Meijun Zhu

Meijun Zhu is a Professor in the School of Food Science at Washington State University (WSU), affiliated with the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS). She leads the Food Microbiology and Nutrigenomics Laboratory, focusing on two primary research areas: microbiological food safety strategies against pathogens and the effects of dietary bioactive compounds on gut microbiota and metabolic diseases.

Research Interests

• Food safety interventions targeting Salmonella, Listeria, and other pathogens in low-moisture and fresh produce.
• Nutrigenomic studies on dietary impacts on gut health, including intestinal epithelial differentiation and metabolic disease prevention.
• Development of novel antimicrobial treatments and surrogates for food industry applications.

Articles Overview

Recent work spans thermal resistance of pathogens in spices, berry bioactives against metabolic syndrome, and mechanisms of fibrosis in maternal obesity models. Articles highlight innovations in steam-sanitizer strategies, single-cell transcriptomics, and metabolomic profiling of dietary interventions.

Advising & Grants

Currently accepting graduate students. Research is supported by grants focusing on food safety technologies and nutraceutical applications.

Labs & Teams

Directs the Food Microbiology and Nutrigenomics Lab, collaborating with food industry partners and academic networks to bridge basic and applied research.