Dr. Baldelli joined the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability and the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) in 2024 as a Senior Lecturer. He achieved his PhD from the University of Alberta in Particle Engineering; after that, he obtained a Postdoctoral Fellowship and a Research Fellowship at the Faculty of Food and Land Systems at the University of British Columbia.
Dr. Baldelli's research areas of interest are Particle Engineering, Food Technology, Spray Drying, Encapsulation of Bioactive Compounds, Spray Coatings, Food Fortification, Nasal Delivery, and Dry powders.
FaBA Senior Research Fellow, Food & Beverage Fermentation Biotechnology
Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation
Availability:
Available for supervision
With a strong foundation in food science, fermentation, analytical chemistry, and sustainable food systems, Jiahua’s work focuses on microbial transformation of natural food into high-value functional food products using advanced fermentation technologies, including food grade fermentation and solid-state fermentation. Her research helps address critical industry challenges such as food waste reduction, upcycling of processing residues, development of novel food ingredients, and improvement of nutritional profiles in food and beverage products. Another key focus of Jiahua’s role is developing innovative food products and conducting shelf life testing. She transforms novel ideas into market-ready products by carefully balancing functionality, nutrition, sensory quality, and commercial feasibility.
Jiahua has led and contributed to numerous nationally and internationally funded research projects, collaborating with food industry partners, government agencies, and research institutions across Australia, China, Singapore, and Denmark. Her translational research supports industry needs in product innovation, ingredient development, and sustainable processing. Since 2015, Jiahua has attracted 6 research grants (>1.2 million) as chief investigator (lead CI and/or co-CI).
Jiahua recently secured a $5.6 million research project in May 2025 as the Lead Chief Investigator for “Premium Oat Innovations: Developing High-Value Oat-Based Food Products for Emerging Markets.” This project aims to create innovative, oat-based solutions tailored to evolving global consumer needs, with a strong focus on nutrition, sensory quality, and market differentiation.
