COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND LIFE SCIENCES
2018 Digest Department of Food Science and Technology Food FST-280 Message from the department head
Greetings, for the first time. As many of you are aware, the Food Science and Technology major is not widely known Last year, I told you about across campus. It has been very interesting to chat the new classroom (FST 27) with these students. Most will say they had no idea on which we were putting what was in this red brick building, even though they the final touches so we passed it often on their way to the “cage” and their could use it beginning in cars. Now, literally hundreds of non-FST students the spring semester of 2017. are finding our building and major. I hope to engage Joe Marcy The classroom, which holds this new audience by improving our messaging approximately 70 students, and information about FST opportunities. Virginia has been a great blessing to our department. Those Tech is in the process of changing “branding” for of you who took your food science classes in FST 132 the university with new logos for both digital and know that the room had limitations, including pump print materials. These changes are coming to our noise from the basement, uncomfortable seats and department too, so now is a very good time to update limited space. However, it was located in the FST our information and to think about how we want our building, and convenient. Not having a classroom department to be presented. large enough for our increasing FST enrollment has meant that FST classes were scattered across campus. We now have an alumni Facebook page open only to I really enjoyed having a chance to say hello, and the FST alumni and FST faculty and staff. We hope you opportunity to see how our students were doing when will join us and keep up with your friends from Virginia they came into the FST building. Now that many of Tech. In the coming year, we will push out some of our classes are in the FST building once again, there the new materials on the FST alumni page. We look are opportunities to speak with students informally, forward to hearing from you either during a visit to which has been great. campus, or online.
In addition to food science classes, classes from many Best personal regards, other majors are being taught in FST 27 as well. Many of these students are trying to find the FST building Joe Marcy
CONTENTS Message from the department head...... 1 Product Development Team Takes First Place!...... 8 Women in Agriculture and Life Sciences Panel Discussion...... 11 2017-2018 FST Industry Advisory Board Members...... 2 Flick Receives CALS Hall of Fame Award...... 8 FSMA Preventative Controls for Human Food Workshops Our Growing Department...... 2 Effect of Soil Amendments from Antibiotic-Treated Cows for Food Processors...... 12 Spring Award Recipients...... 2 on Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria & Genes Recovered from the FSMA Produce Safety Rule Workshops for Growers...... 12 Students Learn About Global Food Security in Ecuador...... 3 Surfaces of Lettuce & Radishes...... 9 State and National FFA Food Science Career Development Events ....12 Washington Monthly’s 2017 Rankings...... 4 Inactivation of Salmonella and Surrogate Bacteria on Graduate Student Spends Month in Hawaii...... 13 Fifth Annual FST poster competition...... 4 Cashews and Macadamia Nuts Exposed to Saturated Steam Lopez-Velasco Receives Outstanding Recent Graduate Alumna Award ...13 and Proplyene Oxide Treatments...... 9 Bardsley Receives STARS Scholarship...... 4 Sensory Laboratory Helps Researchers Read Emotions...... 13 Amutis Named Distinguished Alumnus...... 5 International symposium on dairy cow nutrition and milk quality...... 9 Impact of Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) Fermentation on Composition Duncan Presents in Sydney, Australia...... 5 Long Chain n-3 PUFA and Oleic Acid Modification Strategies to and Concentration of Polyphenols: Development of Fermentation FFA Milk Quality and Products CDE...... 5 Enhance Fillet Quality in Talpia, Oreochomis species ...... 10 Model System and Utilization of Yeast Starter Cultures...... 14 Food Safety Program Launched in Armenia...... 6 Tapping into Extension Series: Beakers and Brews...... 10 Divis Named Outsdanding Recent Undergraduate Alumna...... 14 Students Active in IFTSA...... 6 Virginia Tech Chapter of Phi Tau Sigma...... 10 Annual Apple Picking Foray...... 14 Blacksburg Beer Festival...... 7 Chase is Virginia Cooperative Extension State Program Leader...... 11 Food Science Club Update...... 15 Fermentation Program Approved by the MBAA...... 7 Product Development Teams Reach the Final Round...... 11 Department Says Goodbye to “Tootsie Roll”...... 7
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Keller Watts Corey Berends 2017-2018 FST Senior Vice President, Business Vice President of Research and Management at Smithfield Foods Development at ConAgra Foods Industry Advisory Smithfield, Virginia Omaha, Nebraska Board Members Tulin Tuzel FST Representatives: Bob Reinhard (Chair) Chief Technology Officer at Sabra Joseph E. Marcy Vice President of Food Safety & Dipping Co LLC FST Professor and Department Quality at Tyson Foods Colonial Heights, Virginia Head Downer’s Grove, Illinois Moira McGrath Susan E. Duncan Tatiana Lorca President of OPUS International, Assistant Director of the Virginia Manager, Food Safety Education Inc., Deerfield Beach, Florida Agricultural Experiment Station & Training at Ecolab in the Food & Beverage Division, St. Paul, William (Bill) Aimutis Elizabeth Clark Minnesota Global Director of External FST Ph.D. Candidate Innovation at Cargill, Inc. Steve Franzyshen Minneapolis, Minnesota R&D and Market Development Manager at Dupont Teijin Films Shawn Theriot Hopewell, Virginia Quality Assurance Manager at Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Oregon
Champlain in 2017. Her specialty Our growing is flavor chemistry.
