Grace Danao

Title

Research Associate Professor

Company

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Petfood Essentials presentation description:

What processing means for alternative pet foods – Danao explains high-pressure processing, freeze-drying and dehydration technology and other ways to safely process alternative pet foods without changing their formats. The presentation includes factors related to product formulation and processing parameters, plus case studies from microbial challenge studies in the university laboratory and for industry partners.

Experience:

Grace Danao, Ph.D., is a research assistant professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). Her research interests are in the broad area of food and bioprocess engineering focusing on value-added processing, high pressure processing (HPP) and use of near infrared spectroscopy for process control and quality assurance applications. Since 2017, Danao has coordinated the HPP Services Laboratory of the Food Processing Center at UNL, where she and her team conduct applied research projects that have helped U.S. and Nebraska food manufacturers comply with USDA and FDA food safety regulations and bring their products to market. At UNL, Danao teaches a class on pet food manufacturing to support the new undergraduate minor program in Food Technology for Companion Animals at UNL.