Dr. Jeffrey K. Brecht

Office:	1217 Fifield Hall
Phone:	352-273-4778
Fax:	352-392-5653
E-mail:	jkbrecht@ufl.edu
For more information, visit Dr. Brecht's website.

University of Florida Research Foundation Professor

Areas of Research:

• Postharvest Physiology
• UF/IFAS Center for Food Distribution and Retailing

Educational Background

• Ph.D., University of California, Davis, CA (1984)
• B.S., Whittier College, Whittier, CA (1979)

Teaching Responsibilities

• HOS 5085 (Principles of Postharvest Horticulture)

Extension Program

• Demonstrating the effects of postharvest procedures on maintenance of product quality
• Extension of postharvest information through presentations at extension and industry meetings

Experience

• Director, UF/IFAS Research Center for Food Distribution & Retailing, University of Florida, (2004 to present)
• University of Florida Research Foundation Professor, Postharvest Physiology and Horticulture, Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida (2002-05 and 2008-11)
• Professor, Postharvest Physiology and Horticulture, Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida (1995 to present)
• Associate Professor, Postharvest Physiology and Horticulture, Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida (1989 to 1995)
• Assistant Professor, Postharvest Physiology and Horticulture, Vegetable Crops Department, University of Florida (1984 to 1989)

International Experience

• National Mango Board Outreach Programs in Ecuador and Guatemala, 2011; Haiti, India and Peru, 2012.
• National Mango Board – October 2007-April 2009. Managed a multi-institution, multi-country project to evaluate the mango distribution system from the producing countries (Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico and Peru) to the U.S. retail level, in collaboration with colleagues from University of California, Brazil, Guatemala and Mexico.
• Instructor in International Workshops and Short Courses: Spain, Italy and Greece, 2005; Italy, 2007; Spain, 2008; Spain, 2009; Columbia, 2010; Spain, 2011; Spain and Germany, 2012
• USAID IDEA – October 2005. Evaluating production, harvesting, handling and processing of loroco in El Salvador. 
• USDA-FAS Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellows Program  - hosted and subsequently mentored over the next 2 years a young scientist from Ghana, 2004-2006
• USAID AERI Institutional Capacity Building activities – Jan. and Sept.-Oct. 2004; Sept. 2005. Working with Faculties of Agriculture at six universities in Upper Egypt to reform and strengthen their curricula and teaching methods to better prepare graduates for careers; reviewing and overseeing horticulture grant projects.

Recent Honors and Awards

• University of Florida Research Foundation Professor, 2008 (previously named in 2002)
• Fellow of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 2006.
• Outstanding Extension Materials Award, Video Category, ASHS, 2006, for "Worker Health and Hygiene Training Manual for Florida Produce Industry."
• Outstanding Extension Materials Award, Fact Sheet Category, ASHS, 2003, for the series, “Good Agricultural Practices for the Production and Handling of – Selected Fruits and Vegetables.”
• Extension Publication Award, So. Region, ASHS 2003, for the series, Good Agricultural Practices for the Production and Handling of – Selected Fruits and Vegetables.
• Jim App Award for Outstanding Extension Design Team. FL107 Vegetable Production, Harvesting, Handling Efficiencies and IPM in Florida, 2002.
• Educational Materials Award, Commercial Fruit, Vegetable and Herb Production category. Extension Division, ASHS, 2000, for, “D.N. Maynard and G.J. Hochmuth (eds.). 2000. Vegetable Production Guide for Florida (SP 170, revised).” (Chap. 18 author).

Program Personnel

• Kim Cordasco, Senior Biologist
• Dr. Eleni Pliakoni, Postdoctoral Associate
• Angelos Deltsidis, Graduate Student
• Francisco Loayza, Graduate Student
• Poliana Spircigo, Visiting Graduate Student

Selected Publications

• Yahia, E.M. and J.K. Brecht. 2012. Tomatoes, p. 18-51. In: D. Rees, J.E. Orchard and G. Farrell (eds.). Crop post-harvest: Science and technology Volume 3: Perishables. Blackwell, Oxford, UK.
• Biswas, P., A.R. East, J.K. Brecht, E.W. Hewett, and J.A. Heyes. 2012. Intermittent warming during low temperature storage reduces tomato chilling injury. Postharvest Biol. Technol. 74:71-78.
• Kao, M.W.S., J.K. Brecht, J.G. Williamson, and D.J. Huber. 2012. Ripening development and quality of melting and non-melting flesh peach cultivars. HortScience 47:879-885.
• Macnish, A.J., M.S. Padda, F. Pupin, P.I. Tsouvaltzis, A.I. Deltsidis, C.A. Sims, J.K. Brecht, and E.J. Mitcham. 2012. Comparison of pallet cover systems to maintain strawberry fruit quality during transport. HortTechnology 22:493-501.
• Yahia, E.M. and J.K. Brecht. 2012. Tomatoes, p. 18-51. In: D. Rees, J.E. Orchard and G. Farrell (eds.). Crop post-harvest: Science and technology Volume 3: Perishables. Blackwell, Oxford, UK.
• Aguilar, G. A., A. A. Kader, J. K. Brecht, and P. M. A. Toivonen. 2011. Fresh-cut tropical and sub-tropical fruit products, p. 381-418. In: E. M. Yahia (ed.). Postharvest biology & technology of tropical and sub-tropical fruits. Woodhead Publ., Ltd., Cambridge, UK
• Bai, J., E.A. Baldwin, Y. Imahori, I. Kostenyuk, J. Burns, and J. K. Brecht. 2011. Chilling and heating may regulate C6 volatile aroma production by different mechanisms in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit. Postharvest Biol. Technol. 60:111-120.
• Pelletier, W., J.K. Brecht, M.C.N. Nunes, and J.-P. Émond. 2011. Quality of strawberries shipped by truck from California to Florida as influenced by postharvest temperature management practices. HortTechnology 21:482-493.
• Simonne, A.H., C.N. Nunes and J.K. Brecht. 2011. Tomato and other Solanaceous fruits, p. 321-351. In: L. Terry (ed.). Health-promoting properties of fruits and vegetables. CABI, Wallingford, U.K.
• Tsouvaltzis, P., A.I. Deltsidis, and J.K. Brecht. 2011. Hot water treatment and pre-processing storage reduce browning development in fresh-cut potato slices. HortScience 46:1282-1286.
• Dea, S., J.K. Brecht, M.C.N. Nunes, and E.A. Baldwin. 2010. Occurrence of chilling injury in fresh-cut ‘Kent’ mangoes. Postharvest Biol. Technol. 57:61-71.
• Dea, S., J.K. Brecht, M.C.N. Nunes, and E.A. Baldwin. 2010. Quality of fresh-cut ‘Kent’ mango slices prepared from hot water or non hot water treated fruit. Postharvest Biol. Technol. 56:171-180.
• Yahia, E.M., G. Soto-Zamora, J.K. Brecht, and A. Gardea. 2010. The effects of postharvest hot air treatments in low O₂ atmosphere on the quality and antioxidant levels in tomato fruit. Acta Hort. 857:425-432.