Renee Boyer

Renee Boyer is a Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Food Science & Technology at Virginia Tech, serving as Department Head since 2021. She holds a Ph.D. (2006), M.S. (2002) in Food Science from Virginia Tech, and a B.S. in Biology from Radford University (1999). Her research focuses on pre- and post-harvest interventions to enhance food safety, particularly for fresh produce and food handler education. She leads Virginia's Food Safety Team, developing programs like ServSafe and So Easy to Preserve.

Her work addresses pathogen control in produce (e.g., Salmonella, Listeria) and evaluates interventions such as antimicrobial plant extracts and bacteriophage applications. She has authored peer-reviewed studies on food safety practices in retail, deli environments, and agricultural settings. Awards include the 2009 Outstanding Team Award for her Food Safety Team. Extension efforts emphasize consumer education, food pantry safety, and mitigating risks in farmers' markets and food recovery organizations.

Key publications span 2002–2023, with recent work on microbial interactions in agricultural soils, phage-based pathogen control, and food handling during the pandemic. She collaborates on food safety education initiatives and compliance with federal regulations like the FSMA Produce Safety Rule.