Daegu University professor wins Ministry of Food and Drug Safety commissioner's commendation

Lee Jeong-hee, a professor in the Department of Food and Nutrition at Daegu University, received a commendation from the commissioner of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety at the 2026 Korean Society of Food Preservation International Conference and General Assembly, held Thursday at the Hwabaek International Convention Center (HICO) in Gyeongju.

The commendation is a government award presented to researchers who have contributed to food safety and the advancement of food science and technology. Lee was recognized for her work in functional lipid research and her contributions to the development of food science in Korea.

Lee has advanced the field through research on building an agricultural and food phospholipid database, developing analytical and applied technologies for functional lipids, and studying functional materials using liposomes as delivery systems.

She also serves as editor-in-chief of the international journal Food Science and Preservation, where she has worked to raise the journal's global profile and research standards, strengthening the international competitiveness of Korean food science.

Lee currently heads Daegu University's North Gyeongsang Province Strategic Industry Anchor Project and serves as director of the Regional Settlement Innovation Institute, leading industry-academia cooperation and talent development in the regional food industry and green biotech sectors.

"This commendation is a meaningful honor made possible by the efforts of the students and collaborators who conducted research alongside me," Lee said. "I will continue pursuing research that contributes to food safety, public health and the advancement of food science."