Advances in Food Science and Safety

Long before a ripe blueberry makes it into a grocery cart or muffin mix, a native bee has likely played a quiet but critical role in its journey. Now, thanks to a robust study on wild bee diversity in blueberry fields, we know more about just how essential those wild pollinators are to one of the state’s most valuable fruit crops. Sarah Rezende, a doctoral candidate in entomology at the University of Georgia, is working to uncover what Georgia’s wild bees need to thrive — and how their movements shape the productivity of commercial blueberry farms.

University of Georgia Center for Food Safety researcher Issmat Kassem has dedicated nearly two decades to studying antimicrobial resistance, identified by the World Health Organization as a top-10 public health threat to humanity. Kassem was recently recognized as a ScholarGPS Highly Ranked Scholar for his research studying antimicrobial resistance in water and food. Hear directly from Kassem in this Q&A about his work to protect public health from this ongoing threat.

Georgia, traditionally known as the Peach State, is famous for its peaches, pecans and peanuts. But thanks to its mild climate, the state also supports a variety of uncommon and exotic fruits. In a new series inspired by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension publication, “Minor Fruits and Nuts in Georgia,” we’ll highlight lesser-known fruits that thrive in Georgia and can be grown in home gardens. This month, we’re kicking things off with a tree that produces a fruit many may not know — the mayhaw.