diff --git a/ofu_app/apps/food/models.py b/ofu_app/apps/food/models.py
index 7e8c1cd..2cd872c 100644
--- a/ofu_app/apps/food/models.py
+++ b/ofu_app/apps/food/models.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from django.contrib.auth.models import User
 from django.core.files.uploadedfile import SimpleUploadedFile
 from django.db import models
 from django.utils import timezone
-from django.utils.encoding import smart_text
+from django.utils.encoding import smart_str
 from enum import Enum
 
 MAX_LENGTH = 256
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ class UserFoodImage(models.Model):
         suf = SimpleUploadedFile(os.path.split(self.image.name)[-1],
                                  temp_handle.read(),
                                  content_type='image/jpg')
-        str_food = smart_text(self.food.name, encoding='utf-8')
+        str_food = smart_str(self.food.name, encoding='utf-8')
         self.thumb.save('%s_%s_thumbnail.%s' % (str_food, self.user.username, 'jpg'), suf, save=False)
         # save the image object
         self.image.name = "%s_%s_original.%s" % (str_food, self.user.username, 'jpg')