Tejaswi’s doctoral research investigated the inactivation of Salmonella in water using Bubble-Spark Discharge (BSD) cold plasma as an emerging non-thermal treatment technology. Her work examined microbial inactivation alongside changes in physicochemical properties and used a modified Chick–Watson kinetic model to characterize treatment effectiveness. This research helps establish the relationship between plasma treatment conditions, reactive species generation, and microbial reduction, supporting the development of scalable cold-plasma technologies for food safety applications. 

Tejaswi contributed to research investigating bacterial thermal resistance during drying and roasting processes using a novel low-humidity control method. The work focused on creating controlled processing conditions to better quantify microbial survival and thermal inactivation under low-humidity environments. This research provides important data for understanding bacterial resistance during food processing and supports the development and validation of safer drying and roasting processes. 

Tejaswi’s research also explored plasma-activated water and the reactive chemical species responsible for its antimicrobial effects. Her work involved characterizing and quantifying reactive species, including H₂O₂, NO₂⁻, NO₃⁻, and O₃, using analytical techniques such as HPLC. This work contributes to a better understanding of cold-plasma inactivation mechanisms and the development of plasma-based technologies for food safety and preservation.

Tejaswi investigated edible coatings and plasma-activated water as approaches for improving the safety and extending the shelf life of fresh produce. Her research examined how these treatments can be incorporated into food preservation strategies while maintaining product quality. This work contributes to Dr. Yang’s lab’s broader efforts to develop sustainable and non-thermal technologies for improving food safety and reducing postharvest losses.