S294 - Participant Bio

Robert (Bob) Saftner

Title : Plant Physiologist

Institution : Horticultural Crops Quality Lab, USDA/ARS, Beltsville, MD

Commodities : Apples, honeydew (melons), mango, pineapple, strawberry.

Research topics : Effects of physical (hot water, hot air, UV-C radiation), biological (biocontrol) and chemical (calcium salts, antioxidants, antibrowning agents) especially vapor (1-MCP, methyl jasmonate, isothiocyanates, high oxygen, fruit esters and aldehydes, ozone, chlorine, phenoxyacetic acid etc.) treatments on quality (aroma-associated volatile levels, microbial loads, decay control, food safety, sugar/acid levels, flavor, texture, color, respiration and ethylene production rates) of fresh and fresh-cut fruit. Emphasis is on developing integrated natural (GRAS) strategies to reduce dependence on postharvest use of synthetic fungicides without adversely affecting quality. Have strong secondary interest in extending the shelf life of fresh and fresh-cut fruit while maintaining excellent aroma (and flavor) quality and food safety.

Instrumentation: GCs, GC-MS, gas generators-detectors-flow calibration equipment, HPLC, NIR, FTIR, texture analyzers, spiral plater, plate reader, other quality measuring equipment.

Phone: 301 504 5672

e-mail:rsaftner@asrr.arsusda.gov

	[Link to Home Page] Current Officers: Past Chair: Yuagang Luo (LuoY@ba.ars.usda.gov) Chair: Peter Toivanen (ToivonenP@AGR.GC.CA) Vice Chair: Aubrey F. Mendonca (amendon@iastate.edu) Secretary: Xuetong Fan (xfan@errc.ars.usda.gov) Webmaster: Mary Reed (postharvest@ucdavis.edu)