UROP Project

Microbiology, Spoilage

Research Mentor: Ms. Nethraja Kandula, she/hers
Department, College, Affiliation: Florida State University, Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Contact Email: nkandula2@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: No
Number of Research Assistants: 1
Relevant Majors: Open to STEM majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required:
Remote or In-person: In-person
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10,
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link: Not participating in the Roundtable

Project Description

The research project aims to evaluate the effect of sanitizer treatment on the safety and quality of seafood (salmon, catfish, shrimp). The objective is to decrease the microbial load and increase the shelf life and storage for these products in order to ensure consumer safety and preserve quality. The study will utilize various microbiological and molecular analyses, including microbial counts, PCR, and sequencing of microbial communities. This comprehensive approach will provide crucial data to support the seafood industry's efforts to minimize losses due to spoilage and improve packaging methods. The data generated from this research will contribute to ensuring the safety of the seafood. Ultimately, this project can also train individuals for careers in the seafood processing industry and in federal or state testing laboratories.

Research Tasks: Literature review
Experimentation
Data analysis and interpretation
Report writing

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: MS Excel (recommended)
Basic lab activities like pipetting, measuring (recommended)