Academia
 

Dr Basma Ellahi MIFST

BSc Biochemistry with Molecular Biology, University of Leeds
MSc Food Science, University of Leeds
PhD Food Policy, University of Bradford

Senior Lecturer Food Safety Management
Lancashire Postgraduate School of Medicine & Health
University of Central Lancashire, Preston

Committee Member of the IFST North of England Branch.
 
From my early days I can remember being fascinated when I was taught about the different nutrients in food at school. My early interest in diet and then the science of food led to me take Home Economics, as it was then, up to A level. I complemented this with A levels in Chemistry and Biology, graduated from the University of Leeds with an MSc in Food Science. I enjoyed learning about food safety, food processing, food analysis and nutrition, all built from a strong science base. My favourite sessions were in the food processing labs when we got to undertake sensory analysis on the food we produced. Food science became real when we visited local food manufacturing sites.

My PhD was undertaken at the University of Bradford in the Food Policy Unit. It involved an analysis of the impact of genetic modification techniques on the food production policies of the UK food industry.

After my PhD I joined the University of Teesside as Lecturer in Food Science and Nutrition. I spent three years teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate level on a range of food science and nutrition courses. I was also involved in training for the food industry and industrial training placements.

After 4 years at Teeside I moved back to the North West and I am now employed to teach, train and carry out research in food safety as part of an interdisciplinary training and research group based in the Lancashire Postgraduate School of Medicine and Health, which offers post-experience and postgraduate course in food related subjects. The School is headed by Professor Peter Aggett OBE. I also teach food science on the undergraduate programme. I enjoy my present position as I teach a discipline I have held an interest in for a long time and am able to continue with research with both food industry and a public health focus.