#199 - Dr. Siroj Pokharel: Bacteriophages: the invisible heroes of food safety

Have you ever heard about bacteriophages and how they can benefit the swine industry? To sum it up, bacteriophages are specialized viruses that possess the ability to infect and destroy bacteria, thus playing a crucial role in combating pathogens and promoting food safety. In this episode, I have a great conversation with Dr. Siroj Pokharel, who has built an outstanding career on researching them. He guides us through the world of bacteriophages and explores their applications, especially on pork products, sharing his findings on their nature and their impacts on pork processing and public health.

What you’ll learn:

1. What are bacteriophages? 

2. Targeted organisms in pork

3. The use of bacteriophages in the future

4. Exploring the safety and applications of bacteriophages

Meet the guest:

Dr. Siroj Pokharel

Experience

      ○ Current: Assistant Professor at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Background

      ○ Ph.D., Food Safety and Microbiology (Texas Tech University) 

      ○ M.Sc., Animal Science (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)

      ○ B.Sc., Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry (Agriculture and Forestry University)

Hobbies: traveling around the world

  Favorite quote: "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." - Benjamin Franklin

Tip for success: Don't give up easily.

Connect with our guest on Social Media: LinkedIn