Academic Leadership & Faculty Profile

Prof. Nicole Sharon Affrifah

Senior Lecturer • Department of Food Process Engineering

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Prof. Nicole Sharon Affrifah

Prof. Nicole Sharon Affrifah

Senior Lecturer

Office Location

School of Engineering Sciences Complex
Department Department of Food Process Engineering

Academic Biography

Prof. Nicole Sharon Affrifah is a Senior Lecturer with a strong academic background that includes a BSc and MPhil from Ghana and a PhD from the University of Georgia. Her research centers on two primary goals: developing nutritious food products from locally sourced ingredients and modernizing traditional food processing methods in Ghana to reduce labor intensity and improve efficiency. She specializes in characterizing raw materials, optimizing processing parameters, and enhancing shelf-life while integrating sustainability into food processing. With experience in the food industry, Dr. Affrifah is particularly passionate about minimizing the environmental impact of food production. Her research is well-published in reputable journals, notably on cowpea processing and phytase inactivation, underscoring her contributions to food science and sustainable development.

(BSc, MPhil (Ghana)PhD (Georgia)

Research Interests & Specialization

  • Affrifah, N.S., Chinnan, M. S., Saalia, F.K. and Phillips, R.D. 2021. Hydrothermal treatments affect the development of the hard-to-cook defect in cowpeas. Legume Science.https://doi.org/10.1002/leg3.126.
  • Saalia, F.K., Amponsah, A.K., Asante, N.D., Owusu-Brafi, N. K., Amoa, B. B., Affrifah, N.S. and Sefa-Dedeh, S. 2016. Effects of Corn Steep Water Pretreatment on the Rheological and Microstructural Properties of Ga-kenkey. Journal of Food Process Engineering. 2017;40:e12521.https://doi.org/10.1111/jfpe.12521.
  • Affrifah, N.S. and Chinnan, M. S. 2006. The Effect of Drying Conditions on the Development of the Hard-To-Cook Defect in Steam-treated Cowpeas.  International Journal of Food Science and Technology 41(8):867-877.
  • Affrifah, N.S., Chinnan, M. S. and Fang, C. 2006. Modeling the Thermal Inactivation of Phytase in Steamed Cowpea Seeds. LWT - Food Science and Technology 39(6) 598-604.
  • Affrifah N.S., Chinnan M.S. and Phillips R.D. 2004. Heat-Moisture Treatments of Cowpea Flour and their Effects on the Inactivation of Phytase. Journal of Food Science 70(2):98-103.
  • Phillips R.D., McWatters K.H., Chinnan M.S., Hung Y.C., Beuchat L.R., Sefa-Dedeh S., Sakyi-Dawson E., Ngoddy P., Nnanyelugo D., Enwere J., Komey N.S., Liu K.S., Mensa-Wilmot Y., Nnanna I.A., Okeke C., Prinyawiwatkul W. and Saalia F.K. 2003. Utilization of cowpeas for human food. Field Crops Research 82:193-213.

Academic Qualifications

  • B.Sc. Engineering / Applied Science
  • Postgraduate Engineering Specialization

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Featured Department Innovation

Celebrating Fitroot Ghana's Journey from Classroom Project to Industry Trailblazer! Featured Story
August 15, 2025 Student Innovation & AFPEN

Celebrating Fitroot Ghana's Journey from Classroom Project to Industry Trailblazer! 

Meet Ruth Owusu, Wisdom Mensah, Samson Iwuozor, and Ruth Akosua Senkerya Owusu — transforming underutilized Ghanaian superfoods into healthy, commercial snack innovations.

Student Enterprise: Founded by FPEN engineering students Ruth Owusu, Wisdom Mensah, Samson Iwuozor, and Ruth Akosua Senkerya Owusu.
Superfood Innovation: Value-added product line leveraging indigenous baobab, hibiscus, and tigernuts.
Read Full Story Published by Department of Food Process Engineering

Department Archives

All Department Stories & Updates

Browse news articles covering student associations, industrial brewery walkthroughs, and academic award winners.

A New Chapter Begins — The Grand Launch of the Association of Food Process Engineers (AFPEN)
Student Life & AFPEN
June 13, 2025 AFPEN Secretariat

A New Chapter Begins — The Grand Launch of the Association of Food Process Engineers (AFPEN) 

The official launch of AFPEN at the SES Toyota Center establishes a premier professional home uniting undergraduates, postgraduates, alumni, and industry pioneers.

ABL Rewards Best Food Process Engineering Graduate at University of Ghana
Academic Excellence & Awards
September 27, 2024 University of Ghana Public Affairs

ABL Rewards Best Food Process Engineering Graduate at University of Ghana 

Daniel Ananey-Obiri receives top honours, a brand new laptop, and cash prize from Accra Brewery Limited at the Vice Chancellor's Academic Awards Ceremony.

ABL Rewards UG Best Graduating Student in Food Process Engineering
Academic Excellence & Awards
April 20, 2018 University Communications

ABL Rewards UG Best Graduating Student in Food Process Engineering 

Accra Brewery Limited honors Ms. Madina Salihu as the department's top female engineering graduate with financial reward and priority internship placement.

Food Process Engineering Students Tour Accra Brewery Limited Plant
Industry Immersion
March 23, 2018 Academic Fieldwork Team

Food Process Engineering Students Tour Accra Brewery Limited Plant 

30 engineering students undertake an immersive technical walkthrough of commercial mashing, automated bottling lines, CIP sanitation, and electronic empty-bottle inspection.