About
Professor Atinuke Olamide Idowu is a Visiting Professor in the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. She has held this appointment since 2018.
Professor Idowu holds a Bachelor of Technology (Honours) in Food Science and Technology from the Federal University of Technology, Akure (2001), and an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Food Technology from the University of Ibadan (2007 and 2014, respectively). She began her academic career at Redeemer’s University, Ede, Nigeria, in 2008, and was also a Research Fellow at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, in 2012. Her professional experience includes work with several leading food and beverage companies, including United African Company (UAC) Nigeria Plc., Nigerian Breweries Plc., Wonder Foods (now Promasidor) Nigeria Ltd., and Nigerian Bottling Company (Coca-Cola).
In 2015, Professor Idowu joined Mountain Top University, where she was among the pioneer academics who helped establish and develop the institution. She served as pioneer Head of the Departments of Chemical Sciences and Food Science and Technology and as Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Development Scheme. She also served as Director of the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) and Chairperson of several university committees.
Her research focuses on food science, food product development, and the utilization of bioactive food components for human health. Her work includes the identification and application of bioactive peptides and polyphenols with potential antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-lipidemic, and anti-dementia properties. She is particularly interested in the development of functional foods and the use of indigenous food resources in the prevention and management of diet-related diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dementia, and cancer.
Professor Idowu is an active member of several professional organizations, including the Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria (IPAN), Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST), Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals Association of Nigeria (FFNAN), Institute of Food Science and Technology (UK), Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), and Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD). She was a participant in the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) program in 2010 and has been nominated as a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants of Nigeria.
She has supervised numerous undergraduate and postgraduate students and has published extensively in local and international peer-reviewed journals. She also serves as a reviewer for academic journals and has participated in university accreditation and academic assessment activities. Professor Idowu has received travel grants and conference awards and has served as an invited speaker, guest speaker, and panel discussant at academic and professional events in Nigeria and internationally.
Beyond academia, she is passionate about mentoring young people and enjoys reading, cooking, and travelling.
Academic Qualifications
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Ph.D — Food Technology
University of Ibadan • 2014
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M. Sc — Food Technology
University of Ibadan • 2007
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B. Tech. — Food Science and Technology
Federal University of Technology • 2001
Professional Bodies & Associations
🛡️ Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria
Member
ID / Reg: 00955
Inducted: 2018
🛡️ Institute of Food Science and Technology, United Kingdom
Member
Inducted: 2022
Research Publications
No publications recorded yet.