Dennis D’Amico, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Animal Science Food Safety | University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT, UNITED STATES
Dennis D'Amico's research and outreach efforts focus on improving the safety and quality of milk and value-added dairy products.
Biography
Dennis D’Amico is an Associate Professor of Dairy Foods in the Department of Animal Science at the University of Connecticut where his research and outreach efforts focus on improving the safety and quality of milk and value-added dairy products. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Nutrition and Food Sciences and his Ph.D. in Food Microbiology from the University of Vermont. Prior to joining the faculty at UConn he was a founding member of the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese where he served as Senior Research Scientist and Lecturer working closely with the artisan cheese industry to develop risk reduction interventions and technical outreach programs. His research continues to examine the presence, ecology, and diversity of microbes in the cheesemaking continuum as well as the natural and novel means of controlling them with a focus on the development and use of natural interventions. Dennis has published more than 60 peer reviewed articles and abstracts on the topic of dairy food safety and quality. He also serves on the board of directors of the American Cheese Society and is an active member of several food safety organizations.
Areas of Expertise (5)
Dairy Science
Dairy Industry
Food Microbiology
Food Safety Standards
Food Science
Education (3)
University of Vermont: Ph.D., Food Microbiology
University of Vermont: M.S., Food Microbiology/Technology
University of Vermont: B.S., Nutrition and Food Sciences
Accomplishments (1)
University of Vermont College of Agriculture and Life Sciences New Achiever Alumni Award (professional)
The New Achiever Alumni Award recognizes and honors individuals who earned an undergraduate or graduate degree in the last 15 years (2003-2017) from a program currently or formerly affiliated with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Links (3)
Media
Publications:
Documents:
Videos:
Audio/Podcasts:
Media Appearances (9)
Inside Tampa Bay’s raw milk market as scientists fear bird flu in cows
Tampa Bay Times online
2024-07-23
Dennis D’Amico, a University of Connecticut associate professor who specializes in dairy product safety, said most claims from raw milk proponents have not been proven scientifically or are “not really true.” Pasteurization, he said, can decrease the amount of some vitamins in milk, especially Vitamin C. But there’s little Vitamin C in milk to begin with, so any reduction is insignificant to someone’s health, he said.
Raw milk is the latest health fad. Experts worry it may spread bird flu.
The Washington Post print
2024-05-24
Many states, such as California and Iowa, allow the sale of raw milk, although the federal government prohibits its sale across state lines. According to the CDC, greater access to unpasteurized milk has led to more associated outbreaks of food-borne illnesses, based on U.S. data from 2013 to 2018. Dennis D’Amico, an associate professor of animal science at the University of Connecticut who studies the safety of milk products, said it’s not that all raw milk has pathogens. But it’s difficult to eliminate the chance of contamination without pasteurizing the milk, which involves heating it to at least 162 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 seconds in most cases.
Raw milk is now legal in Georgia. Is it safe?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution online
2023-08-21
Over the past decade, a growing number of states have made raw milk more accessible, said Dennis D’Amico, an associate professor of animal science at the University of Connecticut. Some of those states, allow raw milk producers to sell their products directly to consumers; others allow grocery stores to sell such products, and some states allow raw milk to be sold only as pet food. But federal health experts have linked those new laws with increasing foodborne illness outbreaks associated with raw milk. Between 1998 and 2018, for instance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the average number of raw milk-associated outbreaks across the United States increased. Outbreaks during those years sickened 2,645 people and caused 228 hospitalizations and three deaths.
Raw Milk Is Being Legalized in More States. Is It Safe?
New York Times print
2023-07-11
Over the past decade, a growing number of states have made raw milk more accessible, said Dennis D’Amico, an associate professor of animal science at the University of Connecticut. Some of those states, including Iowa, allow raw milk producers to sell their products directly to consumers; others allow grocery stores to sell such products, and some states allow raw milk to be sold only as pet food.
Meet the cultured solution for food-borne superbugs
Cosmos Magazine online
2023-01-13
Researchers at the University of Connecticut (US) have found a potential candidate to combat food-borne illnesses: other bacteria. Dr. Dennis D’Amico and his team at UConn’s College of Agriculture have tested the ability of two Salmonella variations against a commensal bacteria called Hafnia alvei B16. Commensal bacterial cultures are found in the human microbiome and are considered ‘good’ bacteria which provide the body protection against bad pathogens.
Bacterial cultures combat antibiotic resistant Salmonella: ‘One of the biggest challenges in food safety is the emergence of superbugs’
Food Navigator online
2023-01-13
New research out of the US suggests protective bacterial cultures could be used to tackle food-borne pathogens that are resistant to antibiotics.
