Dr. Himoonga Bernard Moonga

Picture of Dr. Himoonga Bernard Moonga
Department of Food Science and Nutrition
Senior Lecturer
Biography
Academic Qualifications:
  • PhD - Food Science & Technology, Wageningen University, Netherlands (2019)
  • M.Sc. - Food  Technology, University of Ghent and Katholike University of Leuven (KU), Belgium (2004)
  • Post-graduate Diploma - Food Technology, Katholike University of Leuven & University of Ghent, Belgium (2003)    
  • BSc. - Agric. (Animal Science), University of Zambia (2001)

H.B. Moonga is a Lecturer with over 15yrs experience in teaching and research. He is also currently the Partnership & Outreach Coordinator for the School. He teaches food technology courses on processing of dairy products, fruit & vegetables products, food fermentation, and technical thermodynamics. His research focus is on product development of dairy products, traditional fermented foods, food safety and postharvest handling and processing of fruits and vegetables. He also practices livestock and horticultural farming with onward small scale processing of poultry & meat products, dried and frozen fruit & veg products. He collaborates with dairy and horticultural farmer cooperatives and other food processing companies.  

Research Interests

His research focus is on product development of dairy products, traditional fermented foods, food safety and postharvest handling and processing of fruits and vegetables.

Publications
On-going Research
  1. Research Team Leader - Product optimisation and nutritional enrichment of Chibwantu and Munkoyo funded by National Science & Technology Council (NSTC), 2022-2023.
  2. Research Team Member - Problem-based-learning bioeconomy entrepreneurship and capacity building programme in Africa (PBL-BioAfrica) funded the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Finland, 2020-2025
  3. Research Team Member - Traditional fermented foods to promote food and nutrition security in Africa project, funded by INREF Wageningen University, 2019-2025.
  4. Research Team Member - Developing a Probiotic Mango Beverage to Combat Vitamin A Deficiency, funded by the Directorate of Research & Graduate Studies (DRGS) of the University of Zambia, 2020-21.
  5. Research Team Leader - Nutritional composition, sensory properties and shelf life of different types of mabisi; towards commercialization, funded by DRGS, University of Zambia, 2019-2020.
Selected Publications
  1. Moonga, H. B., Schoustra, S. E., Linnemann, A. R., Shindano, J., & Smid, E. J. (2022). Towards valorisation of indigenous traditional fermented milk: mabisi as a model. Current Opinion in Food Science, 46, 100835.
  2. Moonga, H. B., Schoustra, S. E., Linnemann, A. R., van den Heuvel, J., Shindano, J., & Smid, E. J. (2021). Influence of fermentation temperature on microbial community composition and physicochemical properties of mabisi, a traditionally fermented milk. LWT, 136, 110350.
  3. Himoonga Bernard Moonga, Sydney Phiri, Sijmen E. Schoustra, Justin Chileshe, Taonga Chirwa-Moonga & John Shindano. The Munkoyo Root: Traditional Uses, Biochemistry, Fermentation and Potential Cultivation (2020) in African Natural Plant Products, Volume III: Discoveries and Innovations in Chemistry, Bioactivity, and Applications (Vol. 1361, pp. 81-99): American Chemical Society.
  4. Chirwa-Moonga T., Muzungaile T., Siyumbano N., Moonga H.B. & Nyau V.,  Nutrient Composition of Raw and Steamed, Green and Purple Sweet Potato Leaf Varieties (Ipomoea batatas) (2020). Journal of Medicinally active plants 9(4), 253-261.
  5. Moonga, H. B., Schoustra, S. E., van den Heuvel, J., Linnemann, A. R., Samad, M. S., Shindano, J., & Smid, E. J., Composition and Diversity of Natural Bacterial Communities in Mabisi, a Traditionally Fermented Milk (2020). Frontiers in microbiology, 11(1816). doi:10.3389/fmicb.2020.01816
  6. Moonga, H. B., Schoustra, S. E., Linnemann, A. R., Kuntashula, E., Shindano, J., & Smid, E. J., The art of mabisi production: A traditional fermented milk (2019). PLoS ONE
  7. Himoonga Bernard Moonga, Sijmen Schoustra, Anita Linnemann, John Shindano and Eddy J. Smid, Influence of production methods on communities of Lactic Acid Bacteria in traditional  fermented milk – Mabisi at the 12th  International Symposium on Lactic acid Bacteria (LAB 12) from 27th – 31st August 2017 in Egmond, Netherlands.
  8. John Shindano, Munyinda Kalaluka, Himoonga Bernard Moonga & Joseph Awika, “Changes in Protein, Phenolic and Condensed Tannin Contents of Cowpea Mutants from Irradiated Cowpea Parents”, Pan African Grain Legume & World Cowpea Conference 2016 from 28th February to 4th March 2016 in Livingstone, Zambia
  9.  Nyau V., Mwanza E.P. & Moonga H.B., “Physico-chemical qualities of Honey Harvested from Different Beehives Types in Zambia”. (2013) African journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development.
  10.  Moonga H. B., Nyau V., Chirwa T., Banda M. “Studies into the Development of Whey-Fruit Juice/Pulp Based Beverage”. National Science and Technology Council Symposium, Mulungushi International Conference Centre, from 18-19th November, 2010 in Lusaka, Zambia.
Contact Details
bmoonga@unza.zm