Dr. Peggy Hsieh's interest and effort in research have been directed to the development of rapid and reliable methods for ensuring food safety and quality.

Peggy Hsieh

Professor and Tyner Lecturer, College of Human Sciences

Dr. Peggy Hsieh's interest and effort in research have been directed to the development of rapid and reliable methods for ensuring food safety and quality.

In the past ten years, her laboratory has successfully characterized several heat-stable muscle proteins as the species marker antigens for development of monoclonal antibodies. These antibodies are used as a probe for the detection of meat origin in heat-processed products.

This research is important not only to discourage the illegal practices of meat adulteration on the retail market for consumer protection but also to prevent the spread of Mad Cow Disease. Two diagnostic companies have licensed her technology for commercializing test kits for detection of the banned animal tissue in animal feeds. To date, three immunoassay kits using antibodies developed in Dr. Hsieh's laboratory are available on the international markets.

Other rapid methods she has developed include a non-instrumental microrespirometer for real time detection of spoilage microorganisms, and immunoassays for pathogen detection in food.

Dr. Hsieh's research interests are also extended to functional food research. She has studied the utilization of jellyfish as a food source and investigation of the suppressing effect of jellyfish protein on arthritis in animal and human models. Another collaborative project Dr. Hsieh has worked on with Hangzhou University of Commerce in China studied the functional ingredients in Cornus offinialis, a fruit used in Chinese medicine for over two thousand years.