Jennifer J. Perry
Associate Professor of Food Microbiology & Manager, Matthew Highlands Pilot Plant and Commercial Kitchen
Degree: Ph.D. 2010, The Ohio State University
Phone: 207.581.2940
Email: jennifer.perry@maine.edu
Location: 115 Hitchner Hall
Professional Interests: Food safety, fermentation, waste stream valorization, and food quality.
Teaching: FSN 330 Introduction to Food Science, FSN 340 Food Processing Laboratory, FSN 438/528 Food Microbiology, FSN 439/529 Food Microbiology Laboratory, FSN 511 Food Ingredient Technology, FSN 520 Food Product Development (capstone), FSN 538 Food Fermentation, FSN 539 Probiotics in Food, FSN 555 Organic and Natural Foods
Research: Advancing understanding of specific causes of microbial food spoilage, sources of contamination within the production chain, treatments and intervention strategies to mitigate product loss. Enhancing the safety of raw foods with minimal quality degradation through application of non-thermal technologies, biocontrol and biopreservation. Furthering delivery of effective probiotic doses in food products by exploration of economical strategies for incorporation of cultures at high counts and elucidating product design parameters with significant effect on survival during storage. Investigation of the effect of probiotic supplementation and dietary modulation on the composition of the bacterial and fungal communities in the GI tract, evaluation of differences in genomic and transcriptomic profiles.
Recent Publications:
1. Dankwa, AS, LB Perkins and JJ Perry. 2025. Repeated backslopped culture usage and prolonged beverage storage alter kombucha microbial composition and physico-chemical properties. Applied Food Research. 5(2):101058.
2. Arya, R., ME Camire, DI Skonberg and JJ Perry. 2024. Effect of dry salting and brining on the consumer acceptance of Saccharina latissima (sugar kelp). Phycology. 4(2):330-339.
3. Ishaq, SL, S Hosler, AS Dankwa, P Jekielek, DC Brady, E Grey, H Haskell, R Lasley-Rasher, K Pepperman, JJ Perry, B Beal and TH Bowden. 2023. Bacterial community trends associated with sea scallop, Placopecten magellanicus, larvae in a hatchery system. Aquaculture Reports. 32:101693.
4. 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.
5. Vorse, JG, Moody, C, Massoia, L, Olson, ZH, Perry, JJ, Burkholder, KM, Byron, CJ. 2023. Effect of post-harvest processing methods on the microbial safety of edible seaweed. Journal of Applied Phycology. 35:1331-1346.
6. Williamson, C, Kennedy, K, Bhattacharya, S, Patel, S, Perry, JJ, Bolton, J, Perkins, LB, Chan, LL-Y. 2023. A novel image-based method for simultaneous counting of Lactobacillus and Saccharomyces in mixed culture fermentation. Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology. 50:kuad007.
7. Perry, JJ, Fiore, MC. 2022. A comprehensive review of maple sap microbiota and its effect on maple syrup quality. Food Reviews International. 38(6):1266-1285.
8. Akomea-Frempong, S, Perry, JJ, Skonberg, DI. 2022. Effects of Pre-freezing Blanching Procedures on the Physicochemical Properties and Microbial Quality of Frozen Sugar Kelp. Journal of Applied Phycology. 34(1):609-624.
9. 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.
10. Akomea-Frempong, S, Skonberg, DI, Camire, ME, Perry, JJ. 2021. Impact of Blanching, Freezing, and Fermentation on Physicochemical, Microbial, and Sensory Quality of Sugar Kelp (Saccharina latissima). Foods. 10(10):2258.
11. Skonberg, DI, Fader, S, Perkins, LB, Perry, JJ. 2021. Lactic Acid Fermentation in the Development of a Seaweed Sauerkraut-style Product: Microbiological, Physicochemical, and Sensory Evaluation. Journal of Food Science. 86(2):334-42.
12. Dankwa, AS, RM Machado and JJ Perry. 2021. Sanitizer efficacy in reducing microbial load on commercially grown hydroponic lettuce. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 101(4):1403-1410.
