Anuradha Prakash, Ph.D., is Professor of Food Science at Chapman University in Orange, CA. She teaches Food Processing and Preservation and Food Product Development. She serves as the faculty advisor for the Chapman Coffee Club which explores the science and art of making a great cup of coffee. She is a 2021 Fellow of the Food Systems Leadership Institute and has served as the Science Advisor to the FDA- Pacific Southwest Laboratory (now known as the Food and Feed Lab Southwest). She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Community Action Partnership of Orange County, an agency devoted to alleviating poverty. Her research focuses on evaluating the effect of irradiation on the quality of fruit treated by irradiation for insect disinfestation with the ultimate goal of eliminating global trade barriers by reducing the threat posed by invasive pests. The objectives of her USDA funded research are to:
– Conduct dose response studies to determine tolerance of fruit to irradiation
– Compare irradiation to conventional treatments
– Determine the impact of commercial treatment and distribution conditions on the quality and physiology of irradiated fruit