Yiming Feng

Dr. Yiming Feng is an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist at the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center, affiliated with the Department of Biological Systems Engineering in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech. He leads the Sustainable & Intelligent Seafood Bioprocessing Lab, focusing on seafood safety and waste valorization.

• Ph.D. and B.S. in Food Science and Human Nutrition from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Feng’s research integrates hyperspectral imaging and machine learning for real-time seafood safety monitoring (e.g., microplastic detection) and transforms food processing waste into biochar, bio-fungicides, and biogases. His work aligns with circular economy principles and addresses industry challenges like thermal validation and traceability regulations.

Recent publications highlight advancements in non-destructive food sensing, plant-based seafood analogs, and agricultural waste conversion for energy and packaging. Grants include a USDA-SCBGP award for olive byproduct valorization and a 4-VA Collaborative Research Grant for microplastic detection.

• Food Processing Operation Award (Cal Poly, 2021–2023)
• Food Engineering Award (Cal Poly, 2021–2023)
• Food Quality Assurance Award (Cal Poly, 2021–2023)
• Advanced Food Processing Award (Cal Poly, 2021–2023)

Dr. Feng actively recruits graduate students and collaborates with industry partners to bridge academic research with practical seafood sector solutions. His lab specializes in thermal validation studies, machine vision, and sustainable bioprocessing.