Food Safety and Food Microbiology

Our faculty working in food safety and microbiology explore the interactions between microbial communities, food, and food consumers with the goal of improving the safety, health, and quality of the local and global food supply. This field encompasses the study of spoilage microorganisms, foodborne pathogens, and beneficial microbes at every link in the supply chain, from farm to table. Our research includes everything from produce safety at harvest to food pathogen epidemiology to shelf life stability.

Disciplines

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Microbiology

Food Safety and Preservation

Extension

Epidemiology

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Health and Nutrition

Food Chemistry

Featured Project

Virginia Tech researchers studying how human food scraps contribute to diseases in ecosystems

More About this Research

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Monica Ponder, a professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology, partnered with researchers at the Chobe Research Lab in Botswana to study how bacterial diarrheal-associated diseases like Campylobacter spread through

ecosystems, including how they make their way into local wildlife populations. They also examined the environmental factors that cause antibiotic resistance in these bacteria.

Faculty

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Alexis M. Hamilton , bio
Extension Specialist and Assistant Professor: Food Processing Microbiology
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Joseph Eifert , bio
Interim Department Head and Professor: Food Safety, Poultry Processing, HACCP and Risk Assessment, Food Laws and Regulations, Food Safety Education
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Kim Waterman , bio
Food Microbiology Laboratory Manager
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Laura K. Strawn , bio
Professor and Extension Specialist: Food Microbiology, Produce Safety
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Lester Schonberger , bio
Associate Extension Specialist: Food Safety Education, Food Donation
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Melissa Wright , bio
Extension Specialist and Director, Food Producer Technical Assistance Network
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Monica Ponder , bio
Professor: Microbiology
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Rachel Cheng , bio
Assistant Professor: Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Foodborne Illness Virulence and Disease Severity, Host-Pathogen Interactions of Foodborne Pathogens
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Renee Boyer , bio
Professor and Assistant Dean of Graduate Research Programs
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Susan Sumner , bio
Associate Dean for College Agriculture and Life Sciences Academic Programs; Food Microbiology, Food Safety, Pedagogy, Teaching and Learning
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Yifan Cheng , bio
Assistant Professor: Food Packaging, Food Process Engineering, Food Safety, Antimicrobial Nanostructures for Food Contact Surfaces, Intelligent Packaging