Research Interests: 
value-added dairy products; technologies to improve nutritional quality and safety of dairy products

Teaching Interests:  
Enhancing value of dairy and dairy-based products: 1) Alternate uses for milk components, with an emphasis on utilization of milk proteins (whey proteins and caseins) and a focus on their potential use in production of biopolymers 2) Enhancing nutritional quality of existing dairy foods, with an emphasis on probiotics, fermented dairy foods and prebiotics. 

Teaching Interests:  
Dairy processing, advanced food chemistry, research in processing techniques. 

Courses:
FSC 432: Food Processing: Dairy Foods
FSC 860: Research in Food Processing Technology

Undergraduate Advising:  

Graduate Advising:  Food Science 

Recent Publications:

Vega-Warner, H. Gandhi, D.M. Smith and Z. Ustunol. 2000. Polyclonal-antibody based
ELISA to detect bovine milk alkaline phosphatase. J. Agr. Food Chem. 48:2087-2091.
Shin, H.S., J.H. Lee, J.J. Pestka and Z. Ustunol. 2000. Viability of bifidobacteria in commercial dairy products during refrigerated storage. J. Food Prot. 63:327-331.
Shin, H.S., J.H. Lee, J.J. Pestka and Z. Ustunol. 2000. Growth, activity and viability of commercial Bifidobacterium spp in skim milk containing oligosaccharides and inulin. J. Food Sci. 65:884-887.
Pestka, J.J., C.L. Ha, R.W. Warner, J.H. Lee and Z. Ustunol. 2001. Effects of ingestion of yogurts containing Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus acidophilus on spleen and peyer’s patch lymphocyte populations in the mouse. J. Food Prot. 64:392-395.
Chick, H., H.S. Shin and Z. Ustunol. 2001. Growth and acid production by lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria grown in skim milk containing honey. J. Food Sci. 66:478-481.
Kim, S-J. and Z. Ustunol. 2001. Thermal properties, heat sealability and seal attributes of whey protein isolate/lipid emulsion edible films. J. Food Sci. 66:985-990.
Kim, S-J. and Z. Ustunol. 2001. Sensory attributes of whey protein isolate and candelilla wax edible films. J Food Sci. 66:909-911.
Cagri, A., Z. Ustunol and E. Ryser. 2001. Antimicrobial, mechanical and moisture barrier properties of low pH whey protein-based edible films containing p-aminobenzoic or sorbic acids. J. Food Sci. 66: 865-871.
Ustunol, Z. and H. Gandhi. 2001. Growth and viability of commercial Bifidobacterium spp in honey sweetened skim milk. J. Food Prot. 64:1775-1779.
Kim, S-J. and Z. Ustunol. 2001. Solubility and moisture sorption isotherms of whey protein based edible films as influenced by lipid and plasticizer type. J. Agr. Food Chem. 49:4388-4391.
Amin, S., B.J. Knutson,Z. Ustunol and W. Allen. 2001. Acceptability of whey protein based edible packaging to culinary arts students. J. Natl. Assoc. of College & Univ. Food Serv. 23(1):18 - 27.
Kajiwara, S., G. Hasand and Z. Ustunol. 2002. Effect of honey on growth and acid production by intestinal Bifidobacterium spp: An in vitro comparison to commercial oligosaccharides and inulin. J. Food Prot. 65:214 - 218.
Cagri, A., Z. Ustunol and E. Ryser.2002. Inhibition of three pathogens on bologna and summer sausage slices using antimicrobial edible films. J. Food Sci. 67:2317 - 2324.

Cagri, A., Z. Ustunol, W.N. Osburn and E. Ryser. 2003. Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes on hot dogs using antimicrobial whey protein based edible casings. J. Food Sci. 68:291-299.
Shin, H.S., G. Strasburg and Z. Ustunol. 2003. Influence of different unifloral honeys on heterocyclic aromatic amine formation and overall mutagenicity in fried ground beef patties.   J. Food Sci. 68:810-815.  
Cagri, A., Z. Ustunol and E. Ryser. 2004. Antimicrobial edible films and coatings: A review. J. Food Prot. 67(4):833-848.
Mert, B. and Z. Ustunol. 2004. Water solubility, mechanical,  barrier and thermal properties of cross-linked whey protein isolate based films. J. Food Sci. 69(3):129-133.

Shin, H.S., G. Strasburg and Z. Ustunol. 2004. Influence of honey containing marinades on heterocyclic aromatic amine formation and overall mutagenicity in fried beefsteaks and chicken breasts. J. Food Sci. 69(3):147-153.
Shin, H.S. and Z. Ustunol. 2005. Carbohydrate composition and content of honey from different floral sources and their influence on growth of intestinal bacteria: An in vitro comparison. J. Food Res. Intern. 38:721-728.
Simelane, S. and Z. Ustunol. 2005. Effect of meat processing conditions on mechanical
properties of heat cured whey protein-based edible films: A comparison to collagen casings. J. Food Sci. 70(2):E131-134.