Staff

Academic staff

Prof Gunnar Sigge, Departmental Chair

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Name	Prof Gunnar Sigge
Email address	gos@sun.ac.za
Tel:	+27 (0)21 808 3578
Office	1007
Undergraduate Modules	Introduction to Food Science (FS144) Commercial Food Processing & Preservation (FS214) Commercial Food Processing & Preservation (FS244)
Research Profile:	Gunnar Sigge has more than 20 years of experience in academia. He is currently Associate-Professor and Head of the Department of Food Science, Stellenbosch University, South Africa – a position he has held since 2009. His research interests include food processing, food processing wastewater treatment, sustainable water-use in the food industry, food safety of irrigated fresh produce, and novel disinfection systems for food and irrigation water.
ORCID ID link:	https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9791-0518
Scopus Author	https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=6602407326

Prof Pieter Gouws

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Name	Prof Pieter Gouws
Email address	pgouws@sun.ac.za
Tel:	+27 (0)21 808 2609
Office no:	1021
Undergraduate Modules	Introduction to Food Science (FS144) Food Quality and Safety Management Systems (FS333) Trial design and product development (FS478)
Research Profile:	Prof Gouws' research focuses on food safety, and he has made a significant contribution as an educator and researcher. He is currently Professor and Director of the Centre for Food Safety in the Department of Food Science. His work on foodborne pathogens, especially Listeria and Salmonella, has earned him considerable international recognition, and he is the South African representative on the International Commission on Food Microbiology and Hygiene (ICMFH). His visionary and innovative leadership resulted in the establishment of the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) in 2019, a one-of-a-kind applied food science research consortium comprised of Stellenbosch University and partners in the food industry. Through innovation and collaboration, the CFS is continuing to receive global interest and recognition.
ORCID ID link:	Pieter Gouws (0000-0002-7061-2403) - ORCID
Scopus Author	Gouws, Pieter Andries - Author details - Scopus Preview

Prof Marena Manley

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Name	Prof Marena Manley
Email address	mman@sun.ac.za
Tel:	+27 (0)21 808 3511
Office	1008
Undergraduate Modules	Cereal Science (FS344) Food Packaging (FS414)
Research Profile:	Marena Manley joined the Department of Food Science in 1997 and currently holds the position of Full Professor. Her research focuses on the application of near-infrared spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging, primarily in the analysis of grains. More recently, her work has expanded to cover a diverse range of food-related topics, including honey adulteration, sourdough maintenance, chocolate refining and tempering, and the characterisation of gummy candy. She employs advanced multivariate data analysis techniques, with a particular emphasis on exploratory ANOVA-simultaneous component analysis, to interpret the effects of controlled experimental factors on spectral data within full-factorial experimental designs.
ORCID ID link:	https://orcid.org/my-orcid?orcid=0000-0001-7581-7208
Scopus Author	https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=7004706134#

Dr Stefan Hayward

Name	Dr Stefan Hayward
Email address	stefanh@sun.ac.za
Tel:	+27 (0)21 808 3578
Office no:	2031
Undergraduate Modules	Introduction to Food Science (FS144) Food Science 353 – Food and beverage Biochemistry
Research Profile:	Stefan Hayward holds a PhD in Biochemistry and has more than 10 years experience in the food- and related industries. He is a lecturer in the Department of Food Science and his research interests include brewing and distilling as well as the development of novel analytical techniques for quality assurance.
ORCID ID link:	https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5401-684X

Dr Debora van der Merwe

Room 1014, Tel +27(0)21 808 3654

jdvandermerwe@sun.ac.za

Undergraduate Modules

Food Science 144, 478

Dr Jeannine Marais

Name	Dr Jeannine Marais
Email address	jeanninemarais@sun.ac.za
Tel:	+27 (0)21 808 2939
Office no:	3003
Undergraduate Modules	Nutrition for the Food Scientist (FS324) Sensory Analysis (FS354) Trial Design and Product Development (FS478)
Research Profile:	Jeannine Marais is a Lecturer in the Department of Food Science at Stellenbosch University. She specialises in Sensory Science, focusing on the evaluation of agricultural food and beverage products such as fruits, nuts, and meat. Through interdisciplinary collaborations with academia and industry, her research applies standardised methodologies to assess physicochemical properties, sensory quality, and consumer perception.
ORCID ID link:	https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3293-9253
Scopus Author	https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=55807367400 & https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=58980639100

Dr Diane Rip

Name	Dr Diane Rip
Email address	dirip@sun.ac.za
Tel:	+27 (0)21 808 9739
Office	2017A
Undergraduate Modules	Introduction to Food Science (144) Commercial Food Processing & Preservation (FS214) Quality management systems (FS333)
Research Profile:	Dr. Rip holds a PhD in Biotechnology with a specialization in food microbiology. Her primary interests have always centered on food-borne pathogens and food safety. Her work at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and later at Stellenbosch University (since 2017) solidified her dedication to food safety, molecular biology, and One Health research. Her work investigates the prevalence of foodborne pathogens across various origins, analysing their antimicrobial resistance profiles, sanitizer tolerance, and virulence and resistance mechanisms. Utilizing advanced methodologies, including whole genome sequencing, her research group aims to enhance the understanding and control of these pathogens to improve food safety and public health outcomes.
ORCID ID link:	https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5022-8554
Scopus Author	https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=37059649400

Dr Paul Williams

Room 1006, Tel +27 (0)21 808 3155

pauljw@sun.ac.za

Undergraduate Modules

Food Science 488

Dr Oluwafemi Caleb

Title and name	Dr Oluwafemi J. Caleb
Email address	caleboj@sun.ac.za
Tel:	021 808 9243
Office no:	A.I. Perold Building, 0013
Undergraduate Modules	Commercial Food Processing & Preservation (FS214) Commercial Food Processing & Preservation (FS244)
Research Profile:	Dr Caleb has over 10 years of research and development experience in Postharvest Technology. He is currently a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Food Science, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. His research team the AgriFood BioSystems and Technovation is based at the Africa Institute for Postharvest Technology. His research interests include application of non-thermal and emerging food processing technologies, novel activated water systems as alternative to chlorine-based phytosanitary wash, and the management of ethylene in agri-food value chain. Our team relies on an integrated Multiomics approach in addressing these research interest.
ORCID ID link:	http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5036-0173
Web of Science	https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/D-9705-2012
Scopus Author	https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=36945161400

Technical & support staff

Megan Arendse

578
mcarendse@sun.ac.za
Technical support for Food Science 333, 344 & 478
Student Wellness Champion
Biological waste management
Health & Safety officer