Food Science & Technology: Personnel

Casimir C. Akoh

Description of Research Interests

Food Chemistry: Lipid biotechnology/chemistry/biochemistry. Chemical and enzymatic modification of lipids.  Production of structured lipids and fat analogs. Properties and food applications of modified lipids.  Use in infant formula, trans-free margarines, spreads, shortenings, nutraceuticals, and as food ingredients.  Isolation, characterization, and assessment of antioxidant capacities of phytochemicals.

Courses Taught

FDST 6500/8500: Graduate Seminars
FDST 8010: Food Lipids
FDST 8100: Food Carbohydrates

Selected Recent Publications

Pande, G. and Akoh, C.C. 2010. Organic acids, antioxidant capacity, phenolic content and lipid characterizaion of Georgia-grown underutilized fruit crops. Food Chem. 120:1067-1075.

Pina-Rodriguez, A.M. and Akoh, C.C. 2010. Composition and oxidative stability of a structured lipid from amaranth oil in a milk-based infant formula. J. Food Sci. 75:C140-146.

Jennings, B.H. and Akoh, C.C. 2010. Trans-free plastic shortenings prepared with palm stearin and rice bran oil structured lipid. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 87:411-417.

Shin, J.A., Akoh, C.C. and Lee, K.T. 2010. Enzymatic interesterification of anhydrous butterfat with flaxseed oil and palm stearin to produce low –trans spreadable fat. Food Chem. 120:1-9.

Shin, J.A., Akoh, C.C., and Lee, K.T. 2010. Physicochemical properties of lipase-catalyzed interesterified fat containing α-linolenic acid. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc.87:647-657.

Jennings, B.H., Shewfelt, R.L. and Akoh, C.C. 2010. Food applications of a rice bran oil structured lipid in fried sweet potato chips and an energy bar. J. Food Quality 33:679-692.

Vazquez, L. and Akoh, C.C. 2010. Fractionation of short and medium chain fatty acid ethyl esters from a blend of oils via ethanolysis and short-path distillation. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 87:917-928.

Chou, H.H., Chang, S.W., Lee, G.C., Chen, Y.S., Yeh, T., Akoh, C.C. and Shaw, J.F. 2010. Site-directed mutagenesis improves the thermostability of a recombinant Picrophilus torridus trehalose synthase and efficiency for the production of trehalose from sweet potato starch. Food Chem. 119:1017-1022.

Adhikari, P., Zhu, X.M., Gautam, A., Shin, J.A., Hu, J.N., Lee, J.H., Akoh, C.C., and Lee. K.T. 2010. Scaled-up production of zero-trans margarine fat using pine nut oil and palm stearin. Food Chem. 119:1332-1338.

Lumor, S.E., Pina-Rodriguez, A.M., Shewfelt, R.L., and Akoh, C.C. 2010. Physical and sensory attributes of a trans-free spread formulated with a blend containing a structured lipid, palm mid-fraction, and cottonseed oil. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 87:69-74.

Son, J.M., Lee, K.T., Akoh, C.C., Kim, M.R. Kim, M.J., and Lee, J.H. 2010. Optimization of tripalmitin- rich fractionation from palm stearin by response surface methodology. J. Sci. Food Agric. 90:1520-1526.

Adhikari, P., Shin, J.A., Lee, J.H., Hu, J.N., Zhu, X.M., Akoh, C.C., and Lee, K.T. 2010. Production of trans-free margarine stock by enzymatic interesterification of rice bran oil, palm stearin and coconut oil. J. Sci. Food Agric. 90:703-711.

Zhu, X.M., Hu, J.N., Shin, J.A., Li, D., Jin, J., Adhikari, P., Akoh, C.C., Lee, J.H., Choi, S.W., and Lee, K.T. 2010. Enrichment of pinolenic acid at the sn-2 position of triacylglycerol molecules through lipase-catalyzed reaction. Int. J. Food Sci. Nutr.  61:138-148.

Li, D., Adhikari, P., Shin, J.A., Lee, J.H., Kim, Y.J., Zhu, X.M., Hu, J.N., Jin, J., Akoh, C.C., and Lee, K.T. 2010. Lipase-catalyzed interesterification of high oleic sunflower oil and fully hydrogenated soybean oil: comparison of batch and continuous reactor for production of zero trans shortening fats. LWT-Food Sci Technol. 43:458-464.

Lee, J.H., Son, J.M., Akoh, C.C., Kim, M.R., and Lee, K.T. 2010. Optimized synthesis of 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol rich triacylglycerol via interesterification catalyzed by a lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus. New Biotechnol. 27:38-45.

Lee, G.C., Chepyshko, H., Chen, H.H., Chu, C.C., Chou, Y.F., Akoh, C.C., and Shaw, J.F. 2010. Genes and biochemical characterization of three novel chlorophyllase isozymes from Brassica oleracea. J Agric Food Chem. 58:8651-8657.

Kim, B.H., Akoh, C.C., and Lee, B.Y. 2010. The effects of high dietary lard on hypertension development in spontaneously hypertensive rats. J. Med. Food. 13:1263-1272.

