Neela Sumessar is a graduate of the University of the West Indies (UWI), holding an MSc in Food Science and Technology and a BSc in Biochemistry with minors in Biotechnology and Biology. She is also certified in ISO17025:2005 and ISO9000:2015 Lead Auditor Training for Quality Management Systems. Over the course of her career, she has gained extensive exposure to food processing, food safety, and sanitation techniques, including HACCP (HACCP Canada Certified Administrator Training), as well as a wide range of laboratory methodologies. Her experience spans microbiological, biochemical, chemical, biological, and agro-processing techniques relevant to the BAFT programmes. Neela's diverse research interests include phytochemical analysis of fruits and vegetables, valorisation of waste streams for food production, new product development with a focus on integrating local ingredients into shelf-stable safe food products, and the exploration of novel food processing techniques such as non-thermal technologies to enhance nutrient bioavailability.