Thomas McCaskey, Professor
	BS: Ohio University MS: Purdue University PhD: Purdue University Discipline:Food Safety, Agricultural By-Product Utilization and                   Environmental Quality Phone: (334) 844-1518, Fax: 334-844-1519 Email: tmccaske@acesag.auburn.edu URL: http://www.auburn.edu/~mccasta

Courses Taught:

• BIOL 6660 - Food Microbiology
• ANSC 4970 - Special Problems
• BIOL 4980 - Undergraduate Research

Instructional Program:

Food Microbiology (BIOL 6660, 5 credits) offered Spring Semester. Three 1 hour lectures and two 2-hour laboratory sessions per week. Principles of microbial growth, destruction, detection, enumeration and identification are applied to foods to assess the quality and safety of food and food ingredients. Special problems (ANSC 4970 variable credits) and Undergraduate Research (BIOL 4980, variable credits) are offered each semester. Students participate in and conduct research projects relevant to food safety, pathogen intervention strategies and environmental issues confronted by industries and agriculture.

Research Program:

The main emphasis of research is directed to preharvest practices and intervention strategies to reduce the risk and spread of foodborne pathogens associated with agricultural commodities. Other areas of research include development and evaluation of strategies to manage, bioprocess and bioremediate agricultural, industrial and municipal by-products into animal feed, soil amendments, fuels, chemicals and bioremediated wastewater. The impact of these strategies on bacterial pathogen intervention, odor and vector control and public water quality are also addressed.