We support innovative and sustainable growth in the food and beverage industries.

With a focus on entrepreneurship, we train and educate students and stakeholders in current and emerging processing technologies. We establish funded research programs to develop new products and technologies to become the primary resource for the food manufacturing sector in North Carolina and the Southeast.

Click on each faculty member’s name to learn more about their expertise and research.

Dana Hanson

• Exploring small plant variation in the application of standardized pathogen control used in beef slaughter and processing
• Comparison of production efficiency, product quality and nutrient excretion of 1979 vs. 2005 pigs when fed “typical” 1979 and 2005 diets
• Determine microbiological quality and safety of souse and air dried country sausage using challenge studies with Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus
• Evaluation of methyl bromide emissions and possible alternatives for country hams

K.P. Sandeep

• Mathematical modeling and experimental validation of continuous flow microwave processing of liquid and particulate foods
• Development and use of sensors in validating aseptic processing of multiphase foods
• Scale-up of heating and mixing operations

John Sheppard

• Process optimization of yeast-based bioprocesses, with a specialization in brewing, fuel-ethanol, and yeast-bacteria co-cultures for fermented food and beverage production
• Use of near-infrared spectroscopy for control of bioprocesses, including cell culture for viral vaccine production
• Use of enzymes in hydrolysis of barley malt

Josip Simunovic

• Design and development of protocols for continuous flow microwave processing of various pumpable foods
• Development of sensors for process monitoring and validation of continuous flow thermal processes
• Development of energy-efficient operations for the food industry

Clint Stevenson

• Reality-based training systems, including videos, games, and customized training modules
• Increasing the workforce capacity of food manufacturing professionals through optimizing recruitment activities