Mississippi Center for Enhancing Utilization and Safety of Catfish and Other Aquatic Foods
From the Director
The Mississippi Center for Enhancing Utilization and Safety of Catfish and Other Aquatic Foods (formerly MS Center for Food Safety and Post-Harvest Technology or FSI) fosters collaboration with scientists in the USDA Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) to enhance food safety and quality through innovative research projects.
Hosted in the Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion, the Center is a campus-wide research program to enhance food safety and quality of Mississippi agricultural products. The scope of research for 2012-2017 is an emphasis on catfish, seafood and horticultural products. The program is financially sponsored by USDA-ARS through the Warm Water Aquaculture Research Unit.
The Center provides seed grants to help MSU researchers develop research capacity to compete for national competitive grants. Each year a ‘Request-for-Proposal’ is announced through the campus e-mail system. Proposals are peer-reviewed and innovative projects are selected for funding. In the last three years, 30 projects have been funded in the amount of $50,000 each to faculty in four colleges, namely, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Arts and Sciences, and College of Forest Resources. Collaboration with USDA-ARS researchers in the region is encouraged. Scientists are also encouraged to establish partnerships with agricultural and food industries in the state and region.
For building research infrastructure, the Center houses several pieces of advanced analytical and food processing instrumentation. Equipment is operated and maintained by trained staff members. The Center provides excellent opportunities for undergraduates, graduate students and post-graduate associates to engage in innovative research projects.
Please click on the reports tab to see our progress.
Sam Chang, Director
Staff Members
Dr. Sam Chang, Project Director
Ms. Kaila Peggs, Office Associate
Mr. Dipaloke Mukherjee, Research Associate
Mr. David Yin Zhang, Research Associate
Office Phone: 662-325-8056
2016/2017 Reports
Peer-reviewed articles, 2016-17
- Cross resistance to antibiotics in highly virulent Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella serotypes adapted to sub-lethal acid-, alkali- and oxidative-stress environments (CALS)
- Detection and characterization of chemical residues in major crops, live stocks and aquatic foods produced in Mississippi (CALS)
- Detection of protein biomarkers for high-risk Listeria monocytogenes (CVM)
- Development of a 24-h chrome agar for simultaneous detection and quantification of total and pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus in seafood (CALS)
- Development of low cost natural adsorbents for the removal of heavy metals from fish water ponds (CFR)
- Development of rapid detection systems for pathogenic Burkholderia spp. from fresh vegetable and catfish (CALS)
- Differential expression of Aspergillus flavus miRNA-like small RNAs in aflatoxin resistant and susceptible maize inbred lines (CALS)
- Enhancing product quality in catfish fillets: Understanding and reducing incidence of red fillet (CFR)
- Identification of genes involving in Listeria monocytogenes attachment to catfish fillets (CVM)
- Implementation of recently developed method to detect Botulinum toxin in catfish (CALS)
- Mapping and cloning the genes controlling arsenic content in rice (Oryza sativa) for generation of low arsenic crops and developing novel processing methods for removal of arsenic in rice products (CALS)
- Optimization of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) utilization by surimi, and fish sauce production (CALS)
- Phenotypic and molecular characterization of Edwardsiella ictaluri, E. tarda, E. piscicida, E. anguillarum, and E. hoshinae isolates from different hosts and geographic origins (CVM)
- Quantitative analysis of allergens in peanut varieties and assessment of effects of food processing on peanut allergens (CALS)
- Targeting the endocannabinoid system to enhance immunity (CVM)
- The role of flagella in the attachment of Listeria monocytogenes to catfish fillet (CVM)
- Understanding biofilm detachment and reattachment mechanisms of Listeria monocytogenes in food processing environment (CVM)
2015/2016 Reports
- A novel suicide plasmid for efficient gene mutation in Listeria monocytogenes (CVM)
- Biofilm Formation and Transferability of Listeria monocytogenes on the Surfaces of Food and Processing Equipment (CVM)
- Characterization of a Potential Virulence Factor in Listeria monocytogenes Associated with an Attachment to Fresh Produce (CVM)
- Defining physiological functions of deubiquitinating enzymes as potential drug targets in foodborne disease salmonellosis (CVM)
- Detection and characterization of chemical residues in major crops, live stocks and aquatic foods produced in Mississippi (CALS)
- Detection and Quantification of Gossylpol and Insecticides in Mississippi Cotton Seeds and Their Oil Products (CALS)
- Development of Antimicrobial Packaging Films from Shrimp and Agricultural Post-harvesting Wastes for Seafood Preservation (CFR)
- Development and application of quantitative PCR assays for genetic variants of Edwardsiella tarda for comparative evaluation of pathology, virulence and dissemination in channel, blue and hybrid catfish (CVM)
- Development of Quantifiable Pocket-Size Detection Kits for Foodborne Pathogens in Raw and Post-Processed Aquaculture Food Products (CALS)
- Edwardsiella piscicida identified in the southeastern USA by gyrB sequence, species-specific and repetitive sequence-mediated PCR (CVM)
- Effect of dispersed phase (oil) volume fraction, WPC concentration and pressure (CALS)
- Evaluation of the role stress plays in the formation of red fillets in cultured channel catfish (Ictaalurus punctatus) (CALS)
- Fabrication and Application of Nano-Vesicular Emulsion Carrier Systems (NVES) for Delivery Of Flavors, Taste-Enhancers, Antioxidants And Antibacterials In Food Systems (CALS)
- Genome comparison of Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4a strain HCC23 with selected lineage I and lineage II L. monocytogenes strains and other Listeria strains (CVM)
- High-risk Listeria monocytogenes specific collagen binding protein and its role in catfish fillet attachment (CVM)
- Improving the Safety and Quality of Raw Tuna Fillets by X-ray Irradiation (CALS)
- Inactivation of Norovirus (MNV-1) on Fresh Oysters Meat, Tuna Salad and Salmon Sushi Using X-Ray Irradiation (CALS)
- Influence of Temperature on Acid-Stress Adaptation in Listeria monocytogenes (CALS)
- Listeriolysin O Mediates Cytotoxicity on Human Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells (CVM)
- Low, Medium, and High Heat Tolerant Strains of Listeria monocytogenes and Increased Heat Stress Resistance after Exposure to Sublethal Heat (CALS)
- Nanoengineering Biologically-Active Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopic Tags for Ultrasensitive Food Pathogen Detections (CAS)
- Persistence, adherence, and survival of acid-, alkali-, heat-, oxidative-, and salt-stress adapted cells of high-risk Listeria monocytogenes serotypes under normal catfish processing conditions and their prevention/destruction (CALS)
- Quantification of high-risk and low-risk Listeria monocytogenes serotypes on catfish products (CVM)
- Real-time polymerase chain reaction assays for the detection and quantification of Edwardsiella tarda, Edwardsiella piscicida, and Edwardsiella piscicida–like species in catfish tissues and pond water (CVM)
- Targeting the Endocannabinoid System to Enhance Immunity (CVM)
- The role of Listeria monocytogenes cell wall surface anchor protein LapB in virulence, adherence, and intracellular replication (CVM)
- Validation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Detection Kit in Raw and Post-Processed Aquaculture Food Products
