Leyla KazemzadehPournaki
Ph.D. Student
Lab Manager
Graduate Research Assistant
Department of Ag & Biosystems Engineering
Brookings, SD 57007
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Research Focus:
Research Focus:
Leyla's research focuses on food safety, food engineering, non-thermal processing technologies, and bioseparation, with an emphasis on UV-A laser-based microbial decontamination of food-contact surfaces and fresh produce, as well as characterization and separation of value-added components from bioprocessing streams.
Leyla's research focuses on food safety, food engineering, non-thermal processing technologies, and bioseparation, with an emphasis on UV-A laser-based microbial decontamination of food-contact surfaces and fresh produce, as well as characterization and separation of value-added components from bioprocessing streams.
Research Projects
UV-A Laser Decontamination of Food Surfaces and Fresh Produce
UV-A Laser Decontamination of Food Surfaces and Fresh Produce
Leyla's Ph.D. research focuses on evaluating Q-switched 355 nm UV-A laser treatment for microbial decontamination of food-contact surfaces and fresh produce. This work investigates the effects of laser processing conditions on microbial inactivation, surface response, and product quality.
Bioseparation and Characterization of Corn Whole Stillage Fractions (POET Project)
Bioseparation and Characterization of Corn Whole Stillage Fractions (POET Project)
Leyla has contributed to the bioseparation project focused on corn whole stillage from the bioethanol industry. This project involves fractionation and characterization of whole stillage components to better understand lipid–protein interactions, particle-size distribution, oil retention, and potential strategies for improving oil recovery and value-added separation. Analytical approaches include wet sieving, fat analysis, microscopy, and chemical/structural characterization.
Nutrient Stability in Pulses
Nutrient Stability in Pulses
Leyla has also contributed to a project evaluating the long-term storage stability of nutrients in pulse crops, with a focus on B-vitamin retention in chickpeas under different storage conditions. This work supports a better understanding of how storage environment and time may influence nutritional quality in pulse-based food systems.
Manuscripts in Preparation
Sha, X., KazemzadehPournaki, L., Yuan, J., Tan, S., Tang, J., Lee, G., and Yang, R. (in submission). Bacterial spatial distribution and UVC penetration depth jointly determine Salmonella inactivation kinetics on dry surfaces
KazemzadehPournaki, L., Sha, X., & Yang, R. (in preparation) Q-switched 355 nm UV-A laser for the decontamination of Salmonella enterica Enteritidis PT-30 on glass surfaces.
Sha, X., KazemzadehPournaki, L., Lee, G., and Yang, R. (in preparation). UV-A Laser Disruption of Salmonella Biofilm Structure and Microbial Community Composition
Conference Presentations
Assessment of Q-switched UV laser for microbial surface inactivation: Effectiveness and underlying mechanisms.
Presented at:
2025 South Dakota ASABE Conference, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA
2025 ASABE North Dakota Meeting, USA
2025 Graduate Student Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Day (GRSCAD), South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA.
Impact of long-term storage conditions on vitamin B levels in chickpeas.
Presented at:
2025 IFT FIRST Annual Event & Expo, Chicago, IL, USA.
Ultraviolet laser technology for microbial decontamination of cantaloupe.
Presented at:
2025 MNIFT/PLANS Research Symposium, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA.
2026 South Dakota ASABE Meeting, Brookings, SD, USA.
2026 ASABE North Central/Central Region Meeting, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA.
2026 Graduate Student Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Day (GRSCAD), South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA.
Awards and Honors
Vice Chair, ASABE South Dakota Section, 2026.
Selected Student Liaison for IAFP Professional Development Groups, including Developing Food Safety Professionals, HACCP, and Seafood Safety and Quality, 2026.
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