Saja Al-Hamaideh, a student in the Master's Program in Medical Therapeutic Nutrition and Food Safety at the Hashemite University, won the Best Scientific Research Award "First Place" in the Fourth Smart Functional Food Competition, which discusses food waste and food manufacturing strategies in Jordan, for her research paper on "The Effect of Pomegranate Peel Extract in Edible Wraps on Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria in Medjool Dates" under the supervision of Prof. Amin Oleimat and Prof. Murad Al-Hawli.

   The researcher demonstrated the possibility of benefiting from food waste such as pomegranate peel extracts and shellfish and oyster shells against bacteria, yeasts and mold to maintain the quality of the Medjool date product and ensure its health and safety.