Van-Den Truong
USDA-ARS Research Leader & Professor of Food Science
Academic Background
B.S. (1973) Food Technology, National Institute of Agriculture, Saigon
M.S. (1976) Food Science, University of the Philippines at Los Banos
Ph.D. (1980) Food Science, University of the Philippines at Los Banos
Postdoc. (1993-97), North Carolina State University
Research Interests
My research program covers basic and applied studies on chemistry, processing, and functional properties of carbohydrate-based food materials. Special attention is focused on sweetpotatoes with an ultimate goal of increasing utilization of this highly-nutritious vegetable in processed food products. Current areas of research include: 1) new processing strategies to convert sweetpotatoes into functional ingredients that are readily available for the food processing industry; 2) functionality of these ingredients in various food systems; 3) nutrients and beneficial phytochemicals in sweetpotato products: selection of genotypes with increased concentrations of target components and optimization of processing conditions to minimize losses; 4) effects of processing and storage on chemical constituents related to textural properties, flavors and sensory characteristics of sweetpotato products. The program also aims to collaborate closely with the sweetpotato industry and food companies to identify relevant research areas and transfer the developed technologies from our program for pilot-testing and commercial development.
Achievements
Achievement Recognition on Significant Contribution to the Sweetpotato Industry, National Sweetpotato Collaborators Group, 2010.
USDA-ARS Technology Transfer Award, 2009: NCSU-USDA-ARS-IMS Team for transferring a novel microwave heating process to produce aseptic shelf-stable sweetpotato purees to a start-up company, Yamco LLC, North Carolina.
Food Technology Industrial Achievement Award, Institute of Food Technologists, 2009: NCSU-USDA-ARS-IMS team for development and commercialization of a process for continuous flow microwave sterilization and aseptic packaging of low-acid foods.
Best Paper Award for the paper on rheological and sensory properties of reduced-fat cheeses, American Oil Chemists’ Society, 91st Annual Meeting, San Diego, California, April 25-28, 2000.
Donald L. Plucknett Best Paper Award in Root Crop R&D, the Eighth Symposium of the International Society for Tropical Root Crops, Bangkok, Thailand, 1988.
Outstanding Research Award, National Technology Week Awards, the Philippines Department of Science and Technology, 1991.
Achievement Award for Research, Crop Science Society of the Philippines, 1989.
Research efforts have resulted in 97 publications, 2 US and 6 foreign patents, and 124 presentations at scientific and industrial meetings.
Recent Publications
Truong VD, Pascua YT, Reynolds R, Thompson RL, Palazoglu K, Mogol B, Gokmen V. 2014. Processing treatments for mitigating acrylamide formation in sweetpotato French fries. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 62:310-316.
Grace MH, Yousef GG, Gustafson SJ, Truong VD, Yencho GC, Lila MA. 2014. Phytochemical changes in phenolics, anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, and carotenoids associated with sweetpotato storage and impacts on bioactive properties. Food Chemistry 145:717-724.
Simunovic J, Swartzel KR, Truong VD, Cartwright G, Coronel P, Sandeep KP, Parrott D. 2014. Methods and apparatuses for thermal treatment of foods and other biomaterials, and products obtained thereby. US Patent No. 8,742,305 B2, 2014. (Australia Patent No. 2005304583, 2012; China Patent No.ZL200580038640, 2010; New Zealand Patent No. 553749, 2012. Canada Patent No. 2583856, 2013).
Diaz, J. T., Chinn, M. S., Truong, V. D. 2014. Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of industrial sweetpotatoes for ethanol production and anthocyanins extraction. Industrial Crops and Products, 62, 53-60.
Maloney KP, Truong VD, Allen JC. 2014. Susceptibility of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) peel proteins to digestive enzymes. Food Science & Nutrition. 1 April 2014, DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.110.
Adu-Kwarteng E, Ayernor G, Truong VD, Shih F, Daigle K. 2014. Variability of sugars in staple-type sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) cultivars: The effects of harvest time and storage. International Journal of Food Properties 17(2):410-420.
Koskiniemi CB, Truong VD, McFeeters RF, Simunovic J. 2013. Quality evaluation of packaged acidified vegetables subjected to continuous microwave pasteurization. LWT – Food Science and Technology 54:157-164.
Koskiniemi CB, Truong VD, McFeeters RF, Simunovic J. 2013. Effects of acid, salt and soaking time on the dielectric properties of acidified vegetables. International Journal of Food Properties 16:917-927.
Maloney KP, Truong VD, Allen JC. 2012. Chemical optimization of protein extraction from sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) peel. Journal of Food Science 77(11):E307-E312.
Truong VD, Hu Z, Thompson RL, Yencho G, Pecota KV. 2012. Pressurized liquid extraction and quantification of anthocyanins in purple-fleshed sweetpotato genotypes. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 26:96-103.
Leksrisompong PP, Whitson ME, Truong VD, Drake MA. 2012. Sensory attributes and consumer acceptance of sweetpotato cultivars with varying flesh colors. Journal of Sensory Studies 27:59-69.
Allen JC, Corbitt AD, Maloney KP, Butt MS, Truong VD. 2012. Glycemic index of sweetpotatoes as affected by cooking methods. The Open Nutrition Journal 6:1-11.
Koskiniemi CB, Truong VD, Simunovic J, McFeeters RF. 2011. Improvement of heating uniformity in packaged acidified vegetables pasteurized with a 915 MHz continuous microwave system. Journal of Food Engineering 105:149-160.
Cervantes-Flores JC, Sosinski B, Pecota K, Mwanga RM, Catignani GL, Truong VD, Watkins RH, Ulmer MR, Yencho G. 2011. Identification of quantitative trait Loci for dry-matter, starch, and ß-carotene content in Sweetpotato. Molecular Breeding 28(2):201-216.
Truong V.D., Avula R.Y., Pecota K., Yencho C.G. 2011. Sweetpotatoes. In: Sinha NK, editor. Handbook of vegetables & vegetable processing. New Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell. p 717-737.
Kumar P, Sandeep KP, Alawi S, Truong VD. 2011. A review of experimental and modeling techniques to determine properties of biopolymer-based nanocomposites. Journal of Food Science 76(1):E2-E14.
Bridgers E, Chinn MS, Truong VD. 2010. Extraction of anthocyanins from industrial purple-fleshed sweetpotatoes and enzymatic hydrolysis of residues for fermentable sugars. Industrial Crops and Products. 32(3):613-620.
Kumar P, Sandeep KP, Alawi S, Truong VD, Gorga RE. 2010. Preparation and characterization of bio-nanocomposite films based on soy protein isolate and montmorillonite using melt extrusion. Journal of Food Engineering 100(3):480-489.
Kumar P, Sandeep KP, Alawi S, Truong VD, Gorga RE. 2010. Effect of type and content of modified montmorillonite on the structure and properties of bio-nanocomposite films based on soy protein isolate and montmorillonite. Journal of Food Science 75(5):N46-N56.
Truong VD, Deighton N, Thompson RL, McFeeters RF, Dean LL, Pecota KV, Yencho G. 2010. Characterization of Anthocyanins and Anthocyanidins in Purple-Fleshed Sweetpotatoes by HPLC-DAD and LC-ESI/MS-MS. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 58:404-410.
Truong V.D., Avula R.Y. 2010. Sweet potato purees and powders for functional food ingredients. In: Ray RC, Tomlins KI, editors. Sweet potato: Post harvest aspects in food, feed and industry. New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc. p 117-161.