Valentina Trinetta
Associate Professor
Contact Information
116 Ice Hall
785-532-5528
vtrinetta@k-state.edu
Areas of Specialization
- Foodborne pathogens ecology
- Mechanisms of survival and transmission of pathogens in the food value chain
- International Food Safety
- Non-Thermal technologies for food safety
Education
- B.S. Food Biotechnology, University of Pisa, Italy, 2005
- M.S. Genetics Biotechnology for Food Safety, University of Naples, Italy, 2006
- Ph.D. Food Science and Technology, University of Milan, Italy, 2009
Short Biography
With an emphasis in Food Safety and Microbiology, Dr. Trinetta's research focuses on understanding foodborne pathogens ecology and identifying microbial entry routes into the food supply chain (from farm to fork). Dr. Trinetta also works on the development and implementation of antimicrobial intervention strategies to reduce and control foodborne pathogens on different commodities. Recently, Dr. Trinetta has expanded her research to the international scale with a project focused on evaluating microbial contamination in produce distribution centers for informal markets in Cambodia.
The main microorganisms studied in Dr. Trinetta's lab include Salmonella monovariant, Listeria and STEC E. coli.
Born and raised in Lake of Como area (Italy), Dr. Valentina Trinetta always enjoyed the idea to make an impact for the community, keeping food safe. She obtained her degrees in Food Science and Technology with an emphasis on active packaging and food safety. During her study, she moved to the USA as a visiting scholar (Penn State University). After her post-doctoral training (Purdue University), she worked 4 years at the Research and Development Center of ECOLAB. Dr. Trinetta started her position as an Assistant Professor at K-State in 2016 and she is enjoying Manhattan community with her husband, daughter Eleanor, and son Michael.