Food safety at forefront for Clemson graduate

Growing up in India, Vishal Manjunatha developed a fascination with food at an early age. This curiosity eventually led him to Clemson University, where he earned a doctorate in food, nutrition and packaging sciences in August.

Manjunatha has been very involved with students, as well as his research. He plans to apply his expertise to a career in food safety.

“One of the reasons I chose Clemson was because of the research Dr. Xiuping Jiang was doing,” Manjunatha said. “She is renowned for her work in food safety, and I wanted to learn from her expertise.”

Jiang offered Manjunatha a graduate research assistantship in her laboratory in 2018. His research focuses on potential natural alternatives to antibiotics for the poultry industry. These alternatives include black cumin, kefir and bacteriophages.

His dissertation, titled Exploring natural products as alternatives to antibiotics in mitigating necrotic enteritis and evaluating their impact on the gut microbiota of broiler chickens, delves into this area.

“I have always been interested in how the bioactive compounds in natural products can fight diseases,” Manjunatha said. “Black cumin, which has been used for more than 2,000 years in the Middle East, contains antimicrobial compounds that have the potential to combat disease-causing pathogens.”

Outside of his research, Manjunatha has been heavily involved in campus activities. One of his proudest moments was leading Clemson’s College Bowl team to its first-ever national championship in the Institute of Food Technologists College Bowl Competition. Eight regional winning teams from across the United States competed in this double-elimination event.

He has also served on the Southeastern Institute of Food Technologists board as a director-at-large.

“The Institute of Food Technologists is a significant international association dedicated to advancing the science of food,” he said. “Leading the Clemson team was an incredible experience, and winning the national championship against the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the final round was a moment I’ll never forget.”

Other professional organizations he’s been involved with include the International Association for Food Protection, the American Society of Microbiology, the American Meat Science Association and others. He also helped reignite Clemson’s Chapter of Phi Tau Sigma Honor Society of Food Science and Technology, the Food Nutrition Packaging Sciences Graduate Student Association, and established the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences Graduate Student Association.

“Being involved in social or professional settings is central to leadership for me,” he said. “I always encourage people to be part of organizations, whether in a leadership role or as a volunteer. I advise them to seize every opportunity to learn and network – the connections and experiences gained are priceless.”

His passion for mentoring and teaching is evident in his work with students in the food and dairy microbiology labs, as well as his involvement with the Professional Manufacturing Confectioners’ Association and other professional organizations.

“Teaching is not just about imparting knowledge, it’s about inspiring students to apply what they’ve learned in the real world,” Manjunatha said. “I want to motivate my students to be curious and inquisitive. I want them to be inspired to use the concepts they’ve learned in their lives beyond the classroom.”

In addition to being on the winning College Bowl team, Manjunatha has received other awards including the Outstanding Graduate Student in Teaching award from the Clemson College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences and the Graduate Student Government, the Phil and Mary Bradley Graduate Student Award for Mentoring in Creative Inquiry from the Graduate School, the Student Achievement Scholarship from Phi Tau Sigma Honor Society of Food Science and Technology, and Excellence in Leadership awards from the Graduate Student Government  and the Southeastern Institute of Food Technologists, along with several other accolades

As he begins the next chapter in his life, Manjunatha looks back on his time at Clemson.

“My time here has been transformative, inspiring, challenging, rewarding and unforgettable,” he said.  “I am grateful for the opportunities I was given. To current and future students, I encourage you to get involved with campus organizations and fully embrace your time as a Tiger.”