Evelyn Watts
Associate Professor Louisiana State University
Areas of Expertise
Biography
Dr. Watts assists the seafood industry with regulatory compliance and provides guidance on handling, processing, packaging, and storage technologies. She is an active member of several professional organizations, including IAFP, Phi Tau Sigma Honor Society, AFDOSS, Louisiana Marine Extension Project, Aquatic Foods Conference, and the Guatemalan Veterinary Medicine Professional Society.
With twenty years of experience in the food industry and academia, Dr. Watts has specialized in regulatory compliance and food safety. She has extensive experience teaching food safety across various industries and is a lead instructor for Sanitation Control Procedures of Fish and Fishery Products, Seafood HACCP, Meat and Poultry HACCP, Better Process Control School, and FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Foods. In addition to her experience, she holds thirteen food safety certifications.
Dr. Watts earned her doctorate in Veterinary Medicine and a master's degree in food safety from the University of San Carlos in Guatemala, and a Doctorate in Food Science from Louisiana State University. She received the LSU AgCenter’s Denver T. & Ferne Loupe Extension Team Award in 2017 and was recognized by the LSU Office of the President in 2018 for her efforts to improve and safeguard the wild-caught catfish industry in Louisiana.
Research Focus
Seafood Safety, Quality, and Processing
Dr. Watts’s work focuses on seafood safety, quality, and processing—hazard control, shelf-life extension, and value-added product development for Louisiana’s fisheries. As the LSU AgCenter seafood extension specialist, she pairs pilot-plant trials and microbiological testing with industry training to improve products, ensure regulatory compliance, and strengthen coastal seafood economies.
Education
Louisiana State University
Ph.D.
Food Science
2016
University of San Carlos in Guatemala
M.S.
Quality Assurance Systems, Specialized in Food Safety
2011
University of San Carlos in Guatemala,
D.V.M
Veterinary Medicine
2001
Accomplishments
Denver T & Ferne Loupe Extension Team Award
2017
Issued by Louisiana State University Agricultural Center
Media Appearances
Are raw oysters safe to eat? A seafood expert has answers
Magnolia Reporter online
2025-09-22
Evelyn Watts, a seafood extension specialist with the LSU AgCenter and Louisiana Sea Grant, has spent the better part of her adult life working with the seafood industry on the best ways to process and work through regulations about their catches. She wants to set the record straight about the safety of eating Gulf oysters throughout the year.
LSU Ag Center seafood specialist urges caution prior to consuming raw Louisiana oysters
louisianaradionetwork.com online
2025-09-12
After four people have died and several others became sick after eating raw Gulf oysters contaminated with the flesh-eating bacteria Vibrio vulnificus, the LSU Ag Center is urging you to use caution before eating raw oysters. Seafood extension specialist Evelyn Watts says the risk is especially high during the summer.
Articles
Effect of Enhanced Antimicrobial Fish Gelatin and Lactic Acid Coating on the Shelf Life of Fresh and Previously Frozen Shrimp
Fishes2024-12-24
Gelatin coatings have been shown to successfully slow the oxidation of fresh foods. Furthermore, organic acids have proven effective in the inhibition of bacteria and the extension of product shelf life. The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of gelatin and lactic acid treatment combinations on fresh and previously frozen (thawed) wild-caught shrimp.
Crossover Food Businesses in Louisiana, United States: A Descriptive Study of Their Characteristics and Food Safety Training Needs From Public Health Inspectors’ Perspective
Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health2022-05-20
Food safety is a global public health problem, and it has been a major concern in the United States for decades. The food industry is challenging to regulate because it is dynamic and flexible. A recent trend is for food businesses to cross over between retailing and manufacturing, blurring the lines between industries.
Effect of Federal Inspection on Louisiana Wild-Caught Catfish Industry, Prevalence of Salmonella, and Microbial Characteristics of Raw Wild-Caught Catfish Fillets
Journal of Food Protection2021-10-01
The United States is one of the largest catfish producers in the world. Louisiana is the leading producer of wild-caught catfish. Historically, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspected all seafood products; however, in 2008, Congress moved the inspection of fish in the order Siluriformes to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Evaluation of Post-Harvest Procedures for Quality Enhancement in the Louisiana Commercial Shrimp Industry
Journal of Aquatic Food Product Technology2021-12-14
The Louisiana commercial shrimp fishery has faced numerous challenges, and the number of fishermen is declining at an alarming rate. The opportunity may exist to add value to the industry by creating a superior product through optimal operating procedures.
Black Drum (Pogonias cromis) Shelf Life Comparing Three Packaging Technologies
Journal of Aquatic Food Product Technology2020-09-07
The shelf life of black drum was compared using three different packaging technologies: aerobic (AP), vacuum (VP), and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). Tests included total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), thiobarbituric-acid-reactive-substances (TBARS), pH, color, texture, aerobic plate count, Enterobacteriaceae, yeast, and mold over 20 days.
Media
