A research stay to advance sustainable solutions for tomato waste

Dr Pearl Lefadola’s research stay at the Department of Food and Consumer Sciences at the University of Pretoria represents an important milestone in her journey to develop sustainable solutions to food loss and waste. The research stay provides an opportunity for Dr Lefadola to immerse herself in a dynamic academic and research environment, where she can strengthen her technical expertise, access advanced research facilities, and collaborate with experienced researchers. During this period, she works under the supervision and mentorship of Prof. Naushad Emmambux and Dr Nwabisa Mehlomakulu, whose guidance and expertise support the advancement of her research on transforming tomato waste into value-added fermented food products.

Through this visit, Dr Lefadola advances her investigation into how tomato waste can be transformed into nutritious and functional food products using fermentation and circular-economy approaches. Rather than viewing surplus tomatoes as waste, her research explores their potential as valuable raw materials for innovative food processing, contributing to sustainable food systems, improved food security, and enhanced livelihood opportunities. Tomato waste remains a significant challenge across many food systems, resulting in the loss of valuable nutritional, economic, and environmental resources. Dr Lefadola’s research seeks to address this challenge by developing and evaluating fermented tomato products, demonstrating how biological processing approaches can extend the value and utilisation of tomatoes that would otherwise be lost.

Dr Pearl Lefadola at the University of Pretoria.

The intensive component of her UP experience is centred on laboratory experimentation, where scientific concepts are translated into practical solutions. The work begins by preparing bacterial and yeast starter cultures that serve as the foundation for controlled fermentation experiments. Under her supervisors' guidance, she prepares and applies these cultures during tomato pulp fermentation, investigating how beneficial microorganisms influence product development, quality, stability, and functionality. Throughout the fermentation process, Dr Lefadola conducts detailed physicochemical analyses to evaluate changes in the fermented tomato products. Measurements of parameters such as pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids, and other quality characteristics provide important insights into the progression of fermentation and the properties of the final products. These analyses generate scientific evidence on how fermentation influences food quality, safety, nutritional attributes, and potential applications of fermented tomato products.

A key benefit is the opportunity for Dr Lefadola to access specialised laboratory facilities and receive hands-on training in essential analytical techniques. Working within the Department of Food and Consumer Sciences at the University of Pretoria, she gains practical experience in the operation and application of laboratory equipment, including centrifuges, analytical balances, pH meters, incubators, and micropipettes.

She also receives training in analytical procedures, including ash determination using a muffle furnace and fat analysis. This technical training strengthens her capacity to conduct high-quality food science research and to implement robust laboratory procedures in her future research. Beyond laboratory infrastructure, the visit provides Dr Lefadola with access to the UP’s broader academic resources, including library facilities, scientific literature databases, and research support services. These resources support comprehensive literature reviews, strengthen interpretation of research findings, and facilitate evidence-based scientific writing. Access to data analysis tools and research expertise further enables rigorous analysis of experimental data and supports the development of scientific manuscripts for publication.

An important outcome will be the translation of research findings into scholarly outputs. Through the combination of laboratory facilities, expert supervision, analytical support, and access to research resources, Dr Lefadola will analyse generated data and advance manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journals. These publications will contribute to the growing body of knowledge on food waste valorisation, fermentation technologies, and sustainable food systems, while highlighting African-led research addressing global food challenges.

Although the laboratory forms the core of the visit, Dr Lefadola’s work remains connected to wider efforts to address tomato loss and waste in Botswana. The research is informed by engagement with farmers, processors, policymakers, and other stakeholders across the tomato value chain, ensuring that scientific findings are aligned with practical challenges and opportunities. Integrating laboratory-based evidence with stakeholder perspectives highlights the importance of developing solutions that are scientifically sound, locally relevant, and scalable. This research stay is therefore much more than a period of laboratory experimentation. It is an opportunity for Dr Lefadola to strengthen research capacity, build international collaborations, acquire specialised technical skills, and generate scientific outputs that contribute to sustainable food systems. The knowledge, skills, and networks developed during this experience will continue to support her research, teaching, and mentorship activities at the University of Botswana while contributing to broader efforts to transform food waste into valuable resources across Africa.

Through this research journey, tomato waste becomes more than a challenge; it becomes an opportunity to demonstrate the power of innovation, collaboration, and science-driven solutions in creating resilient and sustainable food systems.

CAPTION: Dr Pearl Lefadola at the University of Pretoria.

Report submitted by Dr Pearl Lefadola