Eva Almenar

Eva Almenar is a Professor at the School of Packaging at Michigan State University with extensive expertise in food packaging technologies. She leads research in developing sustainable packaging solutions to enhance food safety and quality while extending shelf life.

Dr. Almenar received her Ph.D. in 2005 from the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology-Spanish Council for Scientific Research (IATA-CSIC) with a focus on active packaging. Her research spans over 15 years of experience in fresh produce packaging, working with various packaging technologies including modified atmosphere packaging, controlled atmosphere packaging, active packaging, and coatings.

Her research interests focus on developing packaging materials made from renewable feedstock with emphasis on active packaging systems featuring antimicrobial properties, scavenging capabilities, and temperature-sensitivity. She conducts physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory studies to evaluate how these new materials affect food quality during storage. Her work involves close collaboration with researchers in packaging, microbiology, postharvest physiology, and sensory analysis, as well as industry partners including produce growers, commodity groups, plastic suppliers, and packaging equipment manufacturers worldwide.

Dr. Almenar has authored 39 peer-reviewed articles, 9 non-peer-reviewed articles, and 5 peer-reviewed book chapters, along with 7 invention disclosures. Her publication record demonstrates consistent contributions to packaging science with recent work focusing on e-commerce food packaging solutions and innovative materials development.

• Institute of Food Technologists Fellow (2025)

As an educator, Dr. Almenar teaches multiple undergraduate and graduate courses including PKG 455 Food Packaging, PKG 456 Packaging & Shelf Life of Perishables, and various research and directed study courses. She has developed teaching materials for both academic settings and industry training programs on packaging materials and technologies.

She leads the Almenar Research Group, which includes team members Hayden Hardwick, Dylan Spruit, Jack Fehlberg, Linh Dao, and Anna Riederer. Her research team focuses on creating packaging solutions based on fresh produce characteristics and supply chain requirements for successful commercial application.