Dr. Mohamed Ahmedna

Since joining the SAES in 2000, Ahmedna has been involved in 17 multidisciplinary projects totaling more than $5 million. His research has resulted in 30 peer-reviewed scientific publications and patent applications involving a process to inactivate allergens in peanuts. Ahmedna received a master's and doctorate in food science, and a master's in applied statistics, at Louisiana State University. He recently received an MBA from the Kenan-Flagler business school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/09/staff-update-7.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/09/staff-update-7.html Family and Consumer Sciences Food Sciences Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:47:57 -0500 Dr. Salam Ibrahim’s work with colleagues in the People's Republic of China has led to the publication of an article summarizing recent findings in an international journal devoted to scientific research. The team has been looking into possible relationships among dairy foods, probiotics and longer life spans in a region of China known for its centenarians, and the journal Current Microbiology has an article recapping the team’s study of the effects of two bifidobacteria
strains isolated from healthy centenarians in China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous
Region. Ibrahim’s research collaborators are from the College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering at China Agricultural University, the Meng Niu Dairy Company in Beijing and the Food Science College at Xinjiang Agricultural University. At the core of this and other research projects is a collaboration between A&T and China Agricultural University that has now resulted in the publication of three papers detailing research findings in scientific journals. ]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/09/bifidobacterium-substrains-may.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/09/bifidobacterium-substrains-may.html Family and Consumer Sciences Food Sciences Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:51:26 -0500 The world’s largest annual food science forum and food technologies exposition, the Institute of Food Technologists' Annual Meeting & Food Expo , took place on June 6-9 in Anaheim, CA. It The meeting  and expo drew approximately 14,500 participants from more than 80 countries, and 815 exhibitors. It was also the setting for nearly 200 educational sessions, and one that would prove a hot topic — drawing attention from the media as well as the scientific community —  was a symposium devoted to “Fresh Produce Tracing: Benefits and Challenges” that was organized and moderated by Drs. Ipek Goktepe and Mohamed Ahmedna, SAES food scientists. Goktepe was also on research teams with two poster presentations on the “Prevention of Escherichia coliO157:H7 growth using a bacteriophage cocktail in laboratory media” and “Biocontrol of Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination on green leaf lettuce using a bacteriophage cocktail.”

Dr. Salam Ibrahim, another SAES food scientist, was on four teams that made research poster presentations at the conference. He worked with colleagues at Delaware State on an overview of research into the physical properties of cookies containing flaxseed flour and assisted an A&T grad student with an investigation into the potential for using a rice extract as stabilizer in banana-flavored yogurt. Ibrahim also assisted another graduate student with research into the “Induction of alpha-and beta-galactosidases in Lactobacillus reuteri using different protein sources.” Dr. Pat Lynch, also a member of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences faculty, was on a team with Ibrahim that presented a poster on research into the “Impact of protein source on growth and cell density of Lactobacillus reuteri."]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/07/saes-food-lions-roar-in-califo.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/07/saes-food-lions-roar-in-califo.html Academic Departments Family and Consumer Sciences Food Sciences Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:20:55 -0500 Action Greensboro, an organization established by six nonprofit foundations in 2001 to help the regional economy rebound from the void left by the loss of jobs in textiles and other industries, has selected Dr. Mohamed Ahmenda’s research work targeting development of an allergen-free peanut, for its “Springboard” Web page that showcases local scientific creativity and innovations.

The 20-week season for UNC-TV’s Almanac Gardener, a half hour home gardening and horticulture program that airs at noon on Saturdays, will continue through August, but the lion’s share of this season’s programs is now available at the program website. Stephen Greer, an A&T Extension horticultural agent stationed in Forsyth County, was part of the panel of experts for programs that originally aired (and are now available online) on April 18, April 25 and May 2.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/07/saes-research-and-extension-fa.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/07/saes-research-and-extension-fa.html Cooperative Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Food Sciences Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:27:28 -0500 Role of Research in Addressing Nutrition and Health Issues: Vision and Strategies for Leadership in the Modern Era.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/06/ceph-presentation.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/06/ceph-presentation.html Family and Consumer Sciences Food Sciences Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:30:27 -0500 Dr. Salam Ibrahim has been working with a team of researchers from the People's Republic of China that had findings from a project published in the April issue of Nutrition Research that caught the attention of a blog that draws heavy traffic, “Fight Aging”. The blog’s impression of the research work is that it suggests, “Centenarians, in addition to generally having better metabolisms than the rest of us, also have better bacteria”. The official, more technical title of the research published in the Nutrition Research article is “Oral administration of live bifidobacterium substrains isolated from healthy centenarians enhanced immune function in BALB/c mice,” and a key finding was that bifidobacteria from healthy centenarians may possess properties that can have valuable effects on immune systems. Ibrahim’s research collaborators are from the College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering at China Agricultural University, the Meng Niu Dairy Company in Beijing and the Food Science College at Xinjiang Agricultural University.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/05/better-bacteria-a-boost-to-lon.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/05/better-bacteria-a-boost-to-lon.html Academic Departments Family and Consumer Sciences Food Sciences Wed, 27 May 2009 15:10:11 -0500 Dr. Salam Ibrahim is part of a research team that published findings from an investigation into the multifunctional milk protein, lactoferrin’s potential influences on osteoblast and osteoclast bone cell development in the March issue of the Journal of Nutrition. Ibrahim has been working with research scientists from China Agricultural University, the Ministry of Education in Beijing and the School of Oncology at Beijing University. Their study of the effect of orally administered lactoferrin is a contribution to research efforts to stimulate osteoblast proliferation and inhibit osteoclast activity as treatments for osteoporosis. The research team’s findings were that “oral LF [lactoferrin] not only preserved bone mass but also improved bone microarchitecture. The absorption of LF peptides and their effects on bone cells could to some extent account for the osteogenic function of oral LF.”

