Boluwatife Esther Ajayi is a Second year PhD student in Animal science department, Texas A&M University. Her research centers on food safety microbiology, with a strong passion for protecting public health through efforts aimed at preventing foodborne illnesses.
Salmonella enterica and Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) pose a risk in dry-fermented sausages. To address this, this study investigates the control of these pathogens during the fermentation of uncooked salami. Sausage batter was prepared, inoculated with the target pathogens, cured, and seasoned. Using a starter culture, fermentation was carefully controlled to a target pH of 5.0. Environmental and internal conditions were monitored throughout this process. Preliminary findings demonstrate the impact of these parameters on pathogen survival during fermentation. Future work will expand to include the drying phase and will focus on developing a predictive mathematical model to quantify these relationships, validating surrogate organisms, and assessing model efficacy to optimize the safety of dry-fermented sausage production.
Though research indicates that current food sanitation training positively impacts knowledge of food handlers, industry experts report that it does not significantly impact prolonged sanitary practices.This project identified relevant sanitation job-tasks that small food processors are expected to perform in the field, which informed our practical, hands-on sanitation training. This program used the show, do, and apply model to provide food processors with a chance to practice and establish confidence with sanitation job skills.
Daniela Chavez, a PhD candidate at Texas Tech University, is a dedicated food scientist from El Salvador. She earned her bachelor's degree in food sciences from Zamorano University in Honduras and later pursued a master's in food sciences at Texas Tech. Her research focuses on improving food safety with a focus in poultry products, aspiring to help to promote meaningful changes in food systems to ensure access to safe, nutritious, and sustainably food products.
This study aims to create a facility-specific microbial baseline throughout bio-mapping and enviro-mapping in a poultry further processing facility to identify microbial contamination risks, particularly focusing on Listeria spp. and total aerobic counts. Samples were collected over five days at three different times per day from various locations and sentinel types. The J.Scoop After X-Ray was consistently the most Listeria-positive location, suggesting a persistent contamination source. Raw marinated samples showed the highest Listeria spp. prevalence and total viable counts, indicating a critical control point. Although some locations like Belt After Oven and Before Freezer consistently showed no Listeria spp., others showed day-dependent variability. ANOVA results indicated significant day effects at certain steps, but limited interaction between time and day. Time-based and product-based trends suggest targeted improvements in sanitation and sampling strategies are needed. The study highlights the importance of detailed microbial mapping for effective contamination control.
Dinithi De Silva is a second-year PhD student in Food Science and Technology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, specializing in applied food safety microbiology. Her research focuses on the influence of the background microbial community composition on the recovery and detection of pathogenic bacteria from food environmental samples. She investigates metal and biocide tolerance, biofilm formation, and microbial competition to assess their impact on detecting Listeria, Salmonella, and STEC from food-contact and non-food-contact surfaces. Her work aims to enhance pathogen detection and environmental monitoring in the food industry while providing valuable data to regulatory bodies to strengthen food safety standards and contamination control measures.
Heavy metals present along the food chain, particularly in meat processing environments, can exert selective pressure on foodborne bacteria. This study assessed the heavy metal tolerance of pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria isolated from meat-associated environments. All strains were grown to 10⁵ CFU/mL and exposed to two-fold dilutions of Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Cd²⁺ (32–0.015625 mM) at 35 °C for 24 h. Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) varied by organism. Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed the highest tolerance (Zn: 16.0, Cu: 8.0, Cd: 4.0), while Staphylococcus aureus and lactic acid bacteria showed greater sensitivity. Moderate tolerance was observed in strains such as E. coli (O157:H7, O26, O91, O121), Salmonella serovars, and Listeria monocytogenes. These findings highlight the ability of meat-associated microbes to adapt to heavy metal stress, which may contribute to cross-tolerance to antibiotics and biocides used in meat sanitation. Ongoing studies aim to understand how these traits affect recovery and detection of pathogens in meat processing environments.
