professor of Sustainable Engineering, BSc MSc PhD CEng FIMechE FHEACentre for Sustainable Manufacturing and Reuse/Recycling Technologies (SMART)
Forging new frontiers in sustainable food manufacturing
Abstract:
One of the most prominent challenges commonly acknowledged by modern manufacturing industries is 'how to do more with less?' Nowhere is this more true than in the food sector due to the well documented concerns regarding the long term availability and security of food resources. The loss of arable land linked to climate change, the rapidly increasing global population, and changes in demand and dietary behaviours both within developed and developing countries urgently demands a need to change the way we grow, manufacture and consume our food products. The unique attributes of food products such as the need for fresh perishable ingredients, health risks associated with inappropriate production environment, stringent storage and distributions requirements together with relatively short post-production shelf-life makes them considerably different to other manufactured goods. This paper discusses a number of key research challenges facing modern food manufacturers, including improved productivity using fewer resources, valorisation of food waste, improving the resilience of food supply chains, localisation of food production, and utilisation of new sustainable sources of nutrition for provision of customised food products.
Biography:
Shahin Rahimifard is a Professor of Sustainable Engineering (since April 2009) at Loughborough University and the Founder and Director of the Centre for "Sustainable Manufacturing and Recycling Technologies (SMART)" [www.lboro.ac.uk/smart], which was established in 2004. His research work is focused on sustainability issues throughout a 'Product Lifecycle', including projects on sustainable product design, resource efficient manufacturing, sustainable business models, and reuse and recycling technologies. These projects have benefited from involvement of a number of high profile global manufacturers and retailers, which include Rolls-Royce, Jaguar Land Rover, GM, Nike, Clarks, Next, Unilever, PepsiCo, Marks and Spencer, and Tesco.
Professor Rahimifard is currently the Deputy Director of a UK National Centre for 'Innovative Food Manufacturing' in which he is leading a wide range of research ranging from 'resource efficient localised production of food products' and 'valorisation of food waste for human nutrition' to 'embedding resilience within global food supply chain'.
Professor Rahimifard is the Editor-in-Chief of the 'International Journal of Sustainable Engineering [www.tandf.co.uk/journals/tsue]', the inaugural issue of which was published by Taylor and Francis in January 2008.
Email: s.rahimifard@lboro.ac.uk
Web: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/meme/staff/shahin-rahimifard/
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