The Journal of Nutrition was the first scientific journal created solely (in 1928) as a clearinghouse for nutrition research. The Journal’s website is now receiving more than 2.5 million hits each month, and research findings originally published in the Journal on everything from registered dietitians underestimations of their own caloric intake to the value of nut snacking and children’s fruit drinks supplemented with “brain development juice” have recently migrated from the Journal of Nutrition to mass media.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/05/saes-food-scientist-is-on-team.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/05/saes-food-scientist-is-on-team.html Academic Departments Family and Consumer Sciences Food Sciences Wed, 13 May 2009 16:12:57 -0500 special recipe contest, and "Entrants must be currently active students (i.e., in good standing) enrolled full- time in an in-person (i.e., not online) accredited post-secondary institution as of 3/23/09." Contest rules require an original recipe, described in 250 words or less, that involves at least one Idahoan product and a photo of the dish. Entries will be judged 40 percent on flavor, another 40 percent on originality, 10 percent on catchiness of the dish name, and the final 10 percent on presentation. The grand prize is a $5,000 savings bond and a year's supply of Idahoan mashed potatoes. The second-place prize is a $1,000 savings bond, and a $500 savings bonds will be awarded for the third-best recipe.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/05/one-potato-two-potato-three-po.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/05/one-potato-two-potato-three-po.html Food Sciences Wed, 13 May 2009 16:04:30 -0500 Dr. Salam Ibrahim of the SAES is part of a research team — which also included former SAES faculty member Hong Yang and former SAES grad student Tom Tse — that published an investigation of “Antibacterial Activity of a Crude Chive Extract Against Salmonella in Culture Medium, Beef Broth and Chicken Broth,” in the March 2009 issue of Food Protection Trends. The study looked into the antibacterial properties Chinese chives may hold for controlling food spoilage — 58 strains of Salmonella produced in chicken and beef broth, and culture media were examined.

Food Protection Trends is published by the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) as a clearinghouse for applied research, and industry, technical and regulatory news for food safety professionals. The IAFP will be convening the organization’s 96th Annual Meeting July 12-15 in Grapevine, Texas. Research scientists and students planning to attend need to register by June 9 to avoid the late registration penalty fees.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/04/research-looks-into-potential.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/04/research-looks-into-potential.html Family and Consumer Sciences Food Sciences Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:32:44 -0500 The Food Distribution Research Society (FDRS) has set a June 1 deadline for its 2009 William Applebaum Memorial Scholarship Awards, which includes cash stipends of $750 for the best master’s thesis submitted, and the top master’s level case study or research paper submitted.

The winners in both categories also will have their travel expenses paid for a trip to Colorado for the FDRS annual meeting Oct. 31 to Nov. 4.

Last year’s Applebaum Award for most outstanding master’s thesis went to a graduate student at the University of Connecticut for a research study of the impact that the entry of Wal-Mart’s Supercenter stores into food retailing was having on milk prices.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/04/food-distributors-have-cash-aw.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/04/food-distributors-have-cash-aw.html Family and Consumer Sciences Food Sciences Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:23:29 -0500 TV cooking show hostess Rachael Ray is now working with the National Restaurant Association to nurture nutrition education with a scholarship program for high school students eyeing college programs supplying human capital to food-service industries. The 2009 deadline is May 15. Scholarship awards begin at $2,500.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/04/ray-of-scholarly-sunshine.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/04/ray-of-scholarly-sunshine.html Family and Consumer Sciences Food Sciences Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:22:47 -0500 The company that produces Idahoan brand potato products has announced a special recipe contest , and “Entrants must be currently active students (i.e., in good standing) enrolled full-time in an in-person (i.e., not online), accredited, post-secondary institution as of 3/23/09.”  Official rules require an original recipe, described in 250 words or less, that involves at least one Idahoan product and a photo of the dish. Entries will be judged 40 percent on flavor, another 40 percent on originality, 10 percent on catchiness of the dish name, and the final 10 percent on presentation. The grand prize is a $5,000 savings bond and a year’s supply of Idahoan mashed potatoes. With the second- and third-place prizes — $1,000 and $500 savings bonds, respectively — there will also be awards of six-month supplies of Idahoan mashed potatoes.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/04/contest-targets-collegiate-cul.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/04/contest-targets-collegiate-cul.html Family and Consumer Sciences Food Sciences Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:53:05 -0500 The Food Distribution Research Society (FDRS) has set a June 1 deadline for its 2009 William Applebaum Memorial Scholarship Awards, which includes cash stipends of $750 for:
• the best master’s thesis submitted;
• the top master’s level case study or research paper submitted.

The winners in both categories also will have their travel expenses paid for a trip to Colorado for the FDRS annual meeting Oct. 31 to Nov. 4.

Last year’s Applebaum Award for most outstanding master’s thesis went to a graduate student at the University of Connecticut for a research study of the impact that the entry of Wal-Mart’s Supercenter stores into food retailing was having on milk prices.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/04/top-of-the-food-change.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2009/04/top-of-the-food-change.html Agricultural Research Family and Consumer Sciences Food Sciences Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:45:33 -0500