Veeramani Karuppuchamy is a third year PhD student in Food Science and Technology at The Ohio State University. He has a MS in Food Science and Technology from The Ohio State University and another MS in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering from South Dakota State University. He has worked in the food industry for eight years as a Quality Assurance Supervisor, in addition to various internships with food industry and regulatory agency. Veeramani is very passionate about the field of food safety. After his PhD, Veeramani plans to work as a food safety/quality assurance manager in the industry where he can utilize the skills he learned in his graduate degrees
Air impingement was used to remove nonfat dry milk (NFDM) residues from a stainless-steel surface. The influence of water activity (aw), time after reaching equilibrium water activity, and thickness at the time of removal from the surface were investigated. All three factors had a significant effect on the time for removal. Visible changes in the structure of deposits were observed as samples were equilibrated to water activities above 0.43. NFDM residues with water activities less than 0.33 were removed within 1 s regardless of wall shear stress. For water activities greater than 0.50 and thickness greater than 1 mm, and the time after reaching an equilibrium water activity was over 7 days, more than 5 min of air impingement with wall shear stress over 9.48 Pa was required to remove the residue. These results indicated that air impingement has the potential to provide effective cleaning in low-moisture foods facilities.
Mario Melendez, originally from La Ceiba, Honduras, earned his bachelor’s degree in Food Science in Fall 2012, graduating with the highest GPA in his class. With over nine years of professional experience, he has managed dairy production and provided technical advisory services across various industries in Honduras, including dairy, meat, bakery, and snacks. In 2022, Mario began his master’s at LSU, where he developed antimicrobial nanotechnology to combat foodborne pathogens in the cantaloupe industry. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in Food Science, focusing on the production of mycoprotein through fermentation technology, a promising alternative for meat substitutes. Mario is member of Phi Tau Sigma Honor Society, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), and the American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS), actively participating in their conferences.)
Curcumin (CUR), a natural compound with antimicrobial properties, faces limitations in food applications due to its chemical instability. This study developed two curcumin nanoemulsion (CUR-NE) formulations, 1CUR-NE (0.05% CUR) and 2CUR-NE (0.10% CUR), to enhance CUR stability and antimicrobial efficacy on cantaloupe rind surfaces. Nanoemulsions were prepared with MCT oil, polysorbate 80, and polyethylene glycol using ultrasound processing. The formulations were tested against Listeria innocua, E. coli, aerobic bacteria, and yeast/mold on inoculated cantaloupe surfaces over 12 days. 2CUR-NE significantly reduced pathogen counts, with notable reductions of E. coli by day 6. Viscosity and droplet size measurements confirmed nanoscale dispersion, while scanning electron microscopy showed decreased microbial presence after treatment. These findings support the use of CUR-NE, especially 2CUR-NE, as a promising natural antimicrobial alternative for produce safety, offering potential to replace synthetic chemicals in postharvest sanitation. Further investigation is needed to assess long-term performance in various food systems.
Karen Nieto-Flores is a Ph.D. candidate in Food Science and Technology at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Her research focuses on the effectiveness of cleaning and sanitizing procedures against Listeria spp. in dairy processing
Listeria presents challenges in dairy processing due to its persistence and resistance to sanitation. A systematic review was conducted to evaluate sanitizing interventions for Listeria spp., including L. monocytogenes, across surfaces in dairy settings. The search identified 4,677 records, with 50 unique studies included. Results showed that sanitizer efficacy ranged from 2.12 to 3.63 log reductions, with peroxyacetic acid proving the most effective. Chlorine-based sanitizers were most common, and 73% of studies evaluated stainless steel surfaces. The present study synthesized quantitative evidence to enhance understanding of the effectiveness of sanitation interventions in controlling Listeria spp., providing insights into sanitation practices that should be followed within dairy processing environments.
