World Health Organization taps MSU food safety expert for panel

Contact: Maridith Geuder

A Mississippi State University scientist is joining an international panel to help assess microbiological hazards in food.

Douglas L. Marshall, professor of food science and technology, is among some 100 experts named by the Food and Agriculture Organization's Roster of Experts. The FAO is an arm of the United Nations' World Health Organization.

An expert in food microbiology and public health, he has conducted research at MSU on ways to improve the quality and safety of foods, including developing rapid methods for quality and safety evaluations. He also teaches courses in foodborne diseases, food safety, quality assurance and control, and product development, among others.

Marshall is joining approximately 20 American colleagues on a world team that will advise the U.N. on risks posed by biological agents found in the substances humans consume for nourishment. He and other members reflect a diversity of viewpoints and geography in both developed and developing countries.

The entire FAO roster includes specialists in microbiology, epidemiology, mathematical modeling, public health, food technology, veterinary medicine, and risk assessment.

Marshall's research has been featured in such scientific publications as the journals of Food Quality, Food Safety and Food Science, as well as Food Microbiology.

He holds bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Nebraska and a doctorate from the University of Florida.