Imca Sampers

Professor Imca Sampers is a distinguished faculty member at Ghent University's Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Food Safety and Food Quality. With over 15 years of active research and publication record, she has established herself as a leading expert in food safety, particularly in fresh produce microbiology and water disinfection technologies. Her work bridges academic research with practical applications in the food industry, focusing on pathogen control in processing environments.

Her research interests center on food safety challenges in fresh produce processing, with particular expertise in water disinfection techniques, pathogen control (especially Listeria monocytogenes and Campylobacter), cross-contamination prevention, and biofilm detection in food processing environments. Her work combines microbiological, chemical, and engineering approaches to develop practical solutions for the food industry. She has extensively studied chlorine-based disinfection, alternative sanitizers, and water management strategies to improve microbial safety while maintaining product quality.

Professor Sampers' publication record demonstrates consistent research productivity with a clear evolution from poultry safety (early career) to fresh produce safety (current focus). Her recent work (2024-2025) emphasizes advanced detection methods, biofilm management, and innovative disinfection technologies for vegetable processing. She frequently collaborates with industry partners to ensure practical applicability of research findings.

She has successfully supervised numerous PhD students including Tessa Tuytschaever, Pieter-Jan Loveniers, Akram Sayed, Caian He, Ali Sedaghat Doost, Sam Van Haute, and Kevin Holvoet. Her research has been supported by various national and international grants focused on food safety improvement in agricultural and processing environments.

Professor Sampers maintains an active research program with her team investigating water management, disinfection efficiency, pathogen persistence, and innovative food safety interventions in fresh produce processing. Her work continues to address emerging challenges in food safety while developing practical solutions for industry implementation.