Beginning in her Bachelor of Science studies, Brenda took the road less taken in the Food Science program and was captivated by the topics surrounding food microbiology and food safety. To her, a resilient food system is only achievable if the food products and their processes are safe for consumers at a microscopic level. Brenda’s MSc. research addresses two pathogens of concern in the poultry industry that continue to become increasingly prevalent in developed and developing nations despite the interventions placed. To address this problem and improve consumer safety, Brenda is investigating the application of a novel technology that utilizes hydroxyl radicals as a means of surface decontamination of both table and hatchery eggs. Thus far, the technology has demonstrated great efficacy in disinfecting eggs from the pathogens of concern while maintaining critical egg quality metrics. Brenda’s future PhD work marries the topics of food safety and epidemiology; applying her current knowledge of food microbiology and how climate change is impacting the prevalence of foodborne pathogens.

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