NUS FoodTech Challenge 2026
FORMULATE THE CHANGE
Meet The Mentors
Ms.Tan Xin Ying
Xin Ying is currently a Consumer Insight Analyst at Kang Shi Fu, where she designs and executes market research to gain a deep understanding of consumer behaviors, attitudes, and preferences. She holds a degree in Chemistry with a second major in Food Science and Technology from Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Her professional experience includes food product development, leading the implementation of FSSC 22000 in a start-up environment, and mentoring a Master’s-level fermentation research project at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
Consumer Insight Analyst
Kang Shi Fu
Dr. Lu Yuyun
Dr. Lu Yuyun is a Senior Research Fellow of the Department of Food Science and Technology at the National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore. He works on tropical fruit wines and beverage fermentation; valorization of food processing side streams; dietary bioactive compounds, particularly dietary organosulfur-containing compounds, in edible plants and/or fruits; as well as foodomics analysis of fermented samples. He has published more than 90 scientific papers plus 2 book chapters.
Senior Research Fellow
National University of
Singapore
Mabelyn Tan
Mabelyn is an experienced food scientist, passionate about creating healthier food options. With over 17 years of hands-on expertise in recipe formulation, she has led successful product launches across seven markets, including dairy products, plant-based beverages, to infant formula for special medical purposes. Mabelyn has deep curiosity about the structure-function relationships of proteins with hydrocolloids, hence she pursued a master’s degree in food science from Agrocampus Ouest Rennes in France, researched on dairy proteins with the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA) and has worked for leading dairy companies in Singapore and the Netherlands. Today, she continues to create winning formulations in partnership with food companies across the world. As Associate Principal Scientist in Tate & Lyle, a leading global player in ingredient solutions for healthier food and beverages, she has a bag of tips and tricks to share on making use of Tate & Lyle’s wide array of specialty ingredients, such as sweeteners, starches, various hydrocolloids, as well as soluble fibers.
Associate Principal Scientist
Tate & Lyle
Dr. Chua Jian Yong
Jian Yong holds both a PhD and a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Technology from the National University of Singapore (NUS). His research interests focus on food waste valorization and alcohol fermentation. He is currently the Lead Scientist at Mottainai Food Tech, where he spearheads the scale-up of the company’s flagship
product, Jiromeat, from laboratory to pilot scale. He also plays a key role in providing consultation services to food companies looking for solutions in upcycling their food processing side streams into food products. In addition to his role in industry, Jian Yong serves as a part-time lecturer at NUS, allowing him to remain closely connected to developments in academia. Beyond his academic and professional work, he is also a freelance sake sommelier, actively promoting Japanese sake in Singapore and participating as a judge in sake competitions.
Lead Scientist/Co-Founder
Mottainai
Dr. Lim Su Hui
Senior Scientist
A*STAR Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology
Dr Lim Su Hui is a colloidal scientist, in Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI), with expertise in food structure design, food processing, microencapsulation and targeted delivery systems. With over 18 years of research experience, her research focuses on development of functional food ingredients, oral delivery technologies for gut and metabolic health as well as innovation in future food applications. She is particularly interested in translating scientific innovation into real-world application through multidisciplinary collaboration. She has authored over 30 scientific publications and an inventor of over 10 patents.
Dr. Wong Shen Siung
Senior Manager, Starches and Proteins Research and Innovation
Tate & Lyle
Shen Siung is a seasoned R&D leader with over 19 years of experience across infant nutrition, ingredient innovation, scientific research, and global R&D leadership.
He began his career at Abbott, working in highly regulated infant and adult nutrition systems, where he built a strong foundation in formulation science, quality governance, and GMP-based manufacturing interfaces.
At Tate & Lyle, Shen Siung has progressed into global R&D leadership roles, building and leading cross-regional teams across Asia, Europe, and North America. His interests lie at the intersection of nutrition science, regulatory excellence, and organizational capability building—strengthening how R&D teams operate to deliver safe, high-quality, and commercially impactful solutions.
Lee Wei Hao has been a Regulatory Affairs Executive under Food Industry Asia (FIA) since 2024. With almost two years of experience in the regulatory field, he has contributed to regulations and standards development processes related to novel foods, contaminants and food contact materials.
Mr. Lee Wei Hao
Regulatory Affairs Executive
Food Industry Asia
​Mr. Manfred Ku
PhD Candidate
National University of Singapore
Manfred is a final year PhD candidate in the National University of Singapore, Department of Food Science and Technology. Under the guidance of A/P LIU Shaoquan, Manfred’s current PhD research focuses on the development of cocoa-free chocolates via enzymology and fermentation. Leveraging on his technical and theoretical training in food science from his undergraduate study, Manfred brings a wealth of experience in product development projects. In 2019, he worked together with a Singaporean wellness company in the development of a one-bite wholegrain snack featuring a novel low glycaemic index sugar binder. In 2020, Manfred co-led a team in the development of a ready-to-eat chicken rice microwave meal with a Singaporean restaurant chain. In 2021, his team was a finalist in a product pitch competition organised by a venture capital firm. Manfred has been a mentor in previous editions of the NUS FoodTech Challenge as well.
5 years in Cultivated Meat-related work. Editorial Scholars in IFT