Nada El Darra

 Nada El Darra
  • Food Chemistry

Areas of Expertise:
Food safety and technology; Valorization of by-products; Mycotoxins screening; Chemical and biological contaminants; Decontamination; Industrial process engineering

Membership:
since 2021

Contact

Beirut Arab University, Lebanon

Faculty of Health Sciences
Tarik El Jedidah
Beirut
Lebanon

+961 1 300110
n.aldarra(at)bau.edu.lb
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About me

I am an associate professor of food safety and technology and coordinator of the M.Sc program of Food Analysis and Safety at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Beirut Arab University, Lebanon. My research projects focus on food safety and technology. I address these topics with partners from different research institutions. At the international level, I collaborated with the Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA), National Research Council of Italy, on a project related to screening for mycotoxins in spices and herbs commercialized in Lebanon and Italy.

Another food safety concern in Lebanon is the bacterial contamination of spices. To solve this issue, I also worked on the development of decontamination systems for spices with the School of Engineering, University of Glasgow. I further collaborated with the Institute of Food Science, National Research Council, Italy, to develop an advanced rapid technique to quantify antibiotic residues in food samples. I co-supervise graduate students with Drs. from the University of Technology of Compiegne, France. At the national level, I conducted many research projects with the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute and the Industrial Research Institute and some Lebanese universities (AUB, USJ). My ongoing innovative projects focus mainly on the valorization of food by-products: Currently, I am developing (1) a prototype to decontaminate spices and (2) a hurdle technique to extract essential oils from food by-products.

AGYA provides me with partnership-building opportunities as well as funding resources to support my innovative projects. It helps me to address food safety issues through collaborating with partners from different disciplines and research institutions and exchanging knowledge and expertise.


Academic career
2014 - todayAssociate Professor of Food Safety & Technology and Coordinator of the M.Sc. in Food Analysis & Safety at the department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Beirut Arab University, Lebanon
2013 - 2014Quality Control/Assurance Manager at ABIDO spices factory, Neemeh, Lebanon
2011 - 2012Quality Control/Assurance Manager at Conserves Modernes Chtaura factory, Bekaa, Lebanon
2009 - 2013Ph.D. in Industrial Process Engineering and Sustainable Development at the Department of Industrial Process Engineering and Sustainable Development, University of Technology of Compiègne, France
2009 - 2013Ph.D. in Food chemistry at the Faculty of Sciences, Saint Joseph University, Lebanon
2009 - 2013M.Sc. in Food chemistry at the Faculty of Sciences,Saint Joseph University, Lebanon
My Commitment to AGYA
Nomination Committee 'New AGYA Members' 2022

On a personal note

Favourite novel:
The Prophet by Joubran Khalil Joubran

The scientist from my country you should know:
Hassan Kamel al-Sabah