Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) Professor Anna Han (Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, College of Human Ecology) received the Young Scientist Award presented by The Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition (KFN) in recognition of her outstanding research achievements in food science and nutrition.

The awards ceremony was held on October 29, 2025 at the BEXCO Convention Hall during the 2025 KFN International Symposium and Annual Meeting.

This award is presented to researchers who have published outstanding research achievements in food science and nutrition and are expected to make significant contributions to the advancement of the field.

The Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition annually selects and honors outstanding early-career researchers in Korea. With this award, Professor Han's academic achievements and research potential have been officially recognized.

Professor Han has continued research on the functionality of Korean traditional fermented sauces (K-Jang) based on molecular metabolic mechanisms, and on elucidating health effects through gut microbiota and metabolome analyses.

She also conducts broad epidemiological research on nutrition and chronic diseases in older adults using national nutrition survey data, and has presented excellent research results to domestic and international academic audiences.

Professor Anna Han commented on the award, "I believe this achievement is the result of the efforts of the students in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition's Molecular Metabolic Nutrition Laboratory and my fellow researchers," and added, "I will continue my research with a sense of responsibility so that the scientific value of our traditional fermented foods can gain wider international recognition."

Meanwhile, the international symposium held that day, themed "Quarter Century of Progress: Transforming Food and Nutrition," drew more than 2,000 researchers from industry, academia, research institutes, and government, and served as the country's largest international conference in the food and nutrition field for sharing the latest research outcomes and discussing future value.