Mission:
The mission of the Food Quality Laboratory (FQL) is to conduct research on fruits, vegetables, and grains to develop technologies that reduce postharvest losses and improve sensory, nutritional, and functional quality. Specific goals are to 1) develop improved methods to control ripening, senescence, and physiological and pathological disorders, and reduce loss of constituents contributing to flavor, aroma, and nutrition; 2) determine the role of key genes that regulate produce quality changes, particularly as affected by environmental conditions, decay and fresh-cut processing; 3) develop analytical methods and instrumentation for objective measurement of quality-related properties of fruits, vegetables, and grain; and 4) transfer technology to the public, sister agencies, industry associations, and other stakeholders.