Development of a graduate training program in Food Safety Engineering
CALS Impact Statement
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Overview
abstract
Food Safety Engineering has emerged in the past few years as a multi-disciplinary approach dedicated to solving engineering issues related to food safety. It involves the application of sound engineering principles to design efficient microbial detection methods or microbial inactivation treatments. We have designed and obtained federal funding for a multidisciplinary graduate training program that will provide theoretical knowledge and experiential learning opportunities in Food Safety Engineering. The current program is designed to provide four fellows (three Ph.D. and one M.S.) with multidisciplinary training opportunities offered by faculty with expertise in the fields of food science, food and biological engineering, microbiology, and veterinary medicine. To date, a Ph.D. fellow and the M.S. fellow were recruited into the program. Upon graduation, fellows trained through this program are expected to undertake leadership roles in industry, government or academia, and make significant contributions to ensuring the safety of our food supply.
Food safety has become an increasing concern for consumers, retailers, and the food industry in the past decade. It has become clear in recent years that, in order to establish economically feasible strategies for improving the safety of the food supply, engineering should also become an integral component of food safety research. Engineering approaches and methods are critical for the development and application of fast and accurate methods for detecting and inactivating microbial pathogens, as well as for process control. Food Safety Engineering has emerged in the past few years as a multi-disciplinary approach dedicated to solving engineering issues related to food safety, and involves the application of sound engineering principles to design efficient microbial detection methods or microbial inactivation treatments. The emerging changes in the food processing industry triggered by the implementation of new methods for the inactivation of food pathogens are also reflected by new employment opportunities in industry, in academia, as well as in state and federal agencies, who are currently seeking highly trained scientists with advanced knowledge in both Food Safety and Food Engineering.
response
We have designed a multidisciplinary graduate training program that will provide theoretical knowledge and experiential learning opportunities in disciplines at the interface between Food Microbiology/Safety and Food Engineering. This Cornell’s unique resources, the presence of world-class teaching and research expertise in the fields of food science, food and biological engineering, and microbiology, allow integration of these areas of expertise to create a strong Food Safety Engineering graduate training program. Funding for this program was secured through a National Needs grant from USDA. The current program is designed to provide four fellows (three Ph.D. and one M.S.) with multidisciplinary training opportunities offered by faculty with expertise in the fields of food science, food and biological engineering, microbiology, and veterinary medicine. The program also includes career building opportunities through internships in industry, government or regulatory agencies, participation at technical meetings, networking with prominent members of the food industry, participation in career fairs, career advise and job search support from professional career officers. To date, a Ph.D. fellow and the M.S. fellow were recruited into the program. Active efforts are being made in order to recruit students for the remaining positions.
impact assessment
This program will provide a world class teaching, research and mentoring environment for graduate students interested in applying sound engineering principles to design efficient microbial inactivation treatments or microbial detection methods. Upon graduation, fellows trained through this program are expected to undertake leadership roles in industry, government or academia, and make significant contributions to ensuring the safety of the U.S. food supply.