department Dan Taylor, research associate Spring award Molly Kelly, enology Extension in aquaculture research recipients specialist, accepted an enology and Extension, accepted an Sushrruti Extension position at Penn aquaculture research position Boyd-Arline Award Varatharaj State University. Her years at Dansk Skaldyrcenter in Nykøbing Mors, Denmark. of outstanding service to FST Cameron Hackney Andrea Hagan and the Virginia wine industry Memorial Mackenzie Knox are greatly appreciated. The And… Our Growing Family! Enrichment Award position is being advertised and will be filled as soon as possible. Thomas Jonathan Corey & Charlene Jackson Neilson Berends FST Colleen Dommell Scholarship Jacob Lahne came on board was born on as an assistant professor in August 29th. He FST Achievement sensory science. Prior to is the first child of Award – Meghan Ruppel coming to Virginia Tech, he Andrew Neilson Outstanding Senior served as assistant professor and his wife, Ashleigh. Neilson Pengyu Chen in the department of culinary FST Achievement Mariel Jastrebsky arts and food science at Drexel also earned tenure and was promoted to associate Award Hayley Lawrence University. Kelsey McQueen professor in April. Marvin Poster Tommy Saunders (M.S. 2017) is Meg Beatty Memorial the new food safety Extension Renee Boyer and Brianna Ong associate for the Richmond her husband, John, Scholarship area. had their second Sabra Dipping child. Marin Company Casey Feher Yun Yin joined us as a research Eversole Boyer was Scholarship assistant professor. She born on November 24th. Tyson Brands Fund Sally Abouzied completed her Ph.D. at the for Excellence Robin Nguyen University of Illinois at Urbana- VA Meat J’Nai Phillips Processor’s Award Roxi Smith
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Students learn about global food security in Ecuador Lester Schonberger (M.S. candidate) spent two weeks of his summer in Ecuador learning about global food security. Professor Ozzie Abaye from the crop and soil environmental sciences department led the group of students from several CALS departments. Some of the students were taking Agriculture, Global Food Security and Health, a class that is part of the global food security and health minor. The new minor examines some of Lester Schonberger making chicha the most pressing issues that will to put stickers on bananas. They shelter, and clean water. I want be facing our planet as the world can put stickers on a maximum of them to understand that we are not population swells by two billion two truckloads a day. The workers that different from one another.” people over the next 30 years. The must subsist on that income. In class and minor are part of a push the Andes, the group ate guinea Ecuador is a prime place for the by the college to expand students’ pig with a local who is fighting to students to learn the complexities opportunities to study overseas hold onto his ancient culture in of a developing and quickly and to see things through a global a rapidly changing world. After changing world. Farmers are lens. hiking on hardened lava flows on feeling the impacts of climate the Galapagos, the group learned change as the rainy seasons get “This was the trip of a lifetime,” the challenges of food security rainier and the dry seasons get said Schonberger, who was using vulnerability when living on an drier. Deforestation in the Amazon the trip as part of his research. island. is changing the way the locals eat “It is the responsibility of those and hunt. Technology is creeping who went on this trip to act as The students submitted daily into the most remote corners of ambassadors for what they learned, journal entries about their the country. and to act as advocates for food experiences, as well as final security in Ecuador and beyond. reflection papers on their journey, The students traveled to a remote This trip, the connections made, sharing what they learned over town in the amazon accessible and the knowledge gained, act as the course of two weeks in South only by boat, where a Quechuan the start to create lasting change.” America. medicine man blessed the group in a traditional cleansing ceremony by The students visited all “The world is an increasingly blowing a cloud of tobacco smoke four regions of the country. complex place and we want our over them. A few minutes after Experiences ranged from city food students to experience first-hand the ceremony, the medicine man systems that are similar to ours to how these emerging global issues joined his grandson playing a video open-air markets and subsistence relate to what they learn in the game on a smart phone. living. They visited local food classroom,” said Susan Sumner, markets in Quito and ate live grubs associate dean and director of (that locals eat as a source of academic programs. protein) in the amazon rainforest. They visited tiny villages and “I want them to know that drank chicha, a beverage made by everything is interconnected in women who chew cassava root and the food chain, from the moment spit it out to create a fermented we put the seed in the ground to drink. At a banana plantation that the moment we eat it,” said Abaye. exports more than 300 million “The students are learning that bananas a year, they found that people around the world have the workers are paid $7 per truckload same needs. We all need food, Students and locals in a Quechuan village
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Washington Monthly’s 2017 rankings Since 2005, the Washington Monthly has released an annual College Guide and rankings. This publication rates schools based on what they are doing for the country. They use three broad categories to evaluate their contribution to the public good:
Social mobility – recruiting and graduating low-income students
Research – producing cutting edge scholarship and Ph.D.s
Service – encouraging students to give something back to their country
Overall, Virginia Tech ranked #19 nationally and was #3 in the service category. For the full listing, visit the website: https://washingtonmonthly.com/2017college-guide#.Wam7u0U2CGY.email
