Dr Taghi Miri

Supervisor Details

Contact Details

Scientific Background

Research Interests

Dr Miri鈥檚 research interest spans several topics, interfacing engineering and food safety, as well as environmental engineering. 鈥庘€庘€嶩is current projects are:鈥�

Food waste valorisation by extracting bioactive and high-value components utilising the extraction 鈥庘€巑ethods including Co2 supercritical system (with )鈥�.
Application of Ohmic heating in the deactivation of Mould and Bacteria in food systems.
Investigating the safety of Ohmic baked Bread.
Investigating the shelf life of Ohmic baked Bread.
Safety and shelf-life of reduced-fat and low-fat food.
Safety and shelf-life of reduced salt food product.
Bioremediation of Heavy Metal from Drinking Water.

Supervision Style

In three words or phrases: I am a supportive and outcome-oriented supervisor. I will try my best to ensure a pleasant and fruitful PhD journey for my students.

Provision of Training

I prefer to take responsibility for your technical training at the start, leading to more independence later.

Progression Monitoring and Management

We will have a weekly group meeting as well as individual meetings. I like to be kept up to date and will expect to see evidence of method development/data generation and results on a weekly basis. If these progression criteria are not met, we will always discuss a plan of action together. Of course, I am here for advice and guidance to help you reach the goals we set together.

Communication

My team uses email/Zoom meeting/Microsoft Teams/WhatsApp with which we regularly communicate during the week and weekends. Whilst I expect you to keep up with my/ team communications, I will expect you to manage your work/life balance.

PhD Students can expect scheduled meetings with me:

In a group meeting

At least once per week

In year 1 of PhD study

At least once per week

In year 2 of PhD study

At least once per week

In year 3 of PhD study

At least once per week

The meetings will be face to face and I am usually contactable for an instant response (if required) on every working day.

Working Pattern

Certain tasks in my lab need to occur at set times, and students need to be able to commit to a rota/timetable shared with other members of the team.

Notice Period for Feedback

I need at least 1 week鈥檚 notice to provide feedback on written work of up to 5000 words.

MIBTP Project Details

Primary supervisor for:

Thermal or non-thermal? How ohmic heating inactivates foodborne pathogens and spores

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

Thermal or non-thermal? How ohmic heating inactivates foodborne pathogens and spores

Secondary Supervisor(s): Prof Helen Onyeaka

University of Registration: University of Birmingham

BBSRC Research Themes:

Sustainable Agriculture and Food (Microbial Food Safety)

Project Outline

Thermal processing keeps food safe, but it also damages nutrients, colour and texture. Ohmic heating passes an 鈥巈lectric current directly through the food. It heats fast and evenly, uses less energy, and protects quality. 鈥嶪ndustry is interested. But one basic biological question is still open.鈥�

Do electric fields kill microorganisms only by heating them, or does the field itself damage the cell?鈥�

Some studies report faster inactivation under ohmic heating than under conventional heating at the same 鈥巘emperature. If this is real, the likely causes are damage to the cell membrane, disrupted ion transport, or 鈥巜eakened spore structures. If it is not real, the difference is simply better heat transfer. The two answers lead 鈥巘o very different process designs. So far the two effects have not been properly separated.鈥�

This project will settle the question. The student will:鈥�

Compare inactivation of pathogens and bacterial spores under ohmic and conventional heating, using 鈥巑atched temperature histories.鈥�
鈥嶵est whether ohmic-treated cells show membrane damage, sublethal injury, stress responses and greater 鈥巗ensitivity to antimicrobials such as nisin, which conventional heating does not cause.鈥�
鈥嶮easure how field strength, frequency, pH and food matrix change the response.鈥�
鈥嶣uild a model that predicts inactivation and energy use together, so safety and sustainability can be 鈥巓ptimised at the same time.鈥�

The student will use a purpose-built ohmic heating rig and full microbiology facilities. Training covers 鈥巑icrobiology, molecular methods, food engineering, kinetic modelling and process validation.鈥�

The project suits candidates from biosciences, microbiology, food science or engineering. It is co-supervised by 鈥巆hemical engineering and microbiology, and prepares students for careers in academia, the food industry, or 鈥巉ood regulation.鈥�

Co-supervisor on a project with Prof Helen Onyeaka.

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Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership

Dr Taghi Miri

Supervisor Details

Contact Details

Research Interests

Provision of Training

Progression Monitoring and Management

Communication

Working Pattern

Notice Period for Feedback

MIBTP Project Details

Thermal or non-thermal? How ohmic heating inactivates foodborne pathogens and spores

Project Outline