Elena Castell-Perez

Elena Castell-Perez is a Professor at Texas A&M University's College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering. She holds a B.S. in Food Engineering from Campinas State University (1980), followed by an M.S. (1984) and Ph.D. (1990) in Agricultural Engineering from Michigan State University. Her research focuses on food safety technologies, including antimicrobial packaging systems, biomass pretreatment for bioenergy, and food irradiation applications. She is affiliated with Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Service.

Her work integrates nanotechnology (e.g., ZIF-8 nanoparticles) with food engineering to enhance packaging safety and develop sustainable materials. Key contributions include optimizing electron beam irradiation for pathogen decontamination and advancing predictive modeling for microbial contamination risks in fresh produce. She also explores CO₂ capture innovations for agricultural sustainability.

Recent articles highlight advancements in antimicrobial delivery systems, 3D-printed biomass composites, and machine learning for food safety prediction. Her research spans food rheology, smart packaging, and waste reduction within the water-energy-food nexus.

Dr. Castell-Perez collaborates on multidisciplinary projects involving food phantoms, Monte Carlo simulations for irradiation dosimetry, and agent-based modeling of microbial cross-contamination. Her labs focus on translating engineering principles into practical solutions for the food industry.