August 2024

Poll Zhang wins IIFH Undergrad Fellowship; presents at Summer Conference

Poll Zhang, an undergraduate in Dr. Alyson Mitchell's lab, presented in the 2024 Summer Undergraduate Research Center Symposium. Poll received an undergraduate fellowship from the Innovation Institute for Food and Health.  This was a six-week fellowship that resulted in her talk, titled “Almond Shells: An Innovative Solution for Winery Wastewater and Their Potential as a Health-Enhancing Food Supplement”, which you can see her presenting in the pictures below.  

Unit 18 Lecturer for FST131 - Fall 2024

This comprehensive food packaging course covers essential topics such as the fundamental functions and definitions of packaging; the interactions between food, packaging, and the environment; and the properties of various packaging materials. Students explore current packaging trends, techniques for determining food shelf-life, and specialized packaging methods for dry, moisture-sensitive, heat-processed, and frozen foods, as well as beverages. The course also delves into advanced concepts like Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP), sustainable packaging practices including material reduction and recycling, and an overview of food packaging laws and regulations.