Dr. Leili Afsah-Hejri is an experienced food scientist who has spent over 25 years working in academia, research, agriculture, and the food industry. She earned her Ph.D. in Food Safety from the University Putra Malaysia, where she focused on foodborne pathogens and methods to prevent their transmission in food handling during her postdoctoral research.
In 2016, Dr. Afsah-Hejri joined the University of California, Merced, where she conducted research on the effectiveness of postharvest technologies in enhancing food safety. Her research focused on three main areas: non-destructive detection methods (such as Terahertz imaging), non-invasive detection and quantification methods (such as E-nose technology), and environmentally friendly decontamination methods (such as ozonation). She has served as a Co-PI on over a dozen government and industry-funded research and educational projects and has published numerous peer-reviewed scientific papers and book chapters.
At Lakeland University, Dr. Afsah-Hejri is leading the Food Safety and Quality program as the program champion. She will be teaching courses related to food safety and quality, collaborating with local food industry partners, and conducting food safety research that benefits students and food industries in the region.
