Awarded USDA Grants for Pesticide Reduction and Plant-Based Fish Projects

In one project, Assistant Professor Jiakai Lu received a three-year grant of $630,000 to develop an eco-friendly drift reduction agent. This agent aims to reduce the use of conventional agricultural pesticides by utilizing essential oils derived from food waste, such as orange peel and culinary herbs. The project involves a multidisciplinary effort, with Lu collaborating with experts in emulsion formulations and pest control methods.

Additionally, Lu was awarded a two-year, $270,000 seed grant for another project. This initiative focuses on creating a scalable processing technology for plant-based seafood that closely mimics the texture of fish meat. By addressing the challenge of overfishing and related pollution, Lu’s work aims to provide a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution. The project involves exploring innovative structuring-layering technology for large-scale production of plant-based fish products. Lu collaborates with experts from UMass Amherst and Purdue University, with the goal of creating high-quality, affordable, safe, and nutritious fish analogs while stimulating the development of plant-based food companies.