Green and Sustainable Food and Biomaterials Processing Technologies

Our goal is the development and assessment of novel and sustainable technologies for food, biomaterials and fuel processing.

Objectives

  • To maximize the value of agricultural commodities
  • To reduce environmental impact

Research Projects

  • Development of enzyme and whole-cell immobilization technologies to improve green processing
  • High voltage atmospheric cold plasma disinfection and chemical synthesis
  • Lipid modification for edible and industrial coatings
  • Evaluation of packing materials for sustainability performance and safety
  • Wastewater treatment by microalgae for high-value fertilizer production
  • Biofuel production from lignocellulosic biomass using a hybrid conversion platform
  • Starch-based extrusion film
  • Antimicrobial properties of bio-surfactant
  • Egg function and processing technologies
  • Sustainability and food systems
  • Life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis
  • Green nanocomposites from bacterial cellulose nanofibers
  • Structure-function analysis of edible oleogels

Faculty Interests

Buddhi Lamsal, PhD: Bioprocessing, protein utilization, bio-surfactant, extrusion

Kurt Rosentrater, PhD: Life cycle assessment, techno-economic analysis, green processing

Joey Talbert, PhD: Enzymes, biocatalyst, nanobiotechnology, immobilization

Keith Vorst, PhD: Recycled, packing, food, interaction, performance. Visit the Polymer and Food Protection website.

Zhiyou Wen, PhD: Microalgae, biomass, syngas, water quality

Partnerships:

  • Polymer and food protection consortium
  • Viskas
  • Metropolitan Wastewater Reclamation district of Greater Chicago
  • Modular genetics Inc.
  • Bunge North America
  • Michelman

Need More Information?

Tong Wang

3397 Food Sciences
536 Farm House Lane
Ames, IA 50011-1054

515-294-5448

tongwang@iastate.edu