Overview
Joe M. Regenstein is a Professor in the Department of Food Science. He received a B.A. in chemistry from Cornell`s College of Arts and Sciences, an MS in dairy chemistry from CALS, and a PhD in biophysics from Brandeis University in Waltham, MA. He joined the faculty in 1974 and is a member of the Field of Food Science and the Field of International Development. He is an Adjunct Professor in Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences in the Vet School, a member of the Governing Board of the Science of Natural and Environmental Systems (SNES) program, and a member of the Program of Jewish Studies. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Food Industry Program at Kansas State University.
Research Focus
- Use of by-products, particularly from fish processing wastes. After many years of working with minced fish (fish hamburger), we have been studying the process of obtaining fish gelatin with the goal of increasing yield to fulfill market demand. Fish skins and scales are by-products of the fish-processing industry and can be successfully processed into gelatin. They offer a wider range of melting temperatures, which provides product development possibilities, and unique value-added marketing opportunities to the kosher and halal markets and to those who may want to avoid gelatins from warm blooded animals.
- Increase in small scale animal agriculture. Sheep and goats are becoming more important to the farm base. The major markets for sheep and goats are ethnic and religious markets, e.g., the kosher and halal markets. The issue of lung health constitutes a major obstacle to kosher market expansion in New York State, and must be resolved to open up new markets to benefit farmers, consumers, ethnic/religious minorities, and other consumer groups. We will use ultrasound on live animals to determine lung health followed by post-slaughter inspection of these lungs, seeking to improve animal lung health and, eventually, to be able to screen out animals that will not pass the kosher lung inspection.