Pioneering AI-Driven Food Safety: FSU Professors Secure USDA Grants to Revolutionize Pathogen Detection

In a groundbreaking move, two professors from the Florida State University College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences have been awarded prestigious food safety grants by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These grants will propel their cutting-edge research and solidify FSU's position as a national leader in food safety innovation.

Unlocking the Power of AI to Combat Global Food Safety Challenges

Harnessing AI for Rapid Antimicrobial Resistance Detection

Hailey Kuang, an assistant professor of measurement and statistics in the Department of Education Psychology and FSU's Learning Systems Institute, has been awarded a $150,000 grant to develop an AI-enabled portable sensor that can rapidly detect antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in food supply chains. AMR is one of the top global public health and development threats, and Kuang's research aims to address this pressing issue.Kuang's project, dubbed "AI4Food: Artificial Intelligence for Food Science Research and Education Initiative," positions FSU as a pioneer in integrating AI technologies with food safety research. By designing a portable device to assist in AMR testing and training machine-learning algorithms to identify AMR testing, Kuang's team is poised to create a comprehensive program that equips students with cutting-edge AI, sensing techniques, and food safety expertise.

Revolutionizing Salmonella Detection in Beef Samples

Prashant Singh, a health, nutrition, and food science associate professor, has received a $150,000 grant to develop a novel digital PCR assay for the beef industry. This assay will enable the industry to measure the amount of salmonella contamination in beef samples, addressing one of the largest threats facing the global food industry.As a food safety microbiologist, Singh's core research focuses on the development of rapid methods to detect foodborne pathogens. His work has been published in more than 30 food science publications, and the additional USDA funding will allow his team to expand their research and develop solutions the food industry desperately needs.

Bridging the Gap: Standardized Testing for Widespread Impact

Singh's research aims to create a faster development of robust foodborne pathogen detection methods. By developing a standardized testing method for salmonella contamination in beef, Singh is serving a wide user base that includes small and large food processors, federal laboratories, third-party testing laboratories, and students.Currently, only three commercially available test kits for testing salmonella load in food samples are available, and these kits suffer from reproducibility issues and complicated DNA isolation protocols. The assay developed in Singh's lab solves these problems, is highly reproducible, and is suited for high-throughput industrial applications. The workflow developed through this grant can be expanded to other food commodities, enabling a broader impact.

Fostering a Comprehensive Approach to Food Safety

FSU's Department of Health, Nutrition, and Food Sciences is home to innovative programs that analyze physical performance, health, and wellness. The department is also home to two renowned centers in the Institute of Sports Science and Medicine and the Center of Integrative Nutrition and Food Research, further solidifying its reputation as a hub for cutting-edge food science research.These USDA grants awarded to Kuang and Singh not only propel their individual research projects but also position FSU as a national leader in food safety innovation. By integrating AI technologies, developing novel detection methods, and fostering a comprehensive approach to food safety, these professors are paving the way for a safer and more secure global food supply.