In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Amanda Deering and Haley Oliver from Purdue University’s Department of Food Science.  

This marks the second episode in our Purdue Research Series, which shares how Purdue provides practical solutions to the world’s toughest challenges. 

Amanda, associate professor of fresh produce food safety in Purdue’s College of Agriculture, and Haley, the 150th Anniversary Professor of Food Science and director of the USAID Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Safety, dive into a challenge facing the entire world: food safety, security and sustainability. 

Contrary to what some may believe, their work in food science involves very little cooking. Amanda and Haley are addressing urgent questions about food production in a changing climate and a growing global population that hit 8 billion in November 2022.  

On any given day, these two researchers may be working alongside researchers from Cornell University in the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Safety or partnering with women in Afghanistan or Indigenous communities in Peru. As a land-grant institution, Purdue is uniquely positioned to address questions of food production and safety by working hand in hand with farmers across Indiana — and the globe. 

Tune in to learn more about their partnerships with organizations large and small, changing attitudes on sustainability, the importance of gender representation in food production and how research done in the heart of Indiana is helping feed the world.