Sharareh Hekmat, PhD

Professor

Contact Information

hekmat@uwo.ca

Education

  • Ph.D., Nutrition and Food Sciences (Utah State University)
    M.Sc., Nutrition and Food Sciences (Utah State University)
    B.Sc., Biology (Utah State University)

Graduate Program Supervision

  • Foods and Nutrition, MScFN

Research In Profile

Sharareh Hekmat has trained more than sixty interns for Western Heads East Project which have helped to create a sustainable mini-dairy plant in an outlying community of Mwanza, Tanzania. The interns have educated the community about the health benefits and preparation of probiotic yogurt. This project has been recently expanded to Kenya in Africa.

Their probiotic yogurt has the potential to act as a natural remedy that could lessen the severity of diseases and diarrheal symptoms in the region by interrupting infection cycles and killing harmful bacteria and viruses. Hekmat’s research with probiotic yoghurt is featured in Living Research – 2010, Volume 1.

Featured Publications and Projects

Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals

  • DeBruyne, A., and S. Hekmat. 2024. The effects of fortification of yogurt with various functional flours on growth ans survival of probiotic bacteria and sensory properties of the yogurt. J. Nutrition and Food Science by Emerald. DOI 10.1108/NFS-11-2023-0257
  • Burrowes, R. and S. Hekmat. 2022. Development of Probiotic Yogurt from Almond and Cow’s Milk Using Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GR-1. J. Nutrition and Food Science by Emerald. https://www.emerald.com/insight/0034-6659.htm. DOI 10.1108/NFS-06-2022-0194.
  • Muncey, L., and S. Hekmat. 2021. Development of Probiotic Almond Beverage Using Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GR-1 Fortified with Short-Chain and Long-Chain Inulin Fibre. Fermentation 2021, 7(2), 90; doi : 10.3390/fermentation7020090.
  • Fatima, S. M., and S. Hekmat. 2020. Microbial and Sensory Analysis of Soy and Cow Milk-Based Yogurt as a Probiotic Matrix for Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1. Fermentation 2020, 6, 74; doi:10.3390/fermentation6030074.
  • Le, T., and S. Hekmat. 2020. Development of pulse-based probiotics by fermentation using Fiti sachets for the developing world. J. Nutrition and Food Science. Volume 50, Issue 6. DOI: 10.1108/NFS-08-2019-0272, ISSN: 0034-6659.
  • Dunkley, K. E., and S. Hekmat. 2019. Development of probiotic vegetable juice using Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1. 2019. J. Nutrition and Food Science. DOI: 10.1108/NFS-06-2019-0192. ISSN: 0034-6659.
  • Hamilton, K., and S. Hekmat. 2018. Organic food and university students: A pilot study. J. Nutrition and Food Science. Vol. 48 (2): 218-227.

Presentations

  • Hekmat, S. and A. DeBruyne. 2024. Microbial and sensory assessment of novel probiotic dairy products. American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) Annual Conference.
  • Hekmat, S., and L. Muncey. 2023. Growth and survival of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GR-1 in almond beverage. Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology Conference (CIFST) Food Summit.
  • Hekmat, S., and M. S. Syeda. 2023. Development of a novel probiotic dairy product with the mixture of soy and cow’s milk. American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) Annual Conference.
  • Hekmat, S., and T. Le. 2022. Development of Pulse-based Probiotic Products. Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology, CIFST Food Summit.
  • Hekmat, S., and J. White. 2019. Fruit juices fortified with prebiotic agents could be used as vehicles to deliver probiotic bacteria to consumers. Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology Conference.
  • Hekmat, S., M. Soltani, and L. Ahmadi. 2019. Incorporation and survival of probiotic bacteria in yogurt supplemented with prebiotic agents. Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology Conference.
  • Hekmat., and K. Hamilton. 2019. Organic Foods: Consumption Patterns, Attitude and Knowledge Among University Students. Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology Conference.

Current Grants and Research Projects

  • 2023-2024. Influence of food matrix on the cell viability and maintenance of probiotic microorganisms. (Principal Investigator).
  • 2022-2023. Quantitative analysis of probiotic bacteria and the impact of prebiotic agents in development of functional food products over storage period. (Principal Investigator).
  • 2022-2023. Collaborator in a project entitled: “Creating a probiotic yogurt production network for improved community health”. NSERC CCSIF, 2022 (Application Submitted).
  • 2020-2021. Novel functional foods are potential vehicles to carry probiotic bacteria to consumers. (Principal Investigator)

Graduate Student Opportunities

Potential opportunities include the following research areas:

  • Development of novel probiotic products.
  • Microbial assessment of probiotics in functional foods.
  • Optimization of probiotics by utilizing prebiotic agents.

Please contact Sharareh Hekmat directly at hekmat@uwo.ca, for more information.

Additional Information

Academic Appointments and Research Affiliations

  • Collaborator: Canadian Research and Development Centre for Probiotics at Lawson Health Research Institute

Media Highlights

Awards

  • Received Emerald Literati Award, 2019
  • Excellence in Research Award, Brescia University College, 2016
  • Founding Contributions Western Heads East Award. Western International, Western University, 2015
  • Dean’s Award of Excellence Research-Team, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at The University of Western Ontario, 2011
  • Award of Excellence in Teaching, Brescia University College, 2006
  • Award of Excellence in Internationalization, Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, Scotiabank-AUCC, 2006
  • Deans Honor Roll of Teaching, 2000-2012, 2014-2015, 2018-19
  • Sharareh Hekmat made an impression on Archbishop Desmond, 2009

Professional Activities

  • 1999-present, Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology
  • 1998-present, Institute of Food Technologists
  • 1988-present, Phi Kappa Phi Honour Society
  • 1996-present, American Dairy Science Association