Skip to main content

Low Moisture Foods

DR. TAYLOR PAST

I made a mid-career change to academics in returning to BYU as a faculty member in 2017. Today I serve as a mentor to young talent starting their journey but <5 years ago I was a Sr. Director in business and R&D leadership advancing science-based food products and processing technologies. I have lived/worked in Poland, Mexico, and all time zones of the USA. My career in Food Science has been (and continues to be) a great ride.

My technical background covers dairy processing, plant-based nutritional and food products, microbiology, and US regulations. I crossed over to business, innovation, R&D management and IP strategies. In general, during my academic preparation and career, I took more responsibility and risk than the majority of my peers. Therefore, I have grown through diverse experiences with small, mid-size, and large publicly traded companies. Students take interest in the fact that my global career has taken me to over 20 countries including nearly three sequential years working in Latin America.

Prior to working in “corporate America,” I benefited from early career mentors and made life-long friends at BYU, USU, and a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC. It has been rewarding to invite them to campus or have them participate via zoom with students in our program.

DR. TAYLOR CURRENT

I am a CFS-track Associate Professor of Food Science with diverse research interests with global implications. Priority areas include: 1) applied research in food safety & preservation technologies, 2) characterizing emerging microorganisms of concern and beneficial bacteria in low-moisture food matrices and 3) novel food / ingredient utilization or waste avoidance.

I am the Primary Investigator and/or Outreach Director on externally funded research in these areas and the technical leader of a unique partnership of a consortium of universities and polytechnical colleges in various regions of Mongolia, the Mongolian Food and Agricultural Department (based in Ulaanbaatar) and Deseret International Charities. This capacity building effort has opened many doors for the participants and sponsor.

Today, one of my favorite opportunities is introducing students to the members and areas of expansion unique to the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP). Last year, we had an impressive number of students participate in the annual meeting in Louisville, KY. Some presented research posters and others attended for the first time; it was a very positive experience. Top peers in my field from industry, academia, and government commented on the quality of the student-led research and professionalism exhibited by students in our program.

DR. TAYLOR FUTURE DIRECTIONS

We recently published our detailed investigation of the survival and thermotolerance of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella ssp., and a surrogate in low water activity foods. Work on new tools for applied research in this area continue in effort to close key data gaps for the global supply chain.

We initiated an undergraduate-led study to validate the pasteurization of human donor milk that will result in additional insights specific to processing in this novel and growing area.

Using advanced molecular biology techniques in partnership with MMBIO@BYU, we also study Cronobacterand other organisms known to cause human illness in dry foods or ingredients. Based on my professional background, research involving various specialty nutritional products including infant formula or medical foods supporting at-risk populations are favorite topics!

Lactose utilization and waste reduction in food processing is a new area to our team. One of our graduate students drafted a proposal that was recently externally funded to learn how lactose can be utilized using new to the dairy industry advanced basic science techniques. It is a three-year grant; If successful, the process could create high-value food ingredients from an abundant waste product.

Our multi-year outreach and research project helping teach safe food preservation techniques in Mongolia is also expected to continue after travel restrictions are lifted to support local efforts supporting food sovereignty and increased access to fruits and vegetables on the steppe.

----

On a personal note, my wife met while taking Chemistry 105 in the Eyring Science Center in 1994. We were sealed in the San Diego California Temple and are the parents of 4 children. We rescued a crazy dog who keeps us laughing/crying and physically active. We are often found on the trails, reservoirs, and peaks near campus. We hike the Y with the freshman each fall.

If you take anything away from this it should be that I have an awesome and supportive spouse and a zest for the science of food…and life!