Advances in Food Science and Safety

At UGA, researchers are striving to supply not only an abundance of food for a growing population, but to ensure the safety and quality of that food supply. Faculty discover new ways to minimize pathogens, increase safety practices, and bring innovative products to market by exploring the following topics:

  • Food Safety
  • Nutrition and Quality
  • Food Science Advances
  • Impacts for Consumer Behavior
     

Food Science and Safety Research News

CAES virologist Malak Esseili has found that certain teas inactivate SARS-CoV-2 in saliva — in some cases by up to 99.9%. This matters because the virus infects and replicates inside the oral cavity, passing through the oropharynx before reaching the lungs. CAES News
Can a cup of tea keep COVID away?
New research from the University of Georgia suggests that something as simple as a cup of tea can help in the fight against COVID-19. Tea has been renowned globally for its many health benefits, and Malak Esseili, a virologist with the University of Georgia Center for Food Safety in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, wanted to know if it may also affect SARS-CoV-2.
A mug of UGArden's chamomile tea. CAES News
UGArden herbal tea program launches sales in campus dining halls
The door to UGArden’s herb drying room leads to an olfactory explosion — sharp peppermint, earthy tulsi, sweet calendula and floral chamomile mix into an herbal perfume that would undoubtedly have tea drinkers reaching for their kettles. Now University of Georgia students will be able to get a taste of UGArden’s chamomile tea, along with a selection of the student community farm’s other herbal teas, with their campus meals as the UGArden medicinal herb program expands into UGA dining halls this spring.
Samples at the 2022 Flavor of Georgia food product contest CAES News
36 finalists advance in 2024 Flavor of Georgia contest
Working their way through 139 hopeful food products organized in colorful rows, a panel of judges selected 36 finalists for the 2024 Flavor of Georgia food product contest to be held in Athens on April 4. The first round of the annual competition was held at Gourmet Foods International in Decatur and organized by the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The popular contest features market-ready products from small businesses across the state of Georgia.
Post-harvest pecan handling