NTU Impact Series: Prof William Chen on building a sustainable food future
Supported by the Michael Fam Chair Professorship in Food Science and Technology, Prof William Chen is reimagining food waste, advancing food safety, and helping build more sustainable food systems for Singapore and beyond.
Text: Jesmine Ong
Learn more about Prof Chen’s work from this video.
To many of us, food waste ends when it reaches the bin. But for Prof William Chen, Michael Fam Chair Professor in Food Science and Technology at NTU, it is an untapped resource waiting to be transformed.
"To me, food waste is a lack of imagination," he says. "We call it waste because we do not see what else it can become."
His research explores how food by-products can be recovered and converted into valuable ingredients through fermentation and sustainable food processing. Instead of being discarded, nutrients, proteins and other useful compounds can be returned to the food system, reducing waste while creating more sustainable sources of food.
Building future-ready food systems
Beyond reducing waste, Prof Chen is also preparing for the next generation of foods. As cultivated meat and alternative proteins become more common, his team is developing new ways to assess their safety and nutritional value using artificial intelligence, computational modelling and laboratory-based testing.
Prof Chen guiding a member of his research team.
Through the Future Ready Food Safety Hub (FRESH@NTU), Prof Chen is also part of a collaboration between NTU and the World Health Organization to modernise food safety risk assessment.
For Singapore, where food security remains a national priority, this research has real-world significance.
"We need to make sure that our food supply is more resilient and sustainable," says Prof Chen. "Food security cannot be solved by one group alone. We need industry partners and government agencies to come together so research can move into real use."
The Michael Fam Chair Professorship in Food Science and Technology provides the long-term support needed to advance this work, while fostering collaborations with industry and government to translate research into practical solutions.
Just as importantly, the professorship enables Prof Chen to mentor the next generation of food scientists.
"I always tell my students that research should not stop at theory. Working across disciplines is how we find better solutions to complex problems."
Through research, innovation and mentorship, Prof Chen is helping shape a future where food systems are more resilient, sustainable and better equipped to feed generations to come.
Learn more about NTU’s Professorships here.