Kavita Patil is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Arkansas, focusing on food safety in low-moisture food (LMF) processing environments. Her research explores bacterial persistence, cross-contamination, and sanitation efficacy, with applications to connect sanitation protocols, environmental monitoring, and hygienic design. A key aspect of her work involves evaluating sanitizer efficacy against persistent bacterial populations in LMF settings. Through this research, Kavita aims to bridge scientific understanding with industry best practices to improve pathogen control and sanitation validation. She is eager to engage with experts at the summit to gain insights into innovative hygienic design solutions that support food safety.
This study evaluated sanitation strategies to inactivate Salmonella persistent bacterial populations (PBPs) formed on stainless steel surfaces with non-fat dry milk or peanut butter matrices under low-moisture conditions. Cleaning followed by sanitation consistently yielded the highest log reductions, while sanitation alone was less effective, especially on fat-rich matrices. Thermal treatments at ≥125°C and isopropyl alcohol-based sanitizers were most effective when preceded by cleaning. Enterococcus faecium showed potential as a surrogate for Salmonella, although resistance varied by treatment and matrix. These findings highlight the critical need for facility-specific sanitation validation and underscore the importance of pre-cleaning and matrix considerations when developing sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOPs) in low-moisture food environments.
Shivaprasad is a Ph.D. candidate in Grain Science at Kansas State University, where he focuses on developing intervention strategies to mitigate Salmonella and E. coli contamination in cereal grains and their processed products. His research integrates scientific innovation with industry relevance, aiming to improve microbiological safety through practical, non-thermal interventions. At the summit, he will present his poster titled “Tracking E. coli Transfer and Persistence in Milling Fractions and Equipment During Laboratory-Scale Roller Milling.”
Cross-contamination of pathogens during wheat milling poses significant food safety risks. This study quantified E. coli transfer to flour fractions and mill equipment during the inoculated and non-inoculated wheat milling. Inoculated wheat milling yielded higher E. coli in non-flour fractions (1.9–4.5 log CFU/g) versus flour, with flour contamination increasing as more wheat was processed. Non-inoculated runs showed residual E. coli in non-flour fractions (1.8–3.4 log CFU/g) and declining flour counts, indicating cross-contamination. Equipment surfaces, particularly hoppers, feeders, rollers, and break sifters (2.0–3.6 log CFU/100 cm²), retained higher E. coli post-inoculated runs, especially in the break system. Non-inoculated milling resulted in detectable equipment contamination, confirming transfer pathways. Results demonstrate that continuous processing of contaminated wheat elevates flour contamination, while equipment surfaces act as reservoirs. These findings highlight critical control points in the milling process and underscore the need for targeted cleaning strategies to mitigate microbial risks.
Michael received his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University in 2022, and is currently completing his master’s degree in food science at Texas Tech University. He is a graduate student under Dr. Mindy Brashears, with a research focus in Salmonella and E. coli mitigation strategies in beef and pork production. Michael has spent time interning in Washington D.C. with the agricultural lobbying group National Farmers Union, as well as spending summer 2025 in Beltsville, Maryland at the USDA-ARS research facility performing Listeria biofilm formation. Michael was named a USDA Future Leader in Agriculture for 2025, a distinction given to 5 graduate students in the country annually. Additionally, Michael serves as Graduate Vice President at Texas Tech and is going to pursue his PhD upon graduation.)
This in-plant study was conducted to determine the overall level of bacterial reduction by multiple interventions over a two-day period. ATCC non-pathogenic surrogate strains of E.coli were utilized in this study to mimic the behavior of Salmonella and E.coli. Foreshanks of beef carcasses were inoculated a total of two times per repetition.
A total of three repetitions were conducted, each over a two-day period. On day one, samples were collected post initial inoculation and post day one interventions. On day two, samples were collected from previously inoculated and treated carcasses, post reinoculation, and post day two treatments. Sample collection was performed utilizing 25 mL BPW pre-hydrated sponge swabs, sampling the outside of the foreshank each time covering a total surface area of 100 cm2. Microbial loads were determined using spread plating techniques and counting.