Kendall Fogler (M.S. 2017) Fifth Annual FST “Bacterial Diversity of Field- Grown Produce in Soil Amended poster competition with Manure and Compost from The departmental poster Antibiotic-Treated Cattle.” competition was held in the newly renovated classroom of the Food Oscar Galagarza (Ph.D. 2017) Science building. There was a “Probiotic Supplementation for wonderful turnout of participants Improved Fish Health: Influence and attendees. of Two Bacillus Strains on Chris Winslow Innate Immunity of Nile Tilapia Chris Winslow (M.S. 2017) took (Oreochromis Niloticus).” first place in the graduate student division with his poster, In the undergraduate division, Leilani Padilla won first place with “Amorphous Solid Dispersion Tommy Saunders Stephano Chu Protects Rifapentine from Release “Investigation of Internalization at Gastric Ph.” of Salmonella Newport in Tomato Plants through Root Systems Tommy Saunders (M.S. 2017) won Following Transplantation.” second place with his poster, received second place “Inactivation of Salmonella and Meg Beatty Kendall Fogler Oscar Galagarza Surrogate Bacteria on Cashews with “Essential Oil Content and and Macadamia Nuts Exposed Composition of Virginia-Grown to Commercial Propylene Oxide Hops.” Processing Conditions.” The judges were Holly Scoggins, Third place was a 3-way tie: Virginia Tech professor of Leilani Padilla Meg Beatty Hyun Sik Chu (Ph.D. 2017) horticulture; Merle Pierson, FST “Evaluation of Lipid Quality and professor emeritus; Laurie Bianchi, Stevens, Virginia Tech professor of Fatty Acid Composition of Tilapia, Radford University professor in the biology; Dave Gerrard, animal and Oreochromis spp., Fillets Available Department of Health and Human poultry sciences department head. in US Supermarkets.” Performance; Roger Harris, Virginia Tech professor of horticulture; Ann
Bardsley receives STARS Scholarship Cameron Bardsley (M.S. candidate) was awarded the Southeast Produce Council STARS scholarship. The scholarship is available to outstanding students who are agriculture majors in Southeast-based land grant universities. Cameron is co- advised by Laura Strawn and Renee Boyer.
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Duncan presents in Sydney, Australia Susan Duncan (co-PI of Water INTERface Integrated Graduate Education Program; associate director of the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station) traveled to Sydney, Australia to present at the 11th IWA Symposium on Tastes, Odours & Algal Toxins in Water. The title of her William (Bill) Aimutis presentation was, “Assessment of drinking water quality and user perceptions between filling Aimutis named stations and water fountains on a college campus: a mixed Distinguished methods approach.” The study Alumnus was performed by her former graduate student, Courtney Crist Susan Duncan William (Bill) Aimutis received (Ph.D., 2016). The purpose of the the CALS Distinguished Alumni study was to enumerate microbial populations on public water sources Award for FST. He received his B.S. and to assess influence of water delivery infrastructure on consumer (1980) and his Ph.D. (1985) in Food acceptability. Science at Virginia Tech. He has been employed in leading national Focus group participants disliked using water fountains due to and multi-national companies unsanitary perceptions and felt filling stations were cleaner, as well as where he rose through the ranks more user-friendly. However, microbiological results indicated that using his depth of science and public filling stations may provide cross contamination opportunities strong business acumen. He that could impact public health and safety. currently serves as global director of external innovation at Cargill Inc. where his focus is on advanced chemical characterization, food FFA milk quality and products CDE material science, sensory biology, The Future Farmers of America and in silico modeling. He has Milk Quality and Products Career developed products for health and Development Event was held in wellness through the establishment HABB1 in June. Six teams of four of cutting-edge research programs. high school students participated in this state contest. Various Aimutis has spent his career activities allowed the students in industry, but he never left to demonstrate their knowledge academia. He has been an of the quality, production, adjunct professor of food science processing, distribution, at Purdue for many years and promotion and marketing of has lectured in graduate and milk and dairy foods. The team undergraduate courses, served as Team members evaluate milk samples from Spotswood High School mentor and committee member (Penn Laird, VA) took first place in the contest. Sherando High School to numerous graduate students, (Stephens City, VA) won second place, and Clarke County High School mentored young faculty, and been (Berryville, VA) came in third. Carly Carpenter from Spotswood was the instrumental in strategic planning. high-placing individual at the state level. Aimutis is a research collaborator and co-author on funded proposals The state winning team went on to compete at the national contest and refereed publications. He in Indianapolis, IN where they received Silver Emblem recognition. also has been a member of, and Team members Seth Diehl and Bailey Carpenter were Gold Emblem progressive advocate for, IFT for individuals. Emma Seekford and Carly Carpenter received Silver nearly 40 years. Emblem recognition.
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Food Safety Program Launched in Armenia After nearly two years of intensive preparation work, with support from USAID and the InnovATE/Armenia project, ICARE launched a Food Safety Systems Management (FSSM) Professional Certificate Program in Armenia. The course was held at the Agribusiness Teaching Center in Yerevan. It was conducted by renowned experts from partner U.S. universities, including Virginia Tech’s Joe Marcy.
