When it comes to developing and ensuring the safety of new food products, few do it better than Bruno Xavier. Xavier, Ph.D. ’08, joined the Cornell Food Venture Center (CFVC) in 2016 after serving as a biotechnology and industrial microbiology professor at Federal University of São João del-Rei, his alma mater in his native Brazil, for six years. He also served as a post-doctoral associate for Cornell University’s Milk Quality Improvement Program.
In an interview with the Finger Lakes Times, Xavier talked about his work with the CFVC and Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture (COE) in helping develop new food and beverages and bringing those products to market.
"[Xavier] lives for this stuff. He’s also a genius, although he would never say that," Paul Guglielmo, founder of Guglielmo's Sauce and owner of Craft Cannery in Genesee County, told the Finger Lakes Times. "We wouldn’t be here without Cornell and Bruno specifically. He’s got a great team there. He was instrumental in helping us figure out some things, some complicated recipes, and how to make them shelf stable.”
The CFVC worked with over 750 industry clients in 2021, while the COE helped hundreds more. Xavier's work and impact on the food we eat are wide-reaching.
“I tell people we are the Disneyland for food product nerds,” Xavier said with a laugh. “I love working with people who are passionate about their products. The sense that we are helping people succeed is very fulfilling — and Cornell pays me to do that!”
Read more in the Finger Lakes Times
