Food Safety and Preservation Lab

The Schwan Lab focuses on addressing emerging topics on home food preservation and consumer food safety.

Our research focuses on consumer food safety in the areas of:

1. Home Food Preservation​

   • Thermal processing validation​
   • Inoculation studies ​
   • Shelf-life and pathogen modeling​

2. Intersection of Food Safety and Access​

   • Characterization of microbial hazards on fresh ​produce in the retail food environment between ​communities of distinct socioeconomic and demographic profiles

• Extension Programs and Outreach

  The Science and Practice of Home Food Preservation, Crafting Kombucha at Home, Food Safety for Food Service, Food Safety for Childcare, Food Allergies for Retail, General Consumer

  Food Safety, Extension publications, The National Center for Home Food Preservation

• Selected funded projects

  • SAFE: Strengthening Awareness for Food Safety Emergencies​
  • Value-addition Institute for Business Expansion (VIBE): A Georgia-Based Agricultural Innovation Center to Bring Farmers from Fresh to Value-added Markets​
  • An integrated approach to developing Extension outreach curricula for home food preservation, retail food safety, and cottage foods: A Food Safety Extension Network Effort

Our Team

Carla Schwan, PhD

Assistant Professor and Extension Food Safety Specialist

Kris Ingmundson, MPH

Assistant Food Safety and Preservation Coordinator

Sitara Cullinan

PhD Student

Mallika Mahida

PhD Student

Lauren Suiter

MS/DI Student

Undergraduate Researchers

• Sonia Mirzad* 
• Azib Rana
• Tajrian Hoque

* UGA CURO Research Award recipient