Naim Montazeri, Ph.D.
Microbial Food Safety Scientist | Predictive Modeling | Risk Assessment
I am an Assistant Professor at the University of Florida with over 15 years of experience in microbial food safety (enteric bacteria and viruses), specializing in applied microbiology, sanitation validation, product and process development, and risk-based decision-making. My work focuses on evaluating pathogen persistence, transfer, and inactivation in foods, agricultural systems, and food-contact surfaces to support product safety, product quality, regulatory compliance, and operational food safety programs.
I integrate experimental microbiology with data analysis and predictive modeling in R to quantify microbial behavior under realistic conditions and translate findings into actionable process controls, sanitation strategies, validation frameworks, and product safety decisions. My experience includes EPA- and ASTM-aligned disinfection studies, environmental monitoring, agricultural water safety, thermal process validation, and pilot-scale product and process development in high-risk food systems.
My work is cross-functional and application-driven, bridging microbiology, product and process development, data analysis, and food safety systems to support industry, regulatory, and public health stakeholders.
Experience Snapshot
- Assistant Professor, University of Florida — Microbial Food Safety (2018–present)
- Postdoctoral Researcher, North Carolina State University — Food Virology (2015–2018)
- Research Assistant, Louisiana State University — Food and Environmental Microbiology (2012–2015)
- Research Assistant, University of Alaska Fairbanks — Seafood Safety and Quality (2009–2011)
- Food Quality Assurance Intern, Pasargad Laboratory (2008–2009)
Core Areas of Expertise
- Sanitation validation and disinfection systems (EPA- and ASTM-aligned)
- Applied microbiology and pathogen control (enteric bacteria and viruses)
- Environmental monitoring and contamination control programs
- Agricultural water safety and FSMA-aligned compliance strategies
- Predictive microbiology and quantitative modeling (R-based)
- Thermal processing and pathogen inactivation
Research and Technical Portfolio
My work spans sanitation, agricultural water safety, thermal processing, and microbial persistence, with an emphasis on translating microbiological data into operational food safety decisions.
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