African Food Trend Heats Up, Cornell Scientists Serve Up Food Solutions, Hitting the Sweet Spot with Sugar Reduction

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Omnivore

Episode Description

In this episode, we chat with ‘Yemisi Awosan, founder and CEO of Egunsi Foods, a Harlem, New York-based food company focused on producing ready-to-eat African food derived from classic West African dishes, to find out more about this flavorful and trending cuisine. Cornell University researchers Aamir Iqbal and Jessica Uhrin take listeners through the product development process at the university's food engineering lab, focusing on the creation of self-disintegrating milk protein puffs for people who have difficulty swallowing. IFT’s Food Science and Technical Services Manager Renee Leber discusses the move toward sugar reduction in foods and beverages and the complex challenges companies face as they work to lessen sugar in their products without sacrificing taste, texture, or shelf life.

Plus: This episode of Omnivore is brought to you by IFT FIRST—where the future of food takes shape. Join thousands of changemakers and innovators at Chicago's McCormick Place, July 13-16, 2025, for the food industry's can’t-miss event of the year. Secure your spot at iftevent.org.

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Featured Guests

'Yemisi Awosan Founder and CEO of Egunsi Foods

‘Yemisi Awosan is a Nigerian-born, New England-raised New Yorker, and the founder and CEO of Egunsi Foods—a Harlem, New York-based culinary brand highlighting West African culture through the region’s most beloved, classic flavors. After several years of careful development and market research through personal chef work, and multiple corporate catering contracts, ‘Yemisi debuted her first line of refrigerated, packaged West African soups at Whole Foods Market Harlem in 2017.
Aamir Iqbal PhD

Aamir Iqbal, PhD, is a postdoctoral associate at Cornell University, working on food chemistry, product development, and sustainable processing. He will soon be joining the University of Vermont as an assistant professor, where he will continue to work on product development and upcycling food byproducts into better food solutions.
Jessica Uhrin PhD

Jessica Uhrin is a PhD candidate at Cornell University, working in Professor Syed Rizvi’s food engineering lab. Her research focuses on utilizing supercritical fluid extrusion to explore the development of functional, nutritionally superior, snack products tailored for infants and older adults.
Renee Leber Manager

Renee Leber is food science and technical services manager at the Institute of Food Technologists with over ten years of product development experience. An expert in food additives and ingredients, she leads IFT’s Concierge Service, helping teams across the globe find solutions to everyday product development challenges. At IFT, Renee meets with R&D teams and provides ready-to-access research and resources allowing them to overcome hurdles like shelf life, reformulation, food quality and safety, and regulatory compliance.

Omnivore

IFT’s Omnivore and Omnivore Presents: SciDish podcasts spark lively, thought-provoking conversations with the science, business, and regulatory leaders shaping the future of food. Each episode delivers sharp analysis, practical insights, and bold ideas designed to challenge assumptions, ignite innovation, and energize your work across the global food system.

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