• Professor, Biological & Agricultural Engineering
Elena Castell-Perez

Educational Background

  • B.S., Campinas State University, Food Engineering, 1980
  • M.S., Michigan State University, Agricultural Engineering, 1984
  • Ph.D., Michigan State University, Agricultural Engineering, 1990

Research Interests

  • Characterization of food and biological materials, biomass pretreatments for bioenergy, food rheology, smart packaging systems, food safety technologies including irradiation and active packaging.

Awards & Honors

  • 2014-2015 William Keeler Faculty Fellow, College of Engineering | Spring 2015

Selected Publications

  • Tuncil Y.E., Jondiko T., Castell-Perez M.E., Puerta-Gomez, A. and Awika J.M. 2016. Small deformation rheological properties of dough are useful tool to predict the effects of modest sodium reduction on flour tortilla quality. LWT – Food Science and Technology. Accepted for publication December 17, 2015.
  • Ruengvisesh, S., Loquercio, A., Castell-Perez, E., Taylor, M.T. 2015. Inhibition of Bacterial Pathogens in Medium and on Spinach Leaf Surfaces using Plant-Derived Antimicrobials Loaded in Surfactant Micelles. Journal of Food Science. Food Microbiology and Safety Section. DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.13085.
  • Loquercio, A., Castell-Perez, M. E., Gomes, C. and Moreira, R.G. 2015. Preparation of Chitosan-Alginate Nanoparticles for Trans-cinnamaldehyde Entrapment. Journal of Food Science. Nanoscale Food Science Section, 80(10), N2305-N2315.
  • Puerta-Gomez, A.F. and Castell-Perez, M.E. 2015. Physical stability of octenyl-succinate-modified polysaccharides and whey proteins for potential use as bioactive carriers in food systems. Journal of Food Science 80 (6), E1209-E1217.
  • Kim, K., Moreira, R.G., Castell-Perez, M.E. 2015. Improving phytosanitary irradiation treatment of mangoes using Monte Carlo simulation. Journal of Food Engineering, 149, 137-143. doi:10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2014.10.005.
  • Omac, B., Moreira, R.G., Castillo, A. and Castell-Perez, M.E. 2014. Growth of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua on fresh baby spinach leaves: effects of storage temperature and natural microflora. Postharvest Technology, 100, 41-51. doi:10.1016/j.postharvbio.2014.09.007
  • Martinon, M., Moreira, R.G., Gomes, C., Castell-Perez, M.E. 2014. Development of a multilayered antimicrobial edible coating for shelf-life extension of fresh-cut cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L.) stored at 4ºC. LWT-Food Science and Technology, 56(2), 341-350.
  • Karagoz, I., Moreira, R.G., Castell-Perez, M.E. 2014. Radiation D10 values for Salmonella Typhimurium LT2 and an Escherichia coli cocktail in pecan nuts (Kanza cultivar) exposed to different atmospheres. Food Control, 39, 146-153.
  • Sevimli Yurttas, Z., Moreira, R.G., Castell-Perez, M.E. 2014. Combined vacuum impregnation and electron-beam irradiation treatment to extend the storage life of sliced white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus). Journal of Food Science, 79(1), E39-E46.
  • Chimbombi, Castell-Perez, M.E, Moreira, R.G., A.F. Puerta-Gomez, 2013. M. Assessing accumulation (growth and internal mobility) of Salmonella Typhimurium LT2 in fresh-cut cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L.) for optimization of decontamination strategies. Food Control 32, 574-581.
  • Sipahi, R.E., Castell-Perez, M.E., Moreira, R.G., Gomes, C. , Castillo, A. 2013. Improved multilayered antimicrobial alginate-based edible coating extends the shelf life of fresh-cut watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). LWT – Food Science and Technology, 51(1), 9-15.
  • Mantilla, N., Castell-Perez, M.E., Gomes, C., Moreira, R.G. 2013. Multilayered antimicrobial edible coating and its effect on quality and shelf-life of fresh-cut pineapple (Ananas comosus). LWT – Food Science and Technology, 51(1), 37-43.
  • Puerta-Gomez, A., Kim, J., Moreira, R.G., Klutke, G.-A., Castell-Perez, M.E. 2013. Quantitative assessment of the effectiveness of intervention steps to reduce the risk of contamination of ready-to-eat baby spinach with Salmonella. Food Control, 31(2), 410-418.
  • Puerta-Gomez, A.F, Moreira, R.G., Kim J., Castell-Perez, M.E. 2013. Modeling the growth rates of Escherichia coli spp. and Salmonella Typhimurium LT2 in baby spinach leaves under slow cooling. Food Control, 29 (1), 11-17.