Nicholas F. Reitz, PhD

I received my B.S. and M.S. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Food Science. During that time, I participated in research projects focusing on sugar and egg protein interactions, the use of bioenergy grass as a ruminant forage, and phenolics extraction from new corn varieties. I also helped design and build a tomato processing line for the University of Illinois pilot processing plant. As a Ph.D. student at the University of California, Davis, I studied the biological factors causing calcium deficiency symptoms in fruits pre- and post-harvest. I have also led extension projects collaborating with the Methodist University College, Ghana, focusing on improving mango harvest, handling, and processing. I am currently a postdoctoral fellow developing produce quality analysis technologies in Dr. Elizabeth Mitcham’s lab at UC Davis.