
-
Alejandro (Alex) Castillo
- Associate Professor
- Office:
- Kleberg Center Room 110A
- Email:
- a-castillo@tamu.edu
- Phone:
- 979-845-3565
- Undergraduate Education
- B.Sc. Biology, Chemistry & Pharmacy, University of Guadalajara, 1977
- Graduate Education
- M.A. Sanitary Microbiology, University of Guadalajara, 1980
- M.Sc. Food Microbiology & Hygiene, University of Guadalajara (Mexico), 1985
- Ph.D. Food Science & Technology, Texas A&M University, 1998
- Awards
- State Award to the Professional Merit, National Federation of Professional Boards, Mexico, 1994.
- President of the Mexico Association for Food Protection, 2000-2002.
- 2017 Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Award, Outstanding Interdisciplinary Research, College of Agriculture and Life Science.
- 2018 Vice Chancellor’s Award in Excellence, International Involvement, Texas A&M AgriLife.
- 2019 Dean's Outstanding Achievement Award, International Impact, College of Agriculture and Life Science.
- Courses Taught
- Microbiology of Foods. Graduate level course (FSTC 606)
- Food Safety Principles and Preventive Controls for Human Food (FSTC 324)
- Graduate Seminar (FSTC 681)
- Undergraduate Seminar (481)
Research Focus
- Development and validation of control measures for reducing pathogens
- Microbial ecology in fresh produce
- Food safety of fresh and fresh-cut produce
- Pathogen reduction on beef and pork products and fresh produce
- Industry training and consulting in food safety programs
- Latin American food safety
Ongoing Research
- Agriculture Water Treatment. Southwest Region.
- Bacteria Super-Repellent and Water-efficient, Self-Cleaning. Coatings for Vegetable Washing, Grading, and Packing Lines.
- Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Food Safety in Spinach Production.
- Use of ozone gas for eliminating Listeria monocytogenes on surfaces in food storage containers.
- Strategies to Mitigate Salmonella Contamination In Bulb Onions
- Next-Generation Smart Surfaces and Coatings to Improve Food Safety and Water-Efficiency of U.S. Specialty Crops
Select Publications
- Mohammad, Z.*, S. Beck, M. King, D. Griffin and A. Castillo**. 2021. Comparison Between The Real-Time PCR and Crystal Diagnostic Xpress Immunoassay-Based Method for Detecting Salmonella and Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in the Air of Beef Slaughter Establishments. Journal of Food Protection. 84:31-38. https://doi.org/10.4315/JFP-19-616.
- Mohammad, Z.*, A. Kalbasi-Ashtari, G. Riskowski, V. Juneja and A. Castillo**. 2020. Inactivation of Salmonella and Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) From the Surface of Alfalfa Seeds and Sprouts by Combined Antimicrobial Treatments Using Ozone and Electrolyzed Water. Food Research International. 136:109488. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109488.
- Mohammad, Z. H.*, E. A. Murano, R. G. Moreira and Castillo**. 2020. Effect of Post Inoculation Drying Procedures on the Reduction of Salmonella on Almonds by Thermal Treatments. Food Research International. 130:108857. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2019.108857.
- Villarreal-Lara, R., D. G. Rodríguez-Sánchez, R. I. Díaz de la Garza, M. I. García-Cruz, Castillo, A. Pacheco and C. Hernández-Brenes. 2019. Purified Avocado Seed Acetogenins: Antimicrobial Spectrum and Complete Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes in a Refrigerated Food Matrix. CyTA. Journal of Food. 17:228-239. https://doi.org/10.1080/19476337.2019.1575908.
- Hudson, J. C.*, T. N. Tolen, K. R. Kirsch, G. Acuff, T. M. Taylor, L. M. Lucia and Castillo**. 2019. Comparison of Antimicrobial Treatments Applied Via Conventional Spray or Hand-Held Electrostatic Spray to Reduce Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) on Chilled Beef Outside Rounds. Journal of Food Protection. 82:862-868. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP- 18-399.
- Arias-Rios, E. V.*, G. R. Acuff, Castillo, L. M. Lucia, S. E. Niebuhr and J. S. Dickson. 2019. Identification of a Surrogate to Validate Irradiation Processing of Selected Spices. LWT – Food Science and Technology. 102:136-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2018.12.018.
- Mohammad, Z. H.*, Kalbasi-Ashtari, A., Riskowsky, G. and Castillo**. 2019. Reduction of Salmonella and Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli on Alfalfa Seeds and Sprouts Using an Ozone Generating System. International Journal of Food Microbiology. 289:57-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2018.08.023.
- Kakani, G.*, T. M. Taylor, N. E. Martinez-Gonzales, M. O. Rodriguez-Garcia, C. Martinez- Cardenas, H. B. Escalona-Buendia and Castillo**. 2018. Using Antimicrobials as a Food Safety Measure During Phytosanitary Treatments in Mangoes. Postharvest Biology and Technology. 138:114-124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2018.01.007.
- Villarreal-Silva, M.*, D. P. Genho, I. Ilhak, L. M. Lucia, J. S. Dickson, K. B. Gehring, W. Savell and A. Castillo**. 2016. Tracing Surrogates for Enteric Pathogens Inoculated on Hide Through the Beef Harvesting Process. Journal of Food Protection. 79:1860–1867. https://doi.org/10.4315/0362- 028X.JFP-15-481.
- Martínez-Gonzáles, N. E.*, L. Martínez-Chávez, E. Cabrera-Díaz, C. Martínez- Cárdenas, P. Gutiérrez-González and Castillo**. 2016. Use of a Novel Medium, the Polymyxin Ceftazidime Oxford Medium, for Isolation of Listeria monocytogenes from Raw or Non-Pasteurized Foods. Food Microbiology. 55:105-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2015.10.015.
- Palekar, M. P.*, T. M. Taylor, J. E. Maxim and Castillo**. 2015. Reduction of Salmonella enterica Serotype Poona and Background Microbiota on Fresh-Cut Cantaloupe by Electron Beam Irradiation. International Journal of Food Microbiology. 202:66-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2015.02.001.
- Maxim, J. E., J. A. Neal* and Castillo**. 2014. Development of a Novel Device for Applying Uniform Doses of Electron Beam Irradiation on Carcasses. Meat Science. 96:373-378. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2013.07.030.