Thirty-one students gave up their break between Joe Marcy and students semesters to take four weeks of classes in Food Safety. The condensed hands-on course included four the Armenian head of USAID were present for the modules: graduation and reception at the completion of the class. • Introduction to FSSM and Food Science • Sanitation and Food Microbiology The country has approximately 1,600 food processing • Better Process Control and Acidified Foods companies and is in need of food safety experts • HACCP & Food Defense and managers. Food safety is an important issue in Armenia because the country wants to expand Marcy’s needs assessment in Armenia involved talks the export of its food products and strengthen with food-processing industry owners, government its agriculture sector. The Food Safety Systems regulatory staff, farmers, veterinarians, and food- Management course will enable ICARE students to safety experts. The course included hands-on introduce international food safety standards into laboratory exercises and field trips to local food Armenia’s food industry. Three well-known Armenian processing plants. food safety experts co-taught the course with their American colleagues and will take over teaching The Minister of Agriculture, the US Ambassador, responsibilities next year. the President of Agrarian University of Armenia and
Students active in IFTSA FST Hokies brought nothing but pride to our program as they represented the department at IFT’s annual meeting in Las Vegas. Master’s candidates Jordan Garry and Elizabeth Brown participated in the IFTSA Chapter Leader’s Workshop. Elizabeth Clark (Ph.D. candidate) spoke at both the chapter leader’s workshop and the first timer’s session for students. Jennifer Zornjak (M.S. candidate) was made chair of the IFTSA and MARS Product Development competition.
Elizabeth Clark was inducted as president of the IFTSA Board of Directors and Elizabeth Brown is now member-at-large for the 2017-2018 term. Jordan Garry placed second in IFTSA’s Thesis Video competition sponsored by Campden BRI. And of course, the department had two product development teams make it to the finals which were held during the IFT meeting. Jennifer Zornjak; Elizabeth Brown; Elizabeth Clark; These students’ involvement offers excellent opportunities to Jordan Garry boast about the great things going on in our program.
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Blacksburg Beer Festival The Virginia Tech Alumni Beer Festival was held on the lawn of the Holtzman Alumni Center in June. The FST faculty and staff fermentation team had a booth that displayed a variety of grains and hops that are commonly used for brewing. The team spoke to attendees about FST’s undergraduate fermentation program and research opportunities in the department.
FST fermentation team
Fermentation program approved by the MBAA The Virginia Tech fermentation graduation. There’s a huge need is comprised of recognized brew program in FST has been for food science and brewing masters and leaders in brewing recognized as approved by the science right now.” academia. Master Brewers Association of the Americas. Virginia Tech is one of “Earning Master Brewers eight academic institutions in the recognition is a great opportunity United States and Canada to meet for programs and academic or exceed guidelines established institutions to stand out in a by the MBAA in the first year of its competitive and growing education formal recognition process. The market,” said Master Brewers recognition status is valid for three Higher Education Committee Co- years. Chair Susan E. Welch. “The badge of recognition is a useful tool for “The courses we are teaching both prospective brewing and net outcomes employees need,” fermentation science students said Brian Wiersema, pilot plant and professional brewers to assess manager. “This recognition puts programs. Master Brewers want to Virginia Tech up there with peer ensure the future of the brewing institutions that have been doing industry by establishing the this a lot longer. We’re really requirements for the most robust proud and really happy. This is and effective training available to a new program for us. To earn students in the world today.” Department Says recognition in the first year is a major milestone.” Virginia Tech was one of only six Goodbye to the U.S. universities to be approved. Since the brewhouse opened The other recognized U.S. “Tootsie Roll” last year, many local and national institutions were: Appalachian brewers have partnered with the State University, Metropolitan After 30 years, the department to test their products. State University of Denver, Oregon beloved departmental van, The MBAA recognition stems from State University, Southern Illinois affectionately known as the teaching students how to make University, University of California Tootsie Roll, was sent to the beer. It will expose more students at Davis, and the University of auction block. A gathering was to the opportunities at Virginia South Florida at St. Petersburg. held in September to mark its Tech and will help to expand the parting and to welcome the program. The Master Brewers Review Board new 2017 Ford F150 transit van brings practical, scientific and to the department. We can “If you are interested in brewing, academic excellence to the process only hope that the new van, there are only a handful of places of guiding and recognizing new and which has no name yet, will to get that education, and now existing brewing and fermentation last as long as the Tootsie Roll. we’re on that list,” Wiersema said. science programs at colleges The old brown van was sold at “Students from our department and universities throughout and Virginia Tech’s surplus property are 100 percent placed in jobs by beyond North America. The Board auction where the highest bidder offered $2,500!
