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שלח באימייל הדפס
Plant Sciences
Animal Science
Plant Protection
Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences
Postharvest and Food Sciences
Agricultural Engineering
Gilat Center
Newe Ya'ar
Administration
Interdisciplinary Centers
Research Support Services
The Center for Agro-Nanotechnology
Units
Department of Postharvest Science
Department of Food Science
Administration Postharvest & Food Science Institute
Department of Food Science
Head: Edward Sionov, Ph.D.
Staff
Vision: Assuring healthy, nutritious and safe food through excellence in research

Department's Activity
Research activity in the Department of Food Quality and Safety is aimed at assuring healthy, nutritious and safe food for consumers.
Scientists in the department use cutting-edge technologies and approaches in order to gain these goals through integrative and interdisciplinary studies. The specific research activity involves three thematic areas:
(a) Minimizing losses of fresh produce and stored grains
(b) Microbial food safety
(c) Functional food, food additives and nutraceuticals

Minimizing losses and improvement of food and feed quality
• Chemical approaches for the development of active packages and natural edible coating for extension of shelf life fresh fruits and vegetables
• Active edible coatings to prolong storability and to enhance quality of fresh agricultural products
• Smart and active biodegradable packages for food storage
• Development of the next generation of insect specific bio-rational insecticides with enhanced safety utilizing pheromones, hormones and neuro-bioactive compounds and targeting the reproductive potential of pest insects
• Development of monitoring systems for pest insects of stored food and feed products
• Development of technological and bio-control methods (Fumigation, Phyto-chemicals, Pheromones, IGRs, Inert dusts) for mitigation of pest insects in stored grains
• Study of Eurygaster integriceps and wheat grain bread-making quality
• Quarantine treatments for cut flowers, fresh spices and dates
• Development of natural polymers-based systems for delivery of beneficial components to food products
• Improving silage preparation and the usage of by-product as potential nutritious feed
• Understanding factors affecting spoilage of food (milk and dairy products, fish and other aquaculture products)

Microbial food safety
• Development of novel surface coatings preventing microbial colonization
• Development of safe 'contact active' antimicrobial surfaces to prevent food cross-contamination and biofilm formation
• Understanding mechanisms and environmental conditions associated with growth of mycotoxigenic fungi and the production of mycotoxins in agricultural commodities, processed food and feed
• Development of methods and technologies for the reduction or elimination of mycotoxins in agricultural commodities
• Understanding persistence mechanisms of foodborne pathogens (Salmonella, E. coli, Bacillus cereus) along the food chain
• Elucidation of contamination routs and mechanisms in the field and the food industry

Functional food, food additives and nutraceuticals
• Screening and identification of health-promoting molecules in plants grown in arid- and semi-arid regions
• Development of strategies and means to augment the content of health-promoting molecules in crops by either pre-harvest or post-harvest treatments
• Elucidation of metabolic pathways leading to the synthesis and accumulation of health-promoting molecules
• Providing knowledge and support for researchers and breeders towards bio-fortification of crops.
• Development of unconventional systems for encapsulation and controlled release of nutraceutic agents
• Research and development of phytochemicals and plant extracts as drugs, functional foods, food additives  for the prevention and/or treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

• Research and development of phytochemicals and plant extracts as drugs, functional foods, food additives for the prevention and/or treatment of chronic diseases.

Contribution to Agriculture
• Development of active packages and natural edible coating for extension of shelf life and improving the safety of fresh fruits and vegetables
• Development and application of inspection tools and treatment for minimizing losses in grain storage
• Preservation of wheat-grains quality by monitoring and developing of technological and biological control methods
• Improving ensiling technology of forage crops; utilizing by-products for ruminant feeding.
• Applicative projects solving ad-hoc problems in feed centers
• Development of a model system for assessment cleaning and disinfection efficacy of surfaces in the dairy industry
• Development of molecular methods for monitoring microbial colonization on surfaces
• Identification of the therapeutic potential of Israel's wild plants and their development as future functional crops
• Development of quarantine treatments for cut flowers, fresh spices and dates.


Department member in Gilat Research Center:

