Mission
The Food Security Research Center (FSRC) is dedicated to alleviating food insecurity by addressing key dimensions of food security such as Food Safety & Nutrition, Food Production – Plant Science, Food Production – Animal Science, Workforce Development, and Food Access Solutions through innovative, interdisciplinary research and collaborative partnerships.
Vision
Our vision is to be a leader in collaborative, interdisciplinary food security research, pioneering solutions that sustainably improve systemic food insecurity while developing the next generation of food and agriculture researchers, professionals, and innovators.
Team
Key Area Leaders
Research priorities include diet-microbiome-host interactions, microbial food safety and quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA). Additionally, health disparities around food and nutrition security and identifying and addressing unique challenges to access safe and high-quality foods for residents in rural Texas communities is a priority.
jabarouei@pvamu.edu
Research priorities include improving performance and productivity in poultry, performing cutting edge research on goat reproduction and providing real world experience to students through the meat processing. One of our primary research goals is to enhance animal productivity, health, and product quality through innovative nutritional strategies. We integrate our expertise in areas such as nutrigenomics, phytogenic additives, gut health, and the gut microbiome to improve growth, immunity, and overall sustainability in animal production.
Research focuses on identifying and addressing barriers to food access, including transportation, affordability, and infrastructure. Collaboration with communities and with researchers from multiple disciplines is emphasized to explore innovative and sustainable solutions to food and nutrition insecurity.
Plant science research explores sustainable agricultural practices and innovative crop production methods to enhance food security by improving crop yields and resilience, especially for small-scale farmers in rural areas. Additionally, research focuses on use of medicinal plants in food production.
The FSRC engages with students at all levels to educate them about, and prepare them for, careers in nutrition, agriculture, food safety and food systems. By fostering a well-trained workforce, we aim to prepare the next generation of professionals to solve the challenges of food and nutrition insecurity.
Students
Members
Grants and Publications
Title: Food Access, Food Safety, and Nutritional Quality: A Comparison of Food and Food Retailers in Rural and Urban Communities of Low Income/Low Food Access.
Investigators: Quinlan, J.J. (PI), Moussavi, M. (Co-PI)
Funding body: USDA-NIFA Grant
Award duration: 2024-2026
Amount: $490,783
Title: Immersive Education of Urban Educators in Food and Agricultural Sciences.
Investigators: Quinlan, J.J. (PI), Lee, V. 2023-2024, currently Lee, V. (PI), Quinlan J.J.
Funding body: USDA-NIFA Grant
Award duration: 2023-2026
Amount: $500,000
Title: NourishWell: Empowering Communities for Food Security and Health.
Investigators: Peterson, N., Austin, S., Michelin-Moore, P, Agboola, P., Barouei, J. (Co-PI)
Funding body: PVAMU CARC-CEP joint grant
Award duration: 2023-2025
Amount: $200,000
Title: The Impact of Proteins and Dietary Fibers on the Microbiome: Is Digestibility the Understudied Driver of Metabolic Dysregulation?
Investigators: Barouei J. (PI), Rabinowitz, J.D.
Funding body: Princeton Alliance for Collaborative Research and Innovation
Award duration: 2023-2025
Amount: $250,000
Title: Experiential Approach to Beef Cattle Production Feedlots for Undergraduate Students
Investigators: Tolen T. (PI), Daley M., Kinman L. A., Herring A.
Funding body: USDA NIFA
Award duration: 2023-2026
Amount: $300,000
Title: Abattoir Academy: Building Capacity for an Educational Workforce Development Program to Promote Experiential Learning Best-In-Class Practices
Investigators: Kinman L. A., Garcia, L., Daley, M., Tolen, T. (Co-PI)
Funding body: USDA NIFA
Award duration: 2023-2026
Amount: $300,000
Title: An Integrated Approach to Minimize Produce Food Safety Risks for Small-Scale Diversified Growers in Texas
Investigators: Barouei, J. (PI), Somenahally, A., Henry, K., Moussavi, M., Park, D., Kebrom, T., Harris, L., Jung, Y.