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plans, and a short commercial Middleborough, Massachusetts, Product highlighting the product and which is the cranberry capital of product prototypes. Prior to the world and Ocean Spray’s world Development Team submission, the team developed headquarters. While there, the takes first place! the product and packaging, team toured the Craisin factory and and conducted sensory and was impressed with the equipment, Congratulations on a first place microbiological analyses, and cleanliness and automation in the win at the 3rd annual Ocean Spray marketing surveys. Ocean Spray plant. Cranberries Student Product executive judges commended the Development Competition. The team for their highly marketable team created Cran’n’Crunch and tasty entry, and praised them – a single-serving snack that for their marketing strategy. combines cranberry salsa with They received a cash prize and a twenty oven-toasted quinoa and mounted, hand-crafted wooden brown rice crackers. The product cranberry scoop as a trophy. was designed in a snack pack for Fifteen schools submitted portability and convenience for the proposals and three were selected on-the-go “healthy striver.” It is to go to the final round. Penn State low in saturated fat, low in sodium, and Ohio State were the other two gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, finalists. qualifies for kosher, and contains no cholesterol. Graduate students Elizabeth Brown and John di Stefano were the team A product portfolio was submitted captains. Laura Jacobs, Anna that included formula and Solemani, and Rose Yim were the production details, nutrition undergraduate team members. left to right: Ocean Spray representative, profile, food safety and marketing The competition was held in Anne Solemani, Rose Yim, John di Stefano, Elizabeth Brown, Ocean Spray representative
He also brought together faculty Flick receives from five of Virginia Tech’s colleges to form the Commercial CALS Hall of Fame Fish and Shellfish Technologies award group and carved out Virginia Tech’s place in Virginia’s Sea George Flick, Jr., University Grant Consortium. He made Distinguished Professor great contributions to the Emeritus, was inducted into development of sustainable, the Virginia Tech College of environmentally-responsible George Flick, Jr. (Center) Agriculture and Life Sciences recirculating aquaculture. He is a Hall of Fame during the annual luminary in multiple professional bringing academia, industry, and college alumni awards ceremony. organizations with prodigious government together to solve Flick has spent his entire career research grantsmanship and a food industry problems. bringing academia, industry, and curriculum vitae that runs for Service to others is the government together to advance miles. characteristic that carries the seafood industry. through Flick’s career. He has In addition to many awards been a tireless advocate for the Flick set standards for safety, received at Virginia Tech, Flick seafood industry and has been quality, processing, and has been recognized as a Fellow instrumental in forming lasting packaging for a significant of the American Association for relationships that bring industry percentage of the world’s the Advancement of Science, and and government together to fishery products. Many of those a Fellow of the Institute of Food solve problems and create processes and practices are still Technologists. He was awarded opportunities. George Flick’s the benchmark against which new the Myron Solberg Award work has had lasting benefit to ideas are judged. from IFT, given to the person the U.S. seafood industry and the who has been instrumental in state of Virginia.
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Effect of soil amendments from antibiotic-treated cows on antibiotic- resistant vacteria and genes recovered from the surfaces of lettuce and radishes Cattle are commonly treated with antibiotics that may be excreted in their urine or feces. Application of manure or composted manure containing antibiotics or antibiotic resistant bacteria as a soil amendment may result in transfer to plants. This study was conducted to determine the effects of antibiotic administration and soil amendment practices on microbial diversity and antibiotic resistance of bacteria International recovered from the surfaces of lettuce and radish taproots grown in fields using recommended application rates. symposium Vegetables were planted in field plots amended with raw manure from on dairy cow antibiotic-treated dairy cows, composted manure from cows with different histories of antibiotic administration, or no amendment. nutrition and Culture-based analysis, 16s rDNA amplicon sequencing, qPCR and shot- gun metagenomics were utilized to acquire an overarching view of the milk quality effect of soil amendment on the vegetable bacterial communities and Susan Duncan and Aili associated resistance genes. Biological amendments resulted in distinct Wang attended the 5th separation of bacterial communities on both vegetables compared to International Symposium no amendment. Increases in clindamycin-resistant bacteria, a class on Dairy Cow Nutrition and of antibiotics administered to cattle, were noted on lettuce grown in Milk Quality held in Beijing, manure-amended soil, but were reduced on compost-grown plants. China. Duncan, previous president of The American Additionally, growth in manure was associated with increased abundance Dairy Science Association, of specific ARG copies and resistance genes to additional classes of presented the opening speech antibiotics detected on the vegetables. Growth in compost resulted in of the conference. Conference fewer ARGS on vegetables compared to manure-amended soils. This attendees had the opportunity study demonstrates that raw, antibiotic-exposed manure may alter to share their experience and microbiota and the antibiotic-resistance genes present on vegetable research with over 400 dairy surfaces. Proper composting of soil amendments as recommended in the scientists. Produce Safety Rule may offer a strategy to mitigate some types of ARGs.
Inactivation of salmonella and surrogate bacteria on cashews and macadamia nuts exposed to saturated steam and proplyene oxide treatments Two methods that are used to and Staphylococcus carnosus as recovered and plated. improve microbiological quality surrogate bacteria for Salmonella Based on mean log reductions of and safety of tree nuts are spp. on whole cashews and Salmonella and each potential saturated steam treatments and macadamia nuts, processed with surrogate, P. acidilactici may propylene oxide fumigation. It SS or PPO. serve as an adequate surrogate is not desirable to introduce for Salmonella on macadamia human pathogens to food Cashews and macadamia nuts nuts and cashews processed using processing facilities, so this were inoculated with a cocktail SS. E. faecium and P. acidilactici research was conducted to of Salmonella enterica and one may function as surrogates for identify surrogates whose of three potential surrogates. Salmonella on macadamia nuts inactivation was comparable Nuts were dried, packaged, and and cashews processed using to pathogenic bacteria. The commercially processed using PPO. St. carnosus is not a suitable objective was to investigate vacuum assisted steam or PPO surrogate for Salmonella using the suitability of Enterococcus fumigation. Salmonella and either processing intervention. faecium, Pediococcus acidilactici, the potential surrogates were
