Sarah Wu Earns USDA Grant to Explore Milk Processing Using Plasma Reactor
June 01, 2022
Biological Engineering Assistant Professor Sarah (Xiao) Wu earned a $600,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to explore a novel milk processing method using a plasma reactor.
Funded through the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the grant will go toward established a green milk processing technology that is compact, easy to operate, and efficient in
producing a safe product with well-preserved sensory and nutritional characteristics and an extended shelf life.
Safe milk processing by traditional means includes thermal processing, which can lead to overheating, causing sensory and nutrient changes in milk products. Wu’s research uses a continuous-flow, liquidphase plasma discharge reactor that is hypothesized to effectively and efficiently inactivate pathogens as well as endogenous enzymes while preserving quality attributes of raw milk.
This project was funded to Regents of the University of Idaho by National Science Foundation under award 2022-67017-36315. The total project funding is $602,800.00 of which 100.00% is the federal share.
About the University of Idaho
The University of Idaho, home of the Vandals, is Idaho’s land-grant, national research university. From its residential campus in Moscow, U of I serves the state of Idaho through educational centers in Boise, Coeur d’Alene and Idaho Falls, nine research and Extension centers, plus Extension offices in 42 counties. Home to more than 12,000 students statewide, U of I is a leader in student-centered learning and excels at interdisciplinary research, service to businesses and communities, and in advancing diversity, citizenship and global outreach. U of I competes in the Big Sky and Western Athletic conferences. Learn more at uidaho.edu.