Dr. Ofir Benjamin is a lecturer and researcher at the food science department in Tel Hai College. His research expertise deals with food sensory and food structure. He also performs research in dairy technology with sensory aspects. Ofir completed his BSc (cum laude) at food engineering at the Technion University, Haifa. Later he continued to master degree at one of the leading universities in the world for food and agriculture science called Wageningen University in the Netherlands. The MSc degree was in a dairy science specialization. Last he received his PhD from Otago University in New Zealand with a collaboration work with Fraunhofer Institute in Freising Germany. He was a PhD scholar of Riddet center. His PhD thesis topic was on aroma release from emulsion and beverage drinks under oral processing conditions.
In Tel Hai he is the head of the sensory lab which includes novel equipment such as the electronic tongue and nose together with other advanced analytical instruments such as GC-MS, UHPLC Viscometer and Texture Analyzer. His latest work dealt with taste profile of salt reduced cheeses and evaluation of olive oil quality standard using advanced sensorial techniques. Ofir coordinates couple of courses including dairy science, food sensory evaluation, product development, and advanced food technology.
On top of that, he is highly active in promoting a master plan to establish the first national food and nutrition innovation research institute in the north of Israel – the Galilee. In his vision, the institute will serve as a bridge platform between the industry and the academy to create a new hub for food-tech in Israel. This institute will attract researchers and industry, investors and start-up companies deal with healthy food, food technology, a functional and medical food.