Dr. Sanja Ilic
Dr. Sanja Ilic is an Associate Professor in Human Nutrition, Department of Human Sciences and a Food Safety State Specialist. The focus of her research interest is investigating and promoting food safety, reduction and prevention of food safety risks among food handlers and consumers. Of special interest is microbial safety of fresh fruits and vegetables including contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., STEC, etc. Dr. Ilic investigates transmission and dissemination routes, and interventions to prevent and reduce risks of contamination of fresh produce and other foods within the food systems approach in hydroponic fresh fruits and vegetables production. Dr. Ilic investigates food safety behaviors with the goal of determining the barriers to food safety interventions. Her research provides novel food safety interventions to control and eliminate foodborne pathogens and innovative approaches of knowledge transfer targeting specific populations with an overall goal of improving health and wellness. Dr. Ilic study food safety behaviors in produce production chain. She has multiple externally funded hydroponic food safety projects. The findings of her study are directly applicable to hydroponic production and she has developed Good Agricultural Guide for Hydroponic Producers where her study findings together with other research evidence is translated to best practices for growing safe crops. Dr. Ilic had delivered multiple food safety courses and lectures to hydroponic community.