Zipora Teitel, Ph.D


Staff
Researchers
Name
(Surname, First name)
Research Interests /
Job description
de Leeuw Marina, Ph.D.
Duanis-Assaf Danielle, Ph.D. Food quality and safety Foodborne pathogens' survival mechanisms during food processing. Bacterial communication (quorum sensing) and defense mechanisms from farm to fork.
Elmann Anat, Ph.D. The therapeutic potential of plant-derived substances for the development of nutraceuticals, food supplements, and functional foods. The main interest is for the prevention and/or treatment of chronic diseases, and especially neurodegenerative diseases.
Gottlieb Daphna, Ph.D. 1.Climate change and its implications on stored food grains. 2.Insect clocks: Implication in an integrated grain store pest management.
Mechrez Guy, Ph.D. •Janus and amphiphilic particles. •Advanced Pickering emulsions. •Chemical sensors for food safety and quality. •Superhydrophobic and anti-fog coatings and surfaces. •Individual cell encapsulation. •Formulations for bio-pesticides. •Smart/active food packing systems.
Poverenov Elena, Ph.D. Our lab is working on introducing nanotechnology and new material science approaches in the field of food and agriculture. Our primary research expertise is development and study of advanced materials based on a platform of nature-sourced materials. Natural materials hold great promise as inexhaustible and safe biocompatible resources. Therefore, understanding their fundamentals and rationalization of their modifications have far-reaching and diverse scientific and application prospects. Here are examples of our research projects 1) Advanced delivery systems for plant nutrients, biostimulants, post and pre-harvest protectants, gene transformation and therapeutic agents. 2) Controlled release systems based on host-guest chemistry, dynamic covalent linkage, self-assembled nanocarriers 3) Active edible coatings to enhance storability, safety and nutritional quality of food 4) Smart biodegradable packages 5) "Contact active" surfaces to prevent microbial contamination
Shapiro Orr, Ph.D. - Effects cyanobacteria on the quality and safety of aquacultured products - Ecology and application bacteriophage in aquaculture environments to enhance food quality and safety - Life after Death: Microbial ecology of spoilage processes in post-harvest aquaculture products
Shemesh Moshe, Ph.D. 1. Developing functional probiotics. We develop live-encapsulation approach through symbiotic interactions between probiotic Bacilli that antagonize establishment of pathogenic bacteria. 2. Investigation mode of interaction during formation of multispecies biofilm. We study complex interactions that take place within symbiotic biofilms formed by probiotic Bacilli. 3. Developing novel approaches improving food quality, safety and functionality. We engineer bacterial signal transduction pathways to functionalize their probiotic activity, for instance production of postbiotic metabolites (postbiotics).
Shimshoni Jakob, Ph.D. Research Interests 1. Analytical toxicology of food commodities 2. Application of chemometrics in food safety 3. Toxicokinetics of xenobiotics 4. Postharvest of Cannabis
Sionov Edward, Ph.D. 1. Understanding mechanisms and environmental conditions associated with development of mycotoxigenic fungi and the production of mycotoxins in agricultural commodities, processed food and feed 2. Isolation and identification of molds and mycotoxins using state-of-the-art analytical and molecular methods 3. Construction of an Israeli mycotoxigenic mold and mycotoxin database 4. Development of methods and technologies for the reduction or elimination of mycotoxins in agricultural commodities
Engineers/Technicians
Name
(Surname, First name)
Research Interests /
Job description
Barda Omer, Mr.
Gollop Rachel, Ph.D.
Gololobova Yuliia, Ms.
Harush Avichai, B.Sc.
Itzhaik Alkotzer Yafit, Ph.D.
Kaplan – Yair Ella, Ms.
Kroupitski Yulia, Ms.
Laskavy Alexander, Mr.
Menahem Ariel, B.Sc.
Quinn Elazar, M.Sc. Grain storage. Stored product insects. Pest control. Inspection of cereal grain storage.
Trostanetsky Anatoly, Ph.D.
Zakin Varda, Ms.
Retiree
Name
(Surname, First name)
Research Interests /
Job description
Kostyukovsky Moshe, Ph.D. Inspection of emergency stock of food and feed grain. Stored product pest insects. Winter wheat pest control. Fumigation, sampling and trapping. The use of the natural products and IGRs for stored product pest control. Quarantine treatments in the cut flowers and spices. IPM in the storage and on the winter wheat. Wheat grain bread-making quality and Eurygaster integriceps problem.
Merin Uzi, Ph.D.
Paster Nachman, Prof. Grain storage, mould infestation of grains, mycotoxins in agricultural produce and processed foods.
Rafaeli Ada, Prof. Insect physiology - pheromones, hormones, neurobioactive compounds, receptors, transducers and second messengers. My main interests lie in information molecules that may be regarded as bio-regulators. My aim is to exploit these information molecules for developing the next generation of insect specific bio-rational insecticides with enhanced safety.
Sela-Saldinger Shlomo, Prof. Microbial Food-Safety; Water Microbiology; Foodborne and waterborne pathogens; Adaptation of Salmonella to Plants; Survival of Foodborne Pathogens along the Food-chain; Biofilms in the Food Industry; Biocontrol of foodborne pathogens by antagonistic bacteria and their metabolites
Shomer Ilan, Ph.D. Research Prof., Emeritus – Biotexture/structure of soft plant tissues and their rheological derivatives
Weinberg Zwi G., Prof. Silage fermentation, Lactic acid bacteria, Utilization of by-products for ruminant feeding Feed hygiene and safety.
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