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compositions in tilapia fillets in The market survey data showed Long chain n-3 different U.S. markets. that U.S. samples had ideal n-6:n-3 ratios while samples PUFA and oleic Research was then carried out from Southeast Asia had higher acid modification to enhance the nutritional value n-6:n-3 fatty acids ratios. Algae oil of tilapia by improving the n-3 incorporation increased DHA levels, strategies to and oleic acid contents in fish and fish oil incorporation increased fillets without compromising fish both EPA and DPA in fillets. High- enhance fillet growth or feed conversion ratios. oleic sunflower oil-based diets Eleven diets were formulated improved oleic acid levels and quality in tilapia, with combinations of high and reduced linoleic acid compared low n-6, n-3, and oleic acid levels to the soybean oil-based diets. oreochromis using soybean oil, fish oil, algae Sensory evaluation found that lipid oil, and high-oleic sunflower oil. A source did not impact overall fillet species commercial diet was also included. quality. There was no observable Tilapia are freshwater fish that A Recirculating Aquaculture oxidation during long-term are important in aquaculture System (RAS) was used to grow the frozen storage. It is possible to as a global source of seafood. fish for eight weeks. The fatty acid improve tilapia’s nutritional quality However, tilapia may be considered compositions of the tilapia fillets through diet to provide consumers nutritionally undesirable because were determined, and samples were with value-added products that of their high n-6 to n-3 fatty vacuum packed and stored frozen maintain quality during frozen acid ratios. A market study was to test oxidative degradation and storage. conducted to determine fatty acid fatty acid compositional changes. Virginia Tech Tapping into chapter of Phi Tau Extension Series: Sigma Beakers and Virginia Tech has reactivated its Brews Phi Tau Sigma Chapter and was featured in the honor society’s Parkway Brewing Company in newsletter. Phi Tau Sigma is the Salem, Virginia teamed up with Amanda Stewart discusses the international honor society for Virginia Cooperative Extension U.S. wine and cider industry food science and technology. to launch a series of monthly seminars that investigated the Holly Scoggins, Virginia FST Ph.D. candidate Nicole Arnold science behind beer, wine and Tech associate professor of was a member at NC State. She cider. horticulture, spoke about the worked with faculty and food challenges of growing hops in science club officers to obtain Sean O’Keefe, FST professor, our region. approval for reactivation. As a was the first speaker in the result, seven graduate students, series. He spoke about the role Herbert Bruce, FST adjunct one undergraduate and three our senses play in experiencing faculty, presented common faculty members were initiated. complex flavors and how brewers brewing errors and what is seen, measure that flavor for the best smelled, tasted or measured as Renee Boyer and her lab group experience possible. a result. were highlighted in the newsletter last fall. The article outlined Brian Wiersema, FST pilot plant Amanda Stewart, FST assistant Dr. Boyer’s background as an manager, reviewed the malting professor, spoke about the U.S. Associate Professor and Extension process and technology, and wine and cider industry. Specialist and her past and current gave an update on the current research interests. regional status of barley varietal breeding, farming, and malting For the complete article, go for brewers and distillers. to: http://164.107.52.52/pdf/ newsletters/Phi%20Tau%20 Sigma%20Newsletter%202017%20 12%20December.pdf
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10 2018 Department of Food Science and Technology Food Digest
Chase is Virginia Cooperative Extension State Program Leader Melissa Chase (Consumer Food Safety Program Manager; State Coordinator, Master Food Volunteer Program) accepted a three-year appointment as state program leader for Virginia Cooperative Extension. In this newly formed position, she will collaborate with a team of six other state program leaders and with the associate directors and program team leaders to support faculty in facilitating the VCE program teams. There are currently eleven VCE program teams. The state program leaders will also facilitate cross-team communication and collaboration fostering integration. They will assist in the identification of programming needs and trends, provide internal and external communication, and build partnerships and collaborations with other institutions, associations, and agencies to strengthen VCE programming efforts.
Product development teams reach the final round The department was represented at the 27th annual MARS-IFTSA Product Development Competition held in Las Vegas at the IFT annual meeting. Undergraduates Chris Howell and Roxi Smith led the team, with members Megan Delene, Megha Vyas, Elizabeth Brown and Sally Abouzied. Six teams were selected to progress to the finals based on written proposals that they submitted. Virginia MARS team members left to right: Megha Vyas, Sally Abouzied, Chris Howell, Roxi Smith, Megan Delene; Disney team members Tech’s team submitted ViaLift, a pre-workout chew left to right: Jennifer Dorick, Jennifer Zornjak, Sophie Pinton, with a strawberry and date base that incorporates Kendall Fogler, Dajun Yu; the benefits of CocoaVia® and matcha with a dark chocolate drizzle on top. ViaLift appeals to health- Their product was Kion’s Pride PAWps, a frozen, ready- minded consumers looking for a quick, healthy pre- to-eat, after-school snack that represented Kion from workout product that can power them through a the animated TV series, The Lion Guard. The product, workout while supplying maximum flavor. shaped like a lion’s paw, contained a tropical fruit filling finished with a protein-packed Greek yogurt. The team received an honorable mention at IFT. Cornell won the competition with Jack’d Jerky, a vegan The team’s captain was Jennifer Zornjak. Team jerky with the fresh flavor of a summer garden. members were Kendall Fogler, Dajun Yu, Jennifer Dorick and Sophie Pinton. The team received an Another food science team was one of five chosen to honorable mention for its efforts. Penn State won the present at the Disney-IFTSA Nutritious Food for Kids contest with Snow White’s Apple Delights, an apple Product Development Contest. The contest was held wafer and fruit leather sandwich. in Las Vegas as part of the IFT annual meeting. Women in Agriculture and Life Sciences Panel Discussion The CALS Alumni Organization and the CALS Diversity Council partnered to host a panel discussion on women in agriculture and the life sciences. Six outstanding recent alumni, who were recognized at the annual alumni awards program later that afternoon, were featured. Alumni, faculty, staff, and students from across the college heard the experiences of these women on topics ranging from their experiences with controversy and the consumer mindset around agriculture and food, to advice for students entering the industry.
