Menu

You are here

Member Profile

Membership type: full

Zinash Assefa Belay

Country of origin: Ethiopia Currently in: South Africa, cape town General field of specialization: Agricultural Sciences
PhD Fellowship Alumna
Academic Background

Degrees

2017 Doctorate Agricultural Sciences
2011 Master Engineering sciences
Research and Profession

Current Research Activities

Agricultural Sciences

My professional interest and research focus on food science and postharvest technology and engineering research for fruit and vegetable. My current research is about modelling and optimization of active modified atmosphere packaging for pomegranate arils.

Research Keywords: 
Mathematical Modeling
food waste control
Plant physiology
food packaging

Publications resulting from Research: 


Belay, Z. A., Nyamende, N. E., & Caleb, O. J. (2022). Impact of cold plasma-mediated treatment on coated and packaged ‘Monterey’ strawberries during cold storage. South African Journal of Plant and Soil, 1-6.

Nyamende, N. E., Hoff, J. W., van Brede, V., Belay, Z. A., Oyenihi, A. B., & Caleb, O. J. (2022). Isolation and characterization culturable microbes on the surface of ‘Granny Smith’ apples treated with electrolyzed water during cold storage. Food Science and Biotechnology, 31(12), 1603-1614.

Nyamende, N. E., Sigge, G. O., Belay, Z. A., Mphahlele, R. R., Oyenihi, A. B., Mditshwa, A., ... & Caleb, O. J. (2022). Advances in non-thermal technologies for whole and minimally processed apple fruit–A review. Food Bioscience, 102170.

Belay, Z. A., & Caleb, O. J. (2022). Role of integrated omics in unravelling fruit stress and defense responses during postharvest: A review. Food Chemistry: Molecular Sciences, 100118.

Kgang, I. E., Mathabe, P. M., Klein, A., Kalombo, L., Belay, Z. A., & Caleb, O. J. Effects of lemon (Citrus limon L.), lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) and peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) essential oils against of Botrytis cinerea and Penicillium expansum. JSFA Reports.

Oyenihi, A. B., Belay, Z. A., Mditshwa, A., & Caleb, O. J. (2022). “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”: The potentials of apple bioactive constituents for chronic disease prevention. Journal of Food Science.

Yanclo, L. A., Sigge, G., Belay, Z. A., October, F., & Caleb, O. J. (2022). Microstructural, biochemical and drying characteristics of dehydrated ‘Sunectwentyone’ nectarines as affected by sodium metabisulphite. Food Science and Biotechnology, 31(3), 311-322.

Mabusela, B. P., Belay, Z. A., Godongwana, B., Pathak, N., Mahajan, P. V., & Caleb, O. J. (2021). Advances in Vacuum Ultraviolet Photolysis in the Postharvest Management of Fruit and Vegetables Along the Value Chains: a Review. Food and Bioprocess Technology, 1-19.

Mabusela, B. P., Belay, Z. A., Godongwana, B., Pathak, N., Mahajan, P. V., Mathabe, P. M., & Caleb, O. J. (2021). Trends in ethylene management strategies: towards mitigating postharvest losses along the South African value chain of fresh produce–a review. South African Journal of Plant and Soil, 1-14.

Nyamende, N. E., Belay, Z. A., Keyser, Z., Oyenihi, A. B., & Caleb, O. J. (2022). Impacts of alkaline‐electrolyzed water treatment on physicochemical, phytochemical, antioxidant properties and natural microbial load on ‘Granny Smith’ apples during storage. International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 57(1), 447-456.

Belay, Z. A., Botes, W. J., & Caleb, O. J. (2021). Effects of alkaline electrolyzed water pretreatment on the physicochemical quality attributes of fresh nectarine during storage. Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, 45(10), e15879.

Matrose AN, Obikeze K, Belay, Z. A., Caleb, O. J. Plant extracts and other natural compounds as alternatives for post-harvest management of fruit fungal pathogens: A review. Food Bioscience, 41, 100840.

Nsumpi, A. N., Belay, Z. A., & Caleb, O. J. (2020). Good intentions, bad outcomes: Impact of mixed-fruit loading on banana fruit protein expression, physiological responses and quality. Food Packaging and Shelf Life, 26, 100594.