The Foods to Avoid When You’re Pregnant
New York Times - Parenting online
2020-04-17
As with refrigerated meat and unpasteurized dairy products, cheese can harbor listeria and other pathogens. But unlike the “cook it or skip it” recommendation for meat products, the advice on cheese isn’t always straightforward. In general, the softer — and wetter — a cheese gets, the more you have to worry about pathogens surviving and growing. Bacteria like moisture, said Dr. Dennis D’Amico, Ph.D., a professor of food microbiology at the University of Connecticut, so pathogens tend to grow on soft cheeses more quickly than they grow on harder ones.
The Quest for a Totally American Cheese
Smithsonian Magazine print
2019-01-16
Since October, Dennis D’Amico, an assistant professor in the department of animal science at the University of Connecticut, has been analyzing microbe samples from each Cornerstone producer. Soon, he will be comparing them with results from a professional tasting panel. The results should help set a microbiotic and flavor baseline for Cornerstone.
What’s True (and Totally Not True) About Cheese and Pregnancy
Kitchn online
2018-04-26
That being said, it’s not the only question to ask. “Pasteurization does not protect against post-pasteurization contamination of milk or cheese,” says Dr. Dennis D’Amico, a professor in the Department of Animal Science at University of Connecticut. While all cheeses, whether domestic or imported, sold in the United States must meet FDA safety standards, contamination can happen in the processing environment.
Articles (6)
Applications of Edible Coatings Formulated with Antimicrobials Inhibit Listeria monocytogenes Growth on Queso Fresco
Front. Sustain. Food Syst.Stephanie R. B. Brown, Sarah M. Kozak and Dennis J. D’Amico
2018 Despite efforts to control Listeria monocytogenes in dairy processing environments, contamination and subsequent outbreaks of listeriosis continue to occur. The ability of L. monocytogenes to grow during refrigerated storage necessitates strategies to prevent contamination, reduce pathogen numbers, and limit growth during storage.
Efficacy of Antimicrobials Applied Individually and in Combination for Controlling Listeria monocytogenes as Surface Contaminants on Queso Fresco
Journal of Food ProtectionSarah M. Kozak, Yustyna Bobak, and Dennis J. D'Amico
2018 The objectives of this study were to determine the efficacy of these antimicrobials used individually and in combination to control L. monocytogenes as surface contaminants on QF and to identify additive and synergistic interactions.
Acidification of Model Cheese Brines To Control Listeria monocytogenes
Journal of Food ProtectionStephanie R. B. Brown, Nathalia C. Millán-Borrero, Jeffrey C. Carbonella, Anthony J. P. Micheletti, and Dennis J. D'Amico
2018 Cheese brines are often used for prolonged periods, with adjustments made only to pH and salt content. Pathogens, including Salmonella enterica Typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes, have been shown to survive long periods in model and commercial brines under common brining conditions.
Effect of modified atmosphere packaging on the growth of spoilage microorganisms and Listeria monocytogenes on fresh cheese
Journal of Dairy ScienceStephanie R.B. Brown, Emily C. Forauer, Dennis J. D'Amico
2017 Queso Fresco has a limited shelf life and has been shown to support the rapid growth of Listeria monocytogenes during refrigerated storage. In addition to improving quality and extending shelf life, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) has been used to control the growth of pathogenic microorganisms in foods. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of MAP conditions on the survival and growth of spoilage microorganisms and L. monocytogenes during storage of Queso Fresco manufactured without starter cultures.
Control of Listeria monocytogenes in whole milk using antimicrobials applied individually and in combination
Journal of Dairy ScienceSarah M. Kozak, Stephanie R.B. Brown, Yustyna Bobak, Dennis J. D'Amico
2017 Dairy product recalls and dairy-related illnesses are often the result of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, which can occur throughout the dairy production and supply chains. The use of antimicrobial compounds is one practical approach for controlling pathogen survival and growth in foods.
Synergistic Antimicrobial Combinations Inhibit and Inactivate Listeria monocytogenes in Neutral and Acidic Broth Systems
Journal of Food ProtectionSarah M. Kozak, Kyle M. Margison, and Dennis J. D'amico
2017 The use of antimicrobial compounds can be an effective approach to control Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods, but it can also be limited by cost, restrictions on concentrations in foods, and potential changes to organoleptic properties. Combinatorial approaches that produce additive or synergistic effects allow for reductions in individual antimicrobial concentrations while achieving the same level of control.
Social