Panelists in the photo with Dean Alan Grant from left to right: Bridgett McIntosh (2003, 2006), equine Extension specialist at Virginia Tech Julie McIntire Divis (2013), quality manager at PRE-Brands in Chicago, IL Gabriela Lopez (2010), senior microbiologist at 3M Food Safety in Minnesota Katie Olson (2008), global director of dairy product development at ABS Global in Wisconsin Laura Siegle (2012), associate Extension agent, Virginia Cooperative Extension Carmen Byer Shanks (2011), assistant professor at Montana State University Dean Grant and panelists
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11 Food Digest Department of Food Science and Technology 2018
FSMA preventative controls FSMA produce safety rule for human food workshops workshops for growers for food processors A second mandate of FSMA is the Produce Safety Rule, which seeks to establish science-based A mandate of FDA’s Food Safety Modernization minimum standards for safe growing, harvesting, Act requires many food processors to have a food packing and holding of produce on farms. The safety plan in place that includes an analysis of classes take a “risk based” approach that looks at hazards and risk-based preventative controls to “high risk” practices that occur on farms. minimize or prevent the identified hazards. Since November 2016, eleven Robert Williams, Laura Strawn, Produce Safety Alliance Grower Joell Eifert and Abigail Villalba Training classes have been held conducted workshops in three in Virginia and over 300 growers states (Virginia, West Virginia and packers have attended. One and Pennsylvania), representing train-the-trainer PSA class was over 100 training hours. More conducted for produce safety than 45 regulatory agents educators and others who work from the Virginia Department with fruit and vegetable growers. of Agricultural and Consumer As a result, more than 20 Virginia Services and the West Virginia Tech and Virginia Cooperative Department of Agricultural and Extension personnel are now Consumer Services were trained. trained. Robert Williams, Renee In addition, over 90 food industry Boyer, Laura Strawn and Joell partners were educated – many Eifert spearheaded these training free of charge due to a generous Workshop attendees efforts. grant through Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. At least three other workshops will be held in Virginia during the first half of 2018 to ensure that the commonwealth’s food industry is well prepared for the new regulatory requirements.
State and National FFA Food Science Career Development events The State FFA Food Science CDE was held in October. Four teams participated in a variety of exercises, including written and problem-solving exams and sensory evaluation. Individuals responded to five general consumer inquiry scenarios, and in another activity, they were given a data set and were asked to determine if specification requirements were in Food Science CDE winning team compliance for a jerky product. There was a food following a close second. Broadway High School went safety activity where each team worked together to on to compete at the 90th National FFA Convention evaluate a situation and complete a sanitation report, and Expo in Indianapolis, IN. The national contest and a product development exercise where each team followed the same general format as the state developed an exclusive shelf-stable dessert targeting contest. Overall, the team received a Bronze Award. high-end consumers. Team members Sean Ewell and Elizabeth Loving were silver individuals, and team members Shelby Killeen The team from Broadway High School won the contest and Allison Mongold were bronze individuals. with Turner Ashby’s team from Bridgewater, Virginia
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12 2018 Department of Food Science and Technology Food Digest
Graduate student spends month in Hawaii acres in size and are operated by individual families. The Kona Typica variety is grown almost exclusively here.
The primary objective of Hassan’s visit was to collect data on coffee drying rates for his doctoral research. Even though producers can consistently dry their coffee to 9-12 percent final moisture, the drying rate and drying time for batches of coffee beans can Coffee-drying facility vary greatly. Controlled and consistent drying procedures for different lengths of time. Hassan Masri for green coffee may improve Reducing the water activity to Hassan Masri (Ph.D. candidate) coffee quality and safety. The below 0.75, especially in the first spent a month in the Kona coffee drying rate of beans that were week of drying, is important to belt which is located on the Big sun-dried and/or mechanically improve coffee quality and safety. Island of Hawaii. The island is dried for different lengths of time two miles wide and 26 miles in was evaluated. Hassan measured length, and it has more than 700 the moisture content, water farms that range in elevation from activity, and relative humidity 500 to 3,000 feet. Kona coffee on a daily basis of coffee beans is internationally known and from several farms. He chose commands some of the highest farms that used a variety of drying coffee prices in the world. Most practices, and where drying may of the farms are less than five occur at different elevations and Sensory Lopez-Velasco receives Outstanding Laboratory helps Recent Graduate Alumna Award researchers read Gabriela Lopez-Velasco (Ph.D. 2010) received emotions FST’s Outstanding Recent Graduate Alumna The sensory lab in HABB1 was Award. After completing her doctorate in covered in a feature article in the Food Science at Virginia Tech, she pursued a Roanoke Times in September. postdoctoral research program in produce food The article described the state- safety at the University of California, Davis. She of-the-art facility and the is currently a senior microbiologist at the 3M laboratory’s facial recognition Corporation in the food safety research and software. It also outlined development department, Global Technical the types of studies that are Service Group. In this capacity, she coordinates currently being conducted in the evaluations of innovative products in food Gabriela Lopez-Velasco lab, and the potential impact safety testing within food processing plants of findings on the local food and in field applications. She serves as an advocate for researchers and beverage industry. The and assists in the development of food safety testing methods that will complete article can be viewed accelerate the time needed before a public health threat is identified. at the following link: http://www.roanoke.com/ Lopez-Velasco has been involved in extension education activities to business/news/blacksburg/ improve the safety of fresh produce since 2010. She is a trainer for virginia-tech-food-sensory- leading food safety programs: ServSafe for restaurant workers, and lab-helps-researchers-read- Good Agricultural Practices in the fresh produce industry. She has emotions/article_a0915c11-e69a- also continued to serve as a resource for undergraduate and graduate 572d-9fba-6feeb8792c6c.html researchers in the department.
