Prof. Azza Abd El-Moneam Abd El-Aziz Omran: Head of Research (Professor) at Food Technology Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt
Prof. Azza Abd El-Moneam Abd El-Aziz Omran is a highly accomplished Egyptian researcher and academic leader in the fields of food science, crop technology, and biochemistry. Currently serving as Head of Research at the Department of Crops Technology Research, Food Technology Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Egypt, she has built a distinguished career dedicated to enhancing food security, nutrition, and sustainable agricultural practices. With over 25 years of professional and academic experience, Prof. Omran’s work integrates biochemical, nutritional, and technological approaches to improve the quality, functionality, and safety of food products. Her research has significantly contributed to the valorization of agricultural by-products, innovation in gluten-free foods, and the application of bio- and nanotechnologies in food processing.
Online Profiles
Total Citations: 583 (from 531 documents)
Number of Publications: 11
h-index: 7
This shows that she has a moderate publication record with an h-index of 7, indicating that at least 7 of her papers have been cited 7 or more times.
Education
Prof. Omran holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry (2011) from Cairo University, Faculty of Agriculture, with a dissertation on Biochemical studies on sorghum, one of Egypt’s strategic cereals. She earned her M.Sc. in Biochemistry (2006) from the same university, investigating biochemical properties of food supplemented with calcium and vitamin D, and her B.Sc. in Food Science (1997) from Ain Shams University. Her solid educational foundation combines agricultural biochemistry and food technology, equipping her with a multidisciplinary perspective vital for addressing modern food industry challenges.
Research Focus
Prof. Omran’s research concentrates on food quality improvement, nutritional biochemistry, and sustainable utilization of crops and by-products. Her expertise spans the biochemical evaluation of cereals, legumes, and novel plant sources, focusing on enhancing nutritional profiles through organic and bio-fertilization, fermentation, and processing technologies. She pioneers studies in functional food development, particularly gluten-free and vegetarian formulations, and the use of natural antioxidants, proteins, and starches from local crops in extending product shelf life. She also explores carbon footprint reduction, circular economy applications, and green protein alternatives to promote environmental and health sustainability.
Experience
Since joining the Agricultural Research Center (ARC) in 1997, Prof. Omran has progressed through several positions, including Agronomist, Researcher, Senior Researcher, and now Head of Research. Her professional journey combines laboratory expertise with project management, mentoring, and training. She has supervised and lectured in national and international capacity-building programs and contributed to food processing innovation projects with the FAO, AARDO, DAAD, and JICA. Her leadership in the Sensory Evaluation Ethics Committee and proposal writing teams at the Food Technology Research Institute underscores her active role in advancing research standards and academic governance.
Research Timeline & Activities
Spanning more than two decades, Prof. Omran’s research activities have evolved from biochemical studies on cereal grains to applied food innovation and sustainable crop utilization. From 2000–2010, her early work focused on improving the nutritional bioavailability of sorghum and legumes through traditional processing methods. Between 2011–2020, she expanded into functional food formulation, producing numerous studies on gluten-free, plant-based, and protein-enriched products. From 2020 onward, she has been integrating AI, sustainability, and biotechnology in postharvest and food quality research. She has participated in more than 100 training courses and workshops worldwide, emphasizing themes like food engineering, nanotechnology, and environmental sustainability, while training students and early-career researchers in food technology.
Awards & Honors
Prof. Omran’s scientific achievements have been widely recognized through numerous awards and honors. Notably, she received the Third Innovation Award (2025) and First Excellence Award (2023) from Dream Company for Food Industries, with commendation from Egypt’s Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. She was honored for her Best Ph.D. Thesis and Excellence in Scientific Publication by Cairo University and the Ministry of Higher Education (2011). Her contributions to innovation and entrepreneurship were acknowledged through her participation in the NU 100 Technology Entrepreneurship Competition (2013). She has also received institutional honors from the Food Technology Research Institute for outstanding performance and scientific leadership.
Recent Publication
Among her extensive body of over 25 peer-reviewed publications, one of the most cited is Omran Azza A., Nadra S.Y. Hassan, Abd Elaziz M. Hanaa (2026). “Alternative sweets from cooked pulses and date products: Nutritional and quality characteristics.” Discover Food, 5:366. This work exemplifies her focus on integrating traditional crops into modern, functional foods with enhanced nutritional value. Other notable papers include studies published in PLoS ONE, British Food Journal, Journal of Stored Products Research, and Food and Nutrition Sciences, addressing key issues in food fortification, sustainable crop use, and food quality optimization. Her publications contribute valuable insights into advancing food science for health, sustainability, and innovation.
Quality characteristics of Turkish delight enriched with different cooked pulses
Journal: Discover Food
Date: 2025-10-31
DOI: 10.1007/s44187-025-00644-8
Co-authors: Nadra S.Y. Hassan, Ghada T. Ahmed
Alternative sweets from cooked pulses and date products: Nutritional and quality characteristics
Journal: Foods and Raw Materials
Date: 2025-06-27
DOI: 10.21603/2308-4057-2026-2-672
Co-authors: Nadra S.Y. Hassan, Abd Elaziz M. Hanaa
Evaluating and predicting the impact of storage conditions and packaging materials on the physical properties of paddy rice using machine learning approaches and artificial neural networks
Journal: Journal of Stored Products Research
Date: 2025-05
DOI: 10.1016/j.jspr.2025.102659
Co-authors: Hany S. El-Mesery, Oluwasola Abayomi Adelusi, Mohammad Kaveh, Viola Onyinye Okechukwu, Zicheng Hu, Ali Salem, Shimaa A. Badawy
Value addition of broken pulse proteins as emulsifying agents
Journal: Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization
Year: 2022
DOI: 10.1007/s11694-021-01266-1
Co-authors: Abdel-Haleem A.M.H., Hassan H.E.
Quality evaluation of gluten-free flat bread prepared by using rice and millet flour
Journal: British Food Journal
Date: 2022-11-03
DOI: 10.1108/BFJ-11-2021-1215
Co-author: Saad A. Mahgoub