Funding body: USDA NIFA
Award duration: 2023-2026
Amount: $580,000
Title: A nature-based solution to reduce nitrogenous greenhouse gas emissions.
Investigators: Barouei, J. (PI), Kebrom, T., Moussavi, S. A.
Funding body: Shell International Exploration and Production
Award duration: 2023-2025
Amount: $810,964
Title: Enhancing soil carbon sequestration by implementing innovative tools and interventions under different ecosystems
Investigators: Ray, R., Griffin, R., Carson, L., Qian, L., Weerasooriya, A., Fares, A., Barouei, J. (Co-PI), Gao, Y.
Funding body: Shell International Exploration and Production
Award duration: 2023-2025
Amount: $2,576,237
Title: Southern Regional Center for Food Safety Training and Outreach, and Lead Regional Coordination Center
Investigators: Schneider et al., Tolen, T. (Co-PI)
Funding body: USDA NIFA
Award duration: 2021-2024
Amount: $12,000
**The authors in bold are FSRC members**
- Mcneely, A., Uribe, A.M., De Mello, G.T., Herrero-Loza, A., Ali, M., Nguyen, K., Olawuyi, Y., Rethorst, C., Seguin-Fowler, R. and Szeszulski, J., (2025). Educators’ Perceived Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing a School-Based Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Civic Engagement Intervention: A Qualitative Analysis. Frontiers in Public Health, 13, p.1616483.
- Antwi, J., Olawuyi, Y., Ifafore, M., & Opara, I. (2024). Nutrition Knowledge Among Students in an Historically Black College and University (HBCU) is Inadequate and Associated with Residence. Journal of nutrition education and behavior, S1499-4046(24)00504-9. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2024.10.013
- Antwi, J., Olawuyi, Y., Ifafore, M., & Opara, I. (2024). Mixed-methods to explore barriers to the use of food security initiatives in a historically black college and university (HBCU). BMC Public Health, 24(1), 3105.
- Antwi, J., Olawuyi, Y., Opara, I., & Ifafore, M. (2024). Hindrances and Enablers of Healthy Eating Behavior Among College Students in an HBCU: A Qualitative Study. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 1-9.
- Olawuyi, Y., Antwi, J., Adepoju, O. (2024). Dietary Diversity Linked to Anthropometric Measurements of Women of Reproductive Age in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Nutrition & Food Science, 54(3), 663-674.
- Antwi J., Olawuyi Y., Bain S., Samuel K. (2023). Changes in Food Purchase, Consumption and Handling during COVID-19 Pandemic among Single Person Households PLoS ONE 18(11): e0294361.
- Adeniji A O., Ogunleye E.A. and Olawuyi Y.O. (2023). Nutritional Status and Menopausal Complications among Adult Women in Ogbomoso, Southwest, Nigeria. African Journal of Biomedical Research 26(1):53-58
- Olawuyi, Y. O., and Sadiq, I. O. (2022). Knowledge, attitude and practice towards risks of overweight and obesity among adolescents in private secondary schools in Ibadan, Nigeria. Advance Journal of Current Research, 7(11), 12–28.
- Ihejieto B.O. and Olawuyi Y.O. (2021). Assessing selected local Nigerian foods for inclusion into the developed food exchange list. Nigerian Journal of Nutritional Sciences 42 (1): 141-146
- Olawuyi Y.O and Oyetola F. (2020). Flour functionality, chemical and sensory properties of cookies from trifoliate yam flour-soybean blends. Agrosearch, 20 (1): 106-117
- Oroniran O.O., Olawuyi Y.O., Fadupin G.T. and Takpatore P. (2020). Snack and beverage consumption patterns among undergraduates at a private Nigerian University. World Nutrition 11 (1):42-57
- Olawuyi Y.O and Sogunro D. (2017). Nutritional and sensory properties of Sorghum-Maize ‘ogi’ fortified with moringa seeds and leaves. Elixir Agriculture 113: 49151-49155
- Olawuyi Y.O. and Ketiku A.O. (2015). Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in a Rural and a Semi-Urban Area of Southwest Nigeria. American Journal of Food Science and Nutrition 2(6):101- 107