Food Protection Trends - July/August 2023 - 344

BEYOND the BIO
Name: Robert B. Gravani
Employment: Professor emeritus of food science in the Department of
Food Science at the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Science
Location: Ithaca, New York
Teaching and Outreach Provide Fulfilling
Food Safety Career for Gravani
Bob Gravani has long been a food safety enthusiast.
Whether it's through teaching, outreach,
or research, he sees food safety knowledge as one
of the best things that can be spread throughout
our society.
As a professor emeritus of food science in
the Department of Food Science at the Cornell
University College of Agriculture and Life Science,
Gravani's life work has been focused on teaching
others how to practice food safety in their home,
workplace, and field to the best extent possible. He
sees it very much as the application of research but
also as an opportunity to teach those closest to food
more ways to keep themselves - and others - safe.
" Food safety professionals have a unique ability
and position to share knowledge, expertise and
skills with others - including food processors,
food retailers, food service personnel, government
agencies, consumers, students and other
food safety professionals " Gravani said. " An example
of this was when we collaborated with the
Food Marketing Institute, and the USDA Meat
and Poultry Hotline to create a brochure called
'The Food Keeper.' Today, that small brochure
is now a free mobile app that contains over 650
food items and has had over 300,000 downloads.
The choices and behaviors of consumers have
changed over the years, so our way of providing
information has to change, too. It's really important
to give people the tools to better understand
the principles of food safety and the information
they need to solve problems. "
Gravani's interest in science started at a young
age, when he received a microscope kit as a youth,
growing up in Union City, New Jersey. Childhood
days spent riding bikes, playing sports, and
exploring the outdoors gave him and his friends
the opportunity to pursue interests and hobbies
that would stay with them for a lifetime.
" My father was a welder, and my mother
was a homemaker, " Gravani said. " They were
first-generation Americans, as my grandparents
immigrated from Italy. Family was such a big part
of how I grew up, the memories that were created,
and the traditions I then built with my own
family. My parents encouraged my sister and I to
focus on education and pursue our dreams. We
were fortunate to have their support to explore
and try different things that might speak to us as
we thought about our futures. "
In high school, Gravani took a class with Mrs.
Caroline Casazza, a biology teacher. More than the
new experience of dissection or in-depth discussions
of cellular structures and microorganisms,
her enthusiasm for all things biology captivated
Gravani. Describing her enthusiasm as " contagious, "
Gravani was hooked.
Familiar with Rutgers University (New
Brunswick, New Jersey) after attending a program
there, Gravani enrolled in their College of
Agriculture and Environmental Sciences program
for his undergraduate education. At the end of
his first year, the school's dean encouraged him to
consider declaring a major in a relatively new area
of study: food science.
" I spoke with their director of undergraduate
studies, Dr. Elizabeth Stier, and with her
guidance, I signed on as a food science major,
which turned out to be one of the best decisions
of my life, " Gravani said. " She became my mentor
and advisor, truly someone who looked out for
her students and their best interests. It became a
foundational example for me to emulate when I
entered the workforce and later, academia. "
Gravani attended Cornell University (Ithaca,
New York) for his master's and doctoral degree,
where he studied with Dr. Robert C. Baker.
Gravani described Baker as an advisor, mentor,
colleague, and later family friend - sharing
experiences across the spectrum that forged a
lifelong relationship.
" At both Rutgers and Cornell, I thoroughly
enjoyed the courses focused on pathogenic organisms
and the prevention of foodborne illness
through food safety practices, " Gravani said.,
When the opportunity arose to join the faculty at
Cornell University in food safety outreach and extension,
Gravani was all in. " As I moved into my
academic career, I was in a position where I was
developing programs to teach those closest to the
food sources, employees in various sectors of the
food industry with the principles and practices
of food safety and explaining how they, through
their proactive actions, could prevent foodborne
illnesses and assure the safety of the foods that
they produce, process, prepare and distribute. "
" Extension and Outreach is an opportunity
to go out in the field and work with those in the
industry to share best practices, troubleshoot
problems, and identify issues, " Gravani said. " We
would literally make house calls to businesses and
organizations who needed this kind of advice. It
344 Food Protection Trends July/August
Food Protection Trends - July/August 2023

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