MSU research targets food safety and sustainability in the specialty ham industry
Story by: Meg Henderson
STARKVILLE, Miss.—A Mississippi State University-led research initiative is poised to strengthen food safety, protect heritage food producers, and support economic sustainability across the specialty ham industry in the U.S. South. With a $630,000 grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, MSU researchers are developing new strategies to control ham mite infestations—an issue that threatens both food quality and the viability of century-old family businesses.
The project, based in Mississippi State’s Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES), is led by Wes Schilling, W.L. Giles Distinguished Professor and 2025 SEC Faculty Achievement Award-winning food scientist in the Department of Biochemistry, Nutrition and Health Promotion. Schilling’s team is evaluating three novel treatments: a cellulose-based biodegradable film made from food-safe nanoparticles, several fumigants, and ultraviolet lights called UV-C to trap and control mites. A cost-benefit analysis will also help producers determine the most practical solutions.
“The greatest risk of mites is the producer’s bottom line because every mite-affected ham is a profit loss,” said Schilling, who also directs MSU’s Food Science Innovation Hub. “Many of these producers are small, family-owned businesses in operation for over a century. It is critical to give producers many viable tools to continue delivering high-quality food products to consumers.”
Collaborators on the three-year project include MSU Assistant Professor Xue Zhang, Research Associate Sawyer Wyatt Smith, and Kansas State University Entomology Professor Thomas Phillips. The team is partnering with multiple producers and members of the National Country Ham Association to test the protocols in real-world environments across Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Virginia.
“The National Country Ham Association and its members fully support the work this team is doing on behalf of the industry,” said Executive Director Candace Cansler. “Enhancing food quality and safety in specialty dry-cured ham is always a top priority, and the importance of the study for ham producers and the association is invaluable.”
