Denise I. Skonberg

Professor of Food Science

Degree: Ph. D. 1997, University of Washington
Phone: 207.581.1639
Email: denise.skonberg@maine.edu
Location: 104 Hitchner Hall

Lab Website: https://umaine.edu/seafoodlab/

Professional Interests: By-product utilization; processing effects on seafood quality; value added product development; aquaculture products.

Teaching: FSN 396 Field Experience, FSN 425 Contemporary Issues in the Food Industry, FSN 440 Utilization of Aquatic Food Resources, FSN 450 Food Biotechnology, FSN 482/483 Food Chemistry/Laboratory, FSN 520 Food Product Development

Research:

The overall goal of my research program is to apply food science principles to improve the economic and environmental sustainability of the food industry, with an emphasis on the seafood sector. Fundamentally, it is about reducing waste, optimizing the use of valuable food resources, and developing high quality & healthful seafood products. Research projects include: 1) developing value-added products from farm raised seaweed, the invasive green crab, and crustacean processing waste. 2) assessing the potential for minimal processing methods (sous vide & high pressure processing) to produce refrigeration-stable, safe, high quality seafood, and 3) upcycling squid wings into innovative and convenient frozen food products.

Recent Publications:

Akomea-Frempong S, Skonberg DI, Arya R, Perry JJ, 2023. Survival of inoculated Vibrio spp., Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. on seaweed (sugar kelp) during storage. Journal of Food Protection, 86, 100096.

LakshmiBalasubramaniam SP, Patel AS, Tajvidi M, Skonberg D. 2023. Biodegradable cellulose nanofibril films with active functionality for food packaging applications. ACS Food Science and Technology, 3, 1323-1333.

Humaid S, Nayyar D, Bolton J, Bayer RC, Skonberg DI. 2022. Physicochemical properties and consumer acceptance of sous vide cooked lobster tails. Journal of Culinary Science and Technology, https://doi.org/10.1080/15428052.2021.2024474.

LakshmiBalasubramaniam SP, Howell C, Tajvidi M, Skonberg D. 2022. Characterization of novel cellulose nanofibril and phenolic acid-based active and hydrophobic packaging films. Food Chemistry, 374, 131773.

Akomea-Frempong S, Perry JJ, Skonberg DI. 2021. Effects of pre-freezing blanching procedures on the physicochemical properties and microbial quality of frozen sugar kelp. Journal of Applied Phycology, 60, doi:10.1007/s10811-021-02610-0.

LakshmiBalasubramaniam SP, Patel AS, Nayak B, Howell C, Skonberg DI. 2021. Antioxidant and antimicrobial modified cellulose nanofibers for food applications. Food Bioscience, 44 (Part A), 101421.

Greiner DM, Skonberg DI, Perkins LB, Perry JJ. 2021. Use of invasive green crab Carcinus maenas for production of a fermented condiment. Foods, 10(4): 659.

Akomea-Frempong S, Skonberg DI, Camire ME, Perry J. 2021. Impact of blanching, freezing, and fermentation on physicochemical, microbial, and sensory quality of sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima). Foods, 10, 2258, https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10102258.

Skonberg D, Fader S, Perkins LB, Perry J. 2021. Lactic acid fermentation in the development of a seaweed sauerkraut-style product: microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory evaluation. Journal of Food Science, 86(2): 334-342. doi: 10.1111/1750-3841.15602

Humaid S, Nayyar D, Bolton J, Perkins LB, Skonberg DI. 2020. Refrigerated shelf-life evaluation of high pressure processed, sous vide cooked lobster. High Pressure Research, doi:10.1080/08957959.2020.1774753

Kang B, Skonberg DI, Myracle AD. 2020. Anti-hyperglycemic effects of green crab hydrolysates derived by commercially available enzymes. Foods, 9, 258; doi:10.3390/foods9030258

Bolton J, Skonberg DI, Humaid S, Nayyar D. 2020. High-pressure processing of vacuum-packaged scallops and lobster tails for sous-vide cooking. University of Maine Cooperative Extension Bulletin #4297. https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/4297e/

Perry J, Brodt A, Skonberg DI. 2019. Influence of dry salting on quality attributes of farmed kelp (Alaria esculenta) during long-term refrigerated storage. LWT – Food Science and Technology, 114, 108362.

Humaid S, Bolton J, Nayyar D, Skonberg DI. 2019. Physicochemical properties and consumer acceptance of high pressure processed, sous-vide cooked lobster tails. Journal of Food Science, 84(12): 3454-3462.

Kang B, Myracle A, Skonberg DI. 2019. Potential of recovered proteins from invasive green crabs (Carcinus maenas) as a functional food ingredient. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 99, 1748-1754.

Nayyar D, Skonberg DI. 2019. Contrasting effects of two storage temperatures on the microbial, physicochemical, and sensory properties of two fresh red seaweeds, Palmaria palmata and Gracilaria tikvahiae. Journal of Applied Phycology, 31(1), 731-739.