Project Grant 20266701846648
- The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the University of Connecticut $799,891 under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) on August 15, 2026. The recipient will develop sustainable technologies to produce prebiotic ingredients from seaweed and combine them with probiotics to create advanced functional food ingredients. Deliverables include an energy-efficient microwave-based process to consistently produce prebiotics from seaweed,...
- The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the University of Connecticut $300,000 on May 1, 2026, under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI, CFDA 10.310) to improve microgreens food safety through integrated research and extension. The recipient will conduct on-farm research with microgreens growers in Connecticut and West Virginia to assess current growing, harvesting, and handling practices and test for harmful bacterial contamination. Based...
- The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded The Regents of the University of California at Riverside $290,238 on September 1, 2026, under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI, CFDA 10.310) to develop and evaluate food-safe protective coatings for food contact surfaces. The research will formulate coatings from food-grade ingredients already recognized as safe for food-related applications and test their resistance to microbial contamination,...
- The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the University of Connecticut $300,000 on February 1, 2026, under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI, CFDA 10.310) to scale a kyphosus fish-derived microbiome for seaweed digestion in arrested anaerobic digestion (AAD) systems. The project aims to stabilize the microbiome in benchtop AAD systems and integrate advanced sensor-based monitoring systems to optimize the digestion process, with three key...
- Federal Grant Award Summary The University of Connecticut received a $650,000 Project Grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Foundational and Applied Science Program (CFDA 10.310), awarded September 1, 2025, with completion targeted for August 31, 2029. The project, performed at the University of Connecticut's Storrs campus, develops evidence-based, multi-stage recommendations for small broiler poultry...
- The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Michigan State University $291,106 under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) on August 15, 2026, to develop and validate combined sanitizer treatments that disrupt biofilms formed by foodborne pathogens on food-processing equipment. The project evaluates up to one hundred sanitizer-biofilm inhibitor combinations on stainless-steel food-contact surfaces to identify two or three most effective...
- The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the University of Missouri System $287,891 on February 15, 2026, under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI, CFDA 10.310) to develop improved methods for removing bacterial biofilms from food processing surfaces. The research combines laboratory testing and data-driven analysis to evaluate chemical penetration enhancers—compounds derived from natural sources and already established in pharmaceutical...
- Federal Grant Award Summary Washington State University received a $650,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program (CFDA 10.310), awarded on September 15, 2025, with a completion date of September 14, 2028. The award funds the development of a real-time, on-site verification platform designed to assess the efficacy of surface sanitation processes in food processing...
- The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Cornell University $649,767 on February 15, 2026, under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) to develop antimicrobial elastomeric materials for food processing equipment. The project, performed in Ithaca, New York through February 14, 2030, addresses persistent contamination of ready-to-eat food and beverage processing facilities by Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella species, which are...
- The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded The Regents of the University of California at Riverside $591,499 under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program on April 1, 2026, to develop rapid, in-field detection methods for foodborne pathogens in food products without the need for laboratory equipment or complex sample preparation. The award funds research to address the limitations of current detection methods. Culture-based plate counting...
The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the University of Connecticut $292,500 under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) on August 15, 2026. The project will use artificial intelligence to identify promising biosurfactant candidates that can enhance the performance of sanitizers used in food processing, then validate the most effective compounds through laboratory testing on stainless steel surfaces. Biosurfactants are naturally produced, biodegradable cleaning agents with potential to reduce bacterial attachment and improve the removal of Salmonella and other pathogens that form protective biofilms on food-processing equipment. The research targets a major food safety challenge: bacteria that survive routine cleaning and sanitation procedures, leading to cross-contamination, recalls, and economic losses. Findings will support development of safer, more sustainable sanitation strategies that reduce reliance on harsh chemicals while strengthening the safety of the U.S. food supply. Work is performed at Storrs, Connecticut with a period of performance from August 15, 2026 through August 14, 2028. The University of Connecticut's Office Sponsored Programs, the administrative unit for federal grants within the institution, received the award.
Mod # | Description | ReasonForModification | Federal Obligation | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $292.5k | 8/7/26 |