Belay, Z. A., Caleb, O. J., Vorster, A., van Heerden, C., & Opara, U. L. (2020). Transcriptomic changes associated with husk scald incidence on pomegranate fruit peel during cold storage. Food Research International, 109285.

Mathabe, P.M.K., Belay, Z.A., Ndlovu, T., & Caleb, O.J. (2020). Progress in proteomic profiling of horticultural commodities during postharvest handling and storage: A Review – Scientia Horticulturae. 261, 108996.

Belay, Z. A., Caleb, O.J., & Opara, U.L. (2019). Influence of initial gas modification on physicochemical quality attributes and molecular changes in fresh and fresh-cut fruit during modified atmosphere packaging. Food Packaging and Shelf Life. 21, 100359.

Belay, Z. A., Caleb, O. J., Mahajan, P. V., Fröhling, A., & Opara, U. L. (xxxx). A simplex lattice design to optimize active modified atmosphere packaging for storing pomegranate (cv. Wonderful) arils: Part 1, determining optimum gas for physiological responses. Biosystem Engineering, (on press).

Belay, Z. A., Caleb, O. J., Mahajan, P. V., Fröhling, A., & Opara, U. L. (xxxx). A simplex lattice design to optimize active modified atmosphere packaging for storing pomegranate (cv. Wonderful) arils: Part 2, determining optimum gas for maintaining quality attributes. Biosystem Engineering, (on press).

Belay, Z. A., Caleb, O. J., Mahajan, P. V., & Opara, U. L. (2018). Response of pomegranate arils (cv. Wonderful) to low O2 stress under active modified atmosphere condition. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

Belay, Z. A., Caleb O. J., Mahajan, P. V., & Opara, U. L. (20180. "Design of Active Modified Atmosphere and Humidity Packaging (MAHP) for ‘Wonderful’ Pomegranate Arils." Food and Bioprocess Technology (2018): 1-17.

Belay, Z.A., Caleb, O.J., Mahajan, P.V., & Opara, U.L. (2018). Application of simplex lattice mixture design for optimization of active modified atmosphere for pomegranate arils (cv. Wonderful) based on microbial criteria. Food Packaging and Shelf Life, 14, 12-17.

Belay, Z.A., Caleb, O.J., & Opara, U.L. (2017). Impacts of low and super-atmospheric oxygen concentrations on quality attributes, phytonutrient content and volatile compounds of minimally processed pomegranate arils (cv. Wonderful). Postharvest Biology and Technology, 124, 119-127.

Belay, Z.A., Caleb, O.J. & Opara, U.L. (2017). Enzyme kinetics modelling approach to evaluate the impact of high CO2 and super-atmospheric O2 concentrations on respiration rate of pomegranate arils. CyTA - Journal of Food, 1-9.

Belay, Z.A., Caleb, O.J., & Opara, U.L. (2016). Modelling approaches for designing and evaluating the performance of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) systems for fresh produce: A review. Food Packaging and Shelf Life, 10, 1-15.

Belay, Z.A., Caleb, O.J., Pramod, P.V. & Opara, U.L. Pomegranate arils (cv. Wonderful) tolerance to low O2 stress during active modified atmosphere storage: based on real time respiration rate. Acta Hotriticalcurae, 1201 (pp. 213-220).



Current profession

Current professional activities type: 
Research
Dr Zinash A Belay is a postharvest researcher and a food engineer with a bachelor’s degree in food science and Postharvest Technology, master’s degree in Chemical engineering and PhD degree in Food science. She is currently working as a researcher at the Agricultural research council, South Africa under Postharvest Technology and Agro-processing Research Team in Agri-Food Systems and Omics laboratory. Her primary research interest focus on the various areas of research on the Food systems that includes development and modification of sustainable packaging materials, emerging postharvest science and technologies, fresh produce physiological responses, quality, and shelf life as well as postharvest Omics.

Fellowship with OWSD

Fellowship with OWSD

Fellowship with OWSD

Fellowship awarded 2013

PHD Graduation 2017

Search form