Dr. Tania Ngapo

Research Scientist (Meat and Consumer Sciences)
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec

Current research and/or projects

Meat chemistry: Study and improvement of nutritional, sensory and technological characteristics of meat and meat products.

Consumer science: Determination of preferences and perceptions of meat consumers as a means to producing a meat that better responds to market demands.

Research and/or project statements

Research areas:

  • Meat quality
  • Meat chemistry
  • Meat processing
  • Small goods
  • Meat as an ingredient
  • Meat consumers

Education and awards

Education

  • Bachelor of Technology in Chemical Technology with Honours
    • Faculty of Technology, Massey University, Palmerston North, NZ (1986-1989)
  • PhD (Meat Science)
    • Faculty of Technology, Massey University, Palmerston North, NZ (1990-1995)

First Maori to graduate with PhD from Massey University (1995)

 

Awards

  • J.E. Prestidge Study Bursary (1986)
  • Taranaki Scholarship (1986-1989)
  • Ngarimu V.C. and 28th Maori Battalion Scholarship (1986-1987; unable to hold in conjunction with the DSIR scholarship)
  • DSIR Maori Scholarship (1988-1989)
  • Australian National University Vacation Scholarship in the Research School of Chemistry (1988, declined)
  • DSIR (superseded by MORST) Post-Graduate Scholarship (1990-1993)
  • Queen Elizabeth Post-Graduate Scholarship (1991-1993)  

International experience and/or work

International Work

  • Research Associate (consumer science), Sensory Properties and Perceptions, Meat Research Station, French National Agronomic Research Institute (INRA) at Theix (2001-2003).
    • Project management and experimentation for two projects (EU and France-Netherlands) on sustainable outdoor pig production. 
    • Responsible for two consumer preference surveys:
      • an international pork preference survey with consumers from 25 countries
      • a UK beef survey
    • European Sensory Network (ESN) Research project with collaborator from Olsztyn University, Poland on French consumer acceptance of a novel Polish sausage.
  • Post-doctoral fellow, Rheology, Structure and Texture, INRA at Theix (1998-2000). 
    • Research study on collagen crosslinking in connective tissue of meat from double muscled beef in collaboration with scientists from the University of Gent, Belgium.
  • Scientist (Meat Science), Food Science Australia (FSA), Werribee, Australia (1995-1998). 
    • Research on the effects of freezing and thawing rates on drip loss in pork
    • Commercial R&D contracts on a range of foodstuffs and in particular using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)
    • Establishment of Fish and Seafood as a research theme at FSA
  • Lecturer (interim), Massey University, Palmerston North for second year undergraduate meat diploma course Chemistry of Meat and Meat By-Products (1992), Massey University, Palmerston North, NZ.

                       

International Experience

  • Visiting Scientist - Poland.  Invited and hosted by the Histology Department, University of Technology and Agriculture, Bydgoszcz University, Bydgoszcz (June 1st–11th, 2000) and the Department of Food and Food Products from Animal Origin, Wroclaw Agricultural University, Wroclaw (12th–21st June, 2000). 
  • Visiting Scientist - Poland.  Invited and hosted by the Histology Department, University of Technology and Agriculture, Bydgoszcz University, Bydgoszcz (3rd–14th June, 2002). 
  • Visiting Scientist – Slovenia.  Invited and hosted by the Zootechnical Department, University of Ljubljana, Domzale, Slovenia (May 23rd-26th, 2006). 

Key publications

  1. Ngapo, T.M., Berge, P., Culioli, J., Dransfield, E., De Smet, S., and Claeys, E. (2002). "Perimysial collagen crosslinking and meat tenderness in Belgian Blue double-muscled cattle.", Meat Science, 61(1), pp. 91-102.

    2002 - View publication details

  2. Ngapo, T.M., Dransfield, E., Culioli, J., and De Smet, S. (2002). "Perimysial collagen crosslinking in Belgian Blue double-muscled cattle.", Food Chemistry, 77(1), pp. 15-26.

    2002 - View publication details

Contact

Research facility

Saint-Hyacinthe Research and Development Centre
3600 Casavant Boulevard West
Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 8E3
Canada

Expertise

Agriculture›Agri-Food
Agriculture›Chemistry›Protein
Agriculture›Meat science
Sciences›Consumer sciences
Sciences›Scientific research

Affiliations

  • Canadian Meat Science Association (CMSA; since 2006)

    • Director for Québec (2010-2012; 2017-current), Chair of Promotion and Membership (2010-2012; 2017-current), member of Promotion and Membership committee (2012-2017)

  • European Pig Producers (EPP; by invitation, since 2006)

  • Consumer Market and Demand Network (CMD; since 2007)

  • Agricultural Institute of Canada (AIC; 2007-2019)

  • International Congress of Meat Science and Technology (ICoMST) country representative – Canada (since 2008)

  • Visible minorities Network (since 2012)

  • PIPSC St Hyacinthe-RES Sub-group (Vice President 2009-current, acting President 2013-2014)

Language

English
French