Research Activities of the Department
Research is one of the priority areas of the Department's activities. Faculty members are actively engaged in scientific research, continuously improve their professional qualifications, undertake research internships, and participate in international conferences, congresses, and scientific seminars.
Scientific Achievements
Over the past three academic years, the Department's academic staff have published 169 scientific works, including:
- 84 articles in high-ranking international journals indexed in Scopus and Web of Science;
- 79 articles in journals recommended by the Committee for Quality Assurance in Science and Higher Education of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
- 25 articles in other national and international scientific journals;
- Materials of international, foreign, and national scientific and practical conferences, including numerous papers and conference abstracts authored by the department staff.
During the reporting period, the Department's faculty members also published 4 textbooks and 3 monographs.
Main Research Areas
- Production of functional and specialized food products;
- Processing technologies for grain raw materials;
- Technologies for bakery, pasta, and confectionery products;
- Brewing and non-alcoholic beverage production technologies;
- Extrusion technologies;
- Integrated processing of agricultural raw materials.
Key Research Directions
- Development of brewing technology for specialty beer with reduced gluten content;
- Improvement of compound feed production technologies using unconventional by-products of the oil and fat industry;
- Application of legumes and plant-based raw materials in flour confectionery production;
- Investigation of the effects of novel fats on the quality characteristics of nutritionally enriched cookies;
- Development of low-glycemic-index bakery products based on processed grain, oilseed, and vegetable raw materials.
Intellectual Property
During the past three years, the Department has achieved the following results in the field of intellectual property:
- 3 patents granted;
- 12 patent applications submitted for inventions, utility models, and industrial designs;
- More than 20 certificates of authorship
Research findings are published in international journals ranked in the Q1–Q2 quartiles and are aimed at addressing current challenges in the food industry, ensuring food security, implementing innovative technologies, and contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Educational and Research Infrastructure
To develop the professional competencies of master's and doctoral students and strengthen their practical skills, the Department has established modern specialized laboratories and educational research centers, including:
- Educational and Research Pasta Center;
- Educational and Research Bakery Center;
- Educational and Research Feed Production Center;
- Educational and Research Center for Fermentation Products (established with the sponsorship of Efes Kazakhstan JSC);
- Educational and Research Flour Milling Center;
- Research Laboratory "Food Rheology".
The total area of the educational and research laboratories and specialized classrooms is 1,293.86 m².
For chemical and biochemical analyses, the Department utilizes the facilities of the accredited Food Safety Testing Laboratory, a structural unit of Almaty Technological University (ATU).
Research Projects
The Department actively participates in competitive research grant programs organized by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan. During the last three years, three research proposals, including one under the Young Scientist program, were submitted for funding, with a total requested budget of approximately KZT 270 million.
Currently, the Department is implementing the following state-funded research projects.
Ongoing Grant-Funded Projects
- AP19577363 — Development of Functional Extruded Food Products Using Wild Plants of Kazakhstan.
Principal Investigator: A.K. Izembayeva
- AP26198575 — Development of an Efficient Technology for Functional Multigrain Confectionery Products (Muffins, Berliners, Galettes, and Crackers) Using Low-Esterified Pectin
Principal Investigator: G.K. Iskakova.
Funding: KZT 39.9 million
- AP26105475 — Development of a Safe Technology for Long-Term Silage Storage of Whole-Grain Flour from Cereals and Legumes with Different Particle Sizes
Principal Investigator: S.T. Zhiyenbayeva.
Funding: KZT 119.1 million
- AP22786450 — Development of Functional Breakfast Cereals (Granola and Snack Products) Based on Multicomponent Mixtures and Biologically Active Additives
Principal Investigator: Z.N. Moldakulova.
Funding: KZT 29.7 million
- AP23490384 — Development of an Innovative Technology for Rapid Production of Frozen Dough Enriched with Plant-Based Ingredients
Principal Investigator: Sh.A. Tursunbayeva.
Funding: KZT 102.1 million
- AP26198637 — Development of Biodegradable Packaging Based on Natural Polymers and Investigation of Its Impact on the Safety of Bakery Products
Principal Investigator: B.Zh. Muldabekova.
Funding: KZT 118.5 million
Initiative Research
The Department also conducts initiative and contract-based research in the following areas:
- Development of nutritionally enriched flour confectionery products;
- Production of specialty beverages using plant extracts;
- Production of spelt flour and investigation of its effect on the quality of yeast-free bread;
- Development of innovative flour confectionery products using unconventional types of flour;
- Investigation of the influence of cereal particle size on the quality of cereal bars;
- Development of resource-efficient poultry feed technologies based on by-products of the oil and fat industry.
Practical Significance of Research
The Department's research activities are aimed at developing and implementing innovative food production technologies, expanding the range of functional food products, improving the efficiency of agricultural raw material processing, and strengthening the food security of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
