Scientific Committee

Shai Barbut University of Wisconsin, United States

Dr. Barbut was born in Israel and is a Canadian citizen. Shai received his B.S. from the University of Jerusalem and his M.S. and PhD from the University of Wisconsin. Shai is a professor in the Department of Animal & Poultry Science at the University of Guelph, in Guelph, Ontario, Canada since 1985. Dr. Barbut has published extensively in the area of poultry meat and egg products. Dr. Barbut’s textbook on Poultry Products Processing An Industry Guide has been used extensively by academia and industry personnel. In The Science of Meat and Poultry Processing he extends the coverage of his first book and has been published as an E-book providing free access to anyone while permitting the author to update the content as needed. Shai is one of the only faculty members at a Canadian University researching and writing in the area of poultry meat and egg product technology. He is a fellow in the Institute of Food Technology in the area of Muscle foods and has won numerous honors and awards as well as providing leadership on many government committees.

Andrea Maier-Noth Eat-Health-Pleasure GmbH, Switzerland

Prof. Dr. Andrea Maier-Nöth is a distinguished expert in Health Psychology, Nutritional Sciences, and Consumer Research. She has a broad range of expertise and serves as a speaker and network leader, engaging with scientific, public, and governmental institutions on various topics including nutrition, health, sustainability, and innovation. Prof. Maier-Nöth is fluent in English, German, and French.
Her educational journey began with studying Food Technology and Nutrition at the University of Fulda in Germany, where she focused on chemistry, product development, human nutrition, and quality management. During her bachelor’s degree, she implemented a quality management/HACCP system and developed a concept for employee training to ensure consistent product quality. She pursued her diploma thesis at the Sensory Science Research Center at the University of Otago in New Zealand, where she worked on a project for an American beverage company, assessing the impact of various extracts on the flavor and texture of cream cheese with different fat content.
Continuing her education, she earned her MSc in Food Science and Nutrition from the University of Minnesota, where her research focused on liking, flavor intensity, and sensory similarity among flavors in potato chips and popcorn. Prof. Maier-Nöth also explored physiology, psychology of food choice, and food intake control during her time as a teaching assistant.
Prof. Maier-Nöth’s career has been heavily involved in applied science and collaboration with marketing companies for product development. She joined Nestlé in 2004 and completed her PhD at the Nestlé Research Center (NRC) in collaboration with the Centre des Sciences Goût et de l’Alimentation at the Université de Bourgogne, France. Her thesis investigated ways to encourage the acceptance of new healthy foods in young children in France and Germany.
Over the years, Prof. Maier-Nöth has held various roles at Nestlé, including Senior Research Scientist and Product Area Coordinator for Performance and Nutrition. She worked extensively in the Consumer Science Group, focusing on infant and children research, and later became the Head of the Consumer LINK Department at the Product Technology Center in Germany. In this role, she led cross-functional teams and drove consumer-centric innovation by linking consumer needs, sensory expertise, and nutritional knowledge in product development for Nestlé’s food business.
Since April 2016, Prof. Maier-Nöth has been the managing director of Eat-Health-Pleasure GmbH, where she acts as a scientific advisor and speaker in the fields of health psychology, nutritional sciences, and consumer research. In this capacity, she guides industries, public institutions, and universities on strategies and nutritional concepts to promote healthy eating from pregnancy to adulthood.
Additionally, since January 2019, she holds a professorship at the University of Applied Science in Albstadt-Sigmaringen, Germany, where she teaches and conducts research in health and nutritional psychology, sensory and consumer research, and sustainable product life cycles. As the leader of the Research Center of Consumer, Food, and Appliances, she is responsible for driving the strategy and application of the new Innovationscampus Sigmaringen, which focuses on testing and promoting new sustainable innovation areas and product ideas.

Committee Members

Shai Barbut

Paula Bourke

Andrea Maier-Noth

Brad McEwen

Khaled Alakeel

Marlene Schou Gronbeck

Kevin Murphy