Chang, S.W., Yang, C.J., Chen, F.Y., Akoh, C.C., and Shieh, C.J. 2009. Optimized synthesis of lipase-catalyzed L-ascorbyl laurate by Novozym® 435. J. Mol. Cat. B: Enzymatic 56:7-12.

Jennings, B.H. and Akoh, C.C. 2009. Effectiveness of natural versus synthetic antioxidants in a rice bran oil-based structured lipid. Food Chem. 114:1456-1461.

Shin, J.A, Akoh, C.C., and Lee, K.T. 2009. Production and physicochemical properties of functional-butterfat through enzymatic interesterification in a continuous reactor. J. Agric. Food Chem. 57:888-900.

Jennings, B.H. and Akoh, C.C. 2009. Characterization of a rice bran oil structured lipid. J. Agric. Food Chem. 57:3346-3350.

Pina-Rodriguez, A.M. and Akoh, C.C. 2009. Enrichment of amaranth oil with ethyl palmitate at the sn-2 position by chemical and enzymatic synthesis. J. Agric. Food Chem. 57:4657-4662.

Pina-Rodriguez, A.M. and Akoh, C.C. 2009. Synthesis and characterization of a structured lipid from amaranth oil as partial fat substitute in milk-based infant formula. J. Agric. Food Chem. 57:6748-6756.

Pande, G. and Akoh, C.C. 2009. Antioxidant capacity and lipid characterization of six Georgia-grown pomegranate cultivars. J. Agric. Food Chem. 57:9427-9436.

Lumor, S.E. and Akoh, C.C. 2008. Esterification and hydrolytic activities of Candida rugosa lipase isoform1 (LIP 1) immobilized on Celite 545, Duolite A7, and Sephadex G-25. J. Agric. Food Chem. 56:10396-10398.

Maduko, C.O., Park, Y.W., and Akoh, C.C. 2008. Characterization and oxidative stability of structured lipids: infant milk fat analog. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 85:197-204.

Lumor, S.E., Kim, B.H., and Akoh, C.C. 2008. Optimization of solid fat content and crystal properties of a trans-free structured lipid by blending with palm midfraction. J. Agric. Food Chem. 56:9294-9298.

Lee, J.H., Akoh, C.C., and Lee, K.T. 2008. Physical properties of trans-free bakery shortening produced by lipase-catalyzed interesterification. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 85:1-11.

Lee, J.H., Akoh, C.C., Himmelsbach, D.S., and Lee, K.T. 2008. Preparation of interesterified plastic fats from fats and oils free of trans fatty acid. J. Agric. Food Chem. 56:4039-4046.

Lee, J.H., Jones, K.C., Foglia, T.A., Lee, C.R., Akoh, C.C. and Lee, K.T. 2008. High performance liquid chromatographic separation of interesterified palm oil with tributyrin. LWT-Food Sci. Technol. 41:1446-1451.

Kim, B.H., Lumor, S.E., and Akoh, C.C. 2008. Trans-free margarines prepared with canola oil/palm stearin/palm kernel oil-based structured lipids. J. Agric. Food Chem. 56:8195-8205.

Kim, B.H., Sandock, K.D., Robertson, T.P., Lewis, S.J. and Akoh, C.C. 2008. Dietary effects of sesame oil-based structured lipids and phytosteryl esters on blood lipid profiles and cardiovascular parameters in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Lipids 43:55-64.

Dulebohn, R.V., Yi, W., Srivastava, A., Akoh, C.C., Krewer, G., and Fischer, J.G. 2008. Effects of blueberry (Vacicinium ashei) on DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, and phase II enzyme activities in rats. J. Agric. Food Chem. 56:11700-11706.

Alim, M.A., Lee, J.H., Akoh, C.C., Choi, M.S., Jeon, M.S., Shin, J.A., and Lee, K.T. 2008. Enzymatic transesterification of fractionated rice bran oil with conjugated linoleic acid: optimization by response surface methodology. LWT – Food Sci. Technol. 41:764-770.

Alim, M.A., Lee, J.H., Shin, J.A., Lee, Y.J., Choi, M.S., Akoh, C.C., and Lee, K.T. 2008. Lipase-catalyzed production of solid fat stock from fractionated rice bran oil, palm stearin, and conjugated linoleic acid by response surface methodology. Food Chem. 106:712-719.

Akoh, C.C., Chang, S.W., Lee, G.C., and Shaw, J.F. 2008. Biocatalysis for the production of industrial products and functional foods from agricultural produce. J. Agric. Food Chem. 56:10445-10451.

Shaw, J.F., Chang, S.W., Lin, S.C., Wu, T.T., Ju, H.Y., Akoh, C.C., Chang, R.H., and Shieh, C.J. 2008. Continuous enzymatic synthesis of biodiesel with Novozym 435. Energy Fuels 22:840-844.

Vu, P.L., Shin, J.A., Lee, Y.J., Nam, H.Y., Lee, J.H., Akoh, C.C., and Lee, K.T. 2008. Development and characterization of structured lipids containing capric and conjugated linoleic acids as functional dietary lipid molecules. Intl. J. Food Sci. Nutr. 59:95-104.

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