Photo of Alexandra Oliveira

Contact Information

Fishery Industrial Technology Center
128 FITC Owen
118 Trident Way
Kodiak, AK 99615-7401
Phone: (907) 486-1530
ffamo@uaf.edu

Alexandra Oliveira Assistant Professor

Fisheries Chemistry • Seafood Science and Technology

Affiliations

The Honor Society of Agriculture Gamma Sigma Delta
World Aquaculture Society
Associacao Brasileira de Quimica
American Chemical Society
Institute of Food Technologists - Professional member

Specialties

Identification and quantification of food volatiles using headspace GC/MS
Novel instrumentation to evaluate food quality such as electronic noses and machine vision
Utilization of seafood byproducts
Analytical methods in food chemistry
Marine lipid chemistry

Education

B.S. 1990 Federal Fluminense University, Brazil (Industrial Chemistry)
M.S. 1994 Military Institute of Engineering, Brazil (Organic Chemistry)
Ph.D. 2000 University of Florida (Food Science and Human Nutrition)
Post.Doc. 2001 Monell Chemical Sense Center at University of Pennsylvania (Analytical Organic Chemistry)

Courses

Fall 2008

Statistical Quality Control and Sensory Evaluation (FSN F663)

Research Overview

I’ve been a UAF faculty since Fall 2001. My research activities at FITC have been focused in the areas of analytical seafood chemistry, seafood quality and marine lipids. Research projects carried out in my laboratory are mostly of applied nature, and priority is given to issues of interest to the Alaska seafood industry. My teaching activities have been centered on the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Seafood Science and Technology (UAF), where I teach classes and advise graduate students. Additionally, I provide summer research opportunities to UAF science major undergraduate students.

FITC counts with a well equipped pilot plant for handling, storage and processing of seafood products and byproducts. My laboratory is equipped with a variety of analytical instruments. A headspace autosampler HP7694 coupled to a gas chromatographer GC6890/ mass spectrometer MS5973N (Agilent) is routinely used to investigate the composition of the volatiles in seafood products. A gas chromatographer GC6850 coupled to flame ionization detector (Agilent) is dedicated to determine the fatty acid profiles of marine tissue samples, seafood products and byproducts. A second gas chromatographer GC6850 coupled to flame ionization detector uses the MIDI system for identification of seafood microorganisms based on membrane fatty acid profiles. An Iatroscan MK-6s (TLC-FID) has been mostly utilized to investigate the distribution of lipid classes in a variety of samples. Additional laboratory equipment includes, but it is not limited to, automated and semi-automated lipid extraction systems, protein analyzer, texture analyzer, machine vision system, electronic noses, spectrophotometers, HPLC system and flash column chromatography system.

CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR M.Sc. STUDENTS IN SEAFOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. Download Announcement (14KB PDF).

Currently funded research grants

Improving Quality of Canned and Pouched Alaska Pink Salmon with Salmon Oil. Duration: 2007 – 2009. Researchers: Dr. Oliveira (PI), Dr. Crapo (co-PI) and Dr. Long (collaborator). CSREES - USDA.
Freeze Dried Salmon: Developing Products for the Y Generation. Duration: 2007 – 2009. Dr. Crapo (PI), Dr. Oliveira ACM (co-PI) and Dr. Fong (co-PI). CSREES - USDA.
Machine Vision 2: Quantifying Gaping and Bruising in Salmon Fillets as Quality Indices. Duration: 2007 – 2009. Dr. Crapo (PI), Dr. Oliveira (co-PI) and Dr. Balaban (collaborator). CSREES - USDA.
Alaska byproduct utilization (Phase II). Duration: 2006 - 2010. Researchers: Dr. S. Smiley (PI), Dr. P. Bechtel (co-PI), Dr. A. Oliveira (co-PI) and Dr. S. Sathivel (co-PI). USDA - ARS.
Monitoring and identification of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Duration: 2006 - 2008. Dr. Himelbloom (PI), Dr. RaLonde (co-PI) and Dr. Oliveira (co-PI). CSREES - USDA.
Chemical identification and electronic nose analysis of late odor in canned pink salmon. Duration: 2006 - 2008. Researchers: Dr. Oliveira (PI), Dr. HImelbloom (co-PI) and Dr. Crapo (co-PI). CSREES - USDA.
Developing intermediate moisture products (pet treats and ring baits) from pale meat salmon. Duration: 2006 - 2008. Researchers: Dr. Crapo (PI), Dr.Himelbloom (co-PI), Dr. Oliveira (co-PI). CSREES - USDA.
Ethanol-producing bacteria as spoilage indicators in pink salmon. Duration: 2006 - 2008. Researchers: Dr. Oliveira (PI), Dr. HImelbloom (co-PI) and Dr. Crapo (co-PI). CSREES - USDA.
Alaska Oyster Safety: Monitoring and Identification of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Duration: 2006 - 2007. Researchers: Dr. Himelbloom (PI) and Dr. Oliveira (co-PI). Alaska Sea Grant College.
Hydrolyzed salmon protein in infant formula. Duration: 2005 - 2007. Researchers: Dr. Crapo (PI), Dr. Himelbloom (co-PI), Dr. Sathivel (co-PI), Dr. Fong (co-PI) Dr. Oliveira (co-PI). CSREES - USDA.
Regional differences in Alaska salmon fatty acids. Duration: 2005 - 2007. Researchers: Dr. Oliveira (PI), Dr. Crapo (co-PI) and Dr. Fong (co-PI). CSREES - USDA.
Rapid identification of fish spoilage bacteria through cellular fatty acid profiles and carbon substrate utilization patterns. Duration: 2005 - 2007. Researchers: Dr. Himelbloom (PI) and Dr. Oