Dr Gloria Essilfie is a food microbiologist who also specialises in postharvest technology. She leads programmes in postharvest food safety in the Crop Science Department of the University of Ghana. She has spent over 16 years in research for development activities as well as in academia and has experience working in African countries on multinational projects. Prior to joining the University of Ghana, Dr Essilfie worked with the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa where – specifically the sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Program, which was piloted in 8 countries and the results of which have been successfully scaled out across the continent. Her research interests are in the development of management and intervention strategies to eliminate or control pathogenic contamination of fruits and vegetables – more specifically related to the safety of waste-water-irrigated vegetables grown by urban and peri-urban farmers. She is also interested in the adaptation and assessment of low-cost preservative technologies to reduce postharvest loss in agricultural commodities. Dr Essilfie holds a PhD in Food Science from the University of Georgia, an M.Phil. in Food Science from University of Ghana, and a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Nutrition with Biochemistry from the University of Ghana. She is a member of the Institute of Food Technologists and the International Association of Food Protection.