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13 Food Digest Department of Food Science and Technology 2018
Impact of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) fermentation on composition and concentration of polyphenols: development of fermentation model system and utilization of yeast starter cultures Consumption of cocoa and dark chocolate products model system used dried, unfermented cocoa beans has been associated with positive health outcomes, and simulated pulp medium as the starting material. including reduced onset of cardiovascular disease, The model system was effective in that it supported inflammation, diabetes, obesity, and platelet disorder. growth of the essential succession of cocoa Cocoa polyphenols, putatively responsible for these fermenting microorganisms and generated similar beneficial activities, are highly impacted by cocoa chemical changes to those observed in on-farm cocoa variety, agronomic and processing history. However, fermentation. the difference in polyphenol concentration and composition between cocoa products originating Using this model system, the impact of inoculation from different hybrid clones (selected for high yield), with proprietary yeast strains Saccharomyces or from different fermentation conditions is not fully cerevisiae Lev F and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Lev B understood. on cocoa polyphenol concentration and composition was evaluated. Inoculation with both yeast strains Detailed polyphenol characterization, including resulted in increased fermentation rate and Lev B determination of total polyphenol and total inoculation resulted in higher total polyphenol and procyanidin concentrations, and qualitative and procyandin content at the end of fermentation. quantitative analysis of degree of polymerization was This work addressed the influence of cocoa variety conducted. Significant differences in total polyphenol selection and fermentation process conditions on and procyanidin concentrations were observed the composition and concentration of polyphenols. between the five genetic clones. To facilitate cocoa These findings will contribute to continued efforts to fermentation research in laboratories distant from develop cocoa products with optimized bioactivity cocoa harvesting sites, a laboratory-scale cocoa and maximum disease preventative effects. fermentation model system was developed. This
Divis Named Outstanding Recent Undergraduate Alumna Julie McIntire Divis (B.S., 2013) of Chicago, Illinois, was named FST’s Outstanding Recent Undergraduate Alumna.
Divis worked with Hillshire Brands (now Tyson Foods) until August 2016. She moved on to a position Annual Apple in a small startup company called PRE-Brands that afforded her Julie McIntire Divis (Center) Picking Foray more oversight and responsibility. program at Virginia Tech. Every Divis now has company-wide year, undergraduate and graduate A big group went on the apple responsibility for safety, quality students have completed summer picking trip to Kentland Farms and regulatory compliance. internships with Tyson. Due to last fall. The apples were used these connections, Tyson currently in the food processing class During her time at Tyson Foods, employs many of our students. for the pressing, filtration Divis brought new funding into the and cider laboratories. The department to support research Divis went on to receive participants had a great time by creating opportunities for Outstanding Recent while they picked crates upon collaboration on product testing Undergraduate Alumna crates of golden delicious and and process validation. She recognition at the college’s annual rome apples. also led a campus recruiting alumni ceremony.
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14 2018 Department of Food Science and Technology Food Digest
prospective members. The first also competed in the first ever Food Science Club meeting of the semester was Hay Bale Decorating Contest a welcome back cookout. A promoting agricultural literacy. update second meeting paired the club Their hay bale was decorated as with the Food Science Honor the Cookie Monster with this 2017-2018 Virginia Tech FSC Society, Phi Tau Sigma. This message: “Americans eat 7 billion officers meeting introduced professional cookies annually. Cookies puff up President: Jordan Garry development to our members when baking soda is heated and through a resume building releases carbon dioxide.” Vice President: Megan Delene workshop given by Virginia Tech’s Secretary: Elizabeth Brown Career Services. Another get- Volunteer events included helping Treasurer: Laura Griffin together featured a graduate out at the Blacksburg BrewDo student panel that provided (a craft beer festival). Club Industry Liaison: Jennifer Zornjak undergraduates with the members took shifts pouring beer Fundraising: Anna Solemani opportunity to ask any questions and acted as general event staff, they had for our FST graduate stamping hands, checking IDs and Social: Kelsey Trimble students. Questions were fielded selling tickets. Members spent Volunteer: Sophie Pinton about applications, what it is like an evening at Micah’s Backpack, to be a graduate student, and packing backpacks with food Members of the Food Science individual research. The graduate for the children of low-income Club showcased the club’s student panel ranged from first Blacksburg families. activities at GobblerFest as well as year Masters’ candidates to final at a new event for CALS students year Ph.D. candidates. The club also had several industry called “Hokie Hello.” visits and presentations from Club members enjoyed a fall social representatives from Waffle Meetings have been designed event at Sinkland Farms in Riner, House, Cargill, Hershey, PepsiCo, to incorporate new and exciting VA where they picked pumpkins Smithfield and Tyson. things to interest new and and petted farm animals. They
Decorating the hay bale; Gobblerfest display; pumpkin picking at Sinkland Farms; fall welcome back picnic
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