USDA scientist honored for foodborne pathogens research

A USDA scientist has been honored for research enhancing the ability of lab diagnostics to detect foodborne pathogens and streamline the processes that protect the safety of domestic, imported and exported foods.

Joseph Capobianco, a research engineer for the Agricultural Research Service, has received a 2022 Arthur S. Flemming Award. Established in 1948, the award is named after Arthur Sherwood Flemming, who served seven presidential administrations of both parties, most notably as Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare under President Dwight Eisenhower.

Award winners are recognized for outstanding service in the fields of applied science and engineering, basic science, leadership and management, legal achievement and social science.

Capobianco is one of the USDA’s lead researchers for the molecular characterization of foodborne pathogens at ARS’ Eastern Regional Research Center in Wyndmoor, Pa. He has devised techniques and methodologies that transfer to the fields of agriculture, medicine, pharmaceutics and energy storage, according to a news release.

“This groundbreaking research allows ARS to deliver science-based solutions to national and global agricultural challenges,” ARS Administrator Simon Liu said in the release. “Dr. Capobianco has demonstrated a commitment to cutting-edge research that safeguards the world’s food supply from pathogens. The agency is proud of his achievements and his revolutionary approach to identifying microbial contaminants in food.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 48 million people contract a foodborne illness in the United States every year, resulting in more than 128,000 hospitalizations, 3,000 deaths and $15.6 billion in economic losses.

Capobianco’s design and development of a biosensor that detects contaminants within complex mixtures helps public health agencies and USDA prevent foodborne illness from farm to table. This biosensor addresses the need for a rapid, sensitive and portable biosensor to detect virulent pathogens like Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Cryptosporidium in meat, poultry, and drinking water.

The applied technology from Capobianco’s biosensor can also be retooled and used for the detection of any toxin biomarker, according to the release.

Capobianco also engineered specialized antimicrobial coatings that prevent the adsorption of microorganisms on food contact surfaces. The coatings have the potential to reduce the quantity of antibiotics needed to weaken pathogens as well as minimize antimicrobial resistance and residual chemical levels in foods and the environment.