Dr Clarity Ropafadzo Mapengo is a Lecturer in Food Science and Technology in the School of Health and Life Sciences. She holds a PhD in Food Science from the University of Pretoria (2020). Her research expertise lies at the intersection of food chemistry and material science, with a particular focus on biopolymer processing and sustainable food innovation. Dr Mapengo joined the School of Health and Life Sciences in 2022, where she teaches modules including Food Supply Chain and Composition of Foods and Biologics and Health Product Development. She is actively involved in postgraduate supervision, and interdisciplinary teaching within food systems and health-focused innovation. Prior to her current appointment, Dr Mapengo was a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Pretoria (2020–2022), where she also contributed to undergraduate teaching in Food Chemistry. During her postdoctoral fellowship, her research focused on the thermal and green-chemistry-based manipulation of biopolymers to develop low–glycaemic index foods and functional food ingredients. This work has resulted in several peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals. Her broader research interests include sustainable food systems, functional foods, circular bioeconomy approaches, and the translation of food science research into real-world applications.

• Food innovation- building circular economies & sustainable food/health systems
• Cultural landscapes & consumer behaviour
• Understanding interactions between food processing technologies & product/ingredient functionality
• Natural polymers utilisation towards developing nano-therapies

Clarity is currently the module leader for Food Chain & composition as well as being part of the Biologics & Health product development + Food Product Development module teams. 

Her Enterprise interests focus on designing innovate, feasible, impactful and commercially viable solutions to challenges in the food industry (from reducing food waste to value-addition). 

FAO, World Food Forum: Opportunities and Barriers for Advancing Agrifood Systems: Empowering Young People for a Sustainable Future.

University of Cairo: High-Pressure Processing of Meat, Fish, and Poultry Products

Bridging Fields (2026): Food Systems Transformation & Storytelling Residency

Salzburg global (2024-2025): Salzburg Global Fellow

Global Biotech Revolution (2024): Innovation ambassador

Global cultural relations programme (2023): Cultural relations platform

World Food Forum Young Scientist Group represantative (2022): Innovation & start-up challenges (World Food Forum + Xtreme Tech Challenge Launch)