WSU Researcher Leads Three USDA Projects To Improve Food Safety

Washington State University researcher Kang Huang is leading a trio of USDA-funded projects aimed at improving food safety and reducing waste.  Huang, an assistant professor in WSU’s Department of Biological Systems Engineering, has secured nearly $2.3 million in federal grants in less than three years.

“They all seem different, based on the timing of the food process,” Huang said.  "But the core of the projects is the same: killing microbes that spoil food and harm people.” 

The goal of reducing food waste and improving human health is a perfect example of how universities help communities, said Raj Khosla, Cashup Davis Family Endowed Dean of WSU’s College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences.

Killing Microbes That Spoil Food The Focus Of All Three Projects

“It is encouraging to see our faculty leading projects with real world impact, reducing spoilage and enhancing food safety,” Khosla said. “I’m excited to see how Dr. Huang’s work progresses over the next few years.”

The newest NIFA (National Institute of Food and Agriculture) grant, for $650,000 over three years, supports work to develop new food-safe coatings that slow spoilage of food after it is harvested.

“40% of food produced in the U.S. is never eaten,” Huang said. “If we can reduce microbial spoilage, that means less food waste.” 

The second NIFA grant, also $650,000 over three years, aims to make the environment of food processing safer using artificial intelligence (AI). Currently, food processing facilities must clean surfaces and use swab tests to ensure all harmful microbes have been eliminated. It can take up to two days to see results.  

“Food processing companies routinely use swabs at multiple locations throughout their facilities, often hundreds of times each week,” Huang said. “These companies are regulated closely and need to monitor the cleanliness of their environment. If our technology is successful, it could significantly reduce costs.”

How Can We Minimize Antibiotic Use?

A third project focuses on reducing antibiotic use in apple orchards by improving natural biopesticides to fight fire blight.  School officials said the focus is on fighting fire blight in apples, but the findings could also be used on other crops.

“The current practice to control fire blight is antibiotics,” Huang said. “However, extended use of those allows bacteria to build up resistance. We want to minimize antibiotic use, while still helping growers fight the disease.” 

Huang says the common goal between the three projects is simple: killing microbes that spoil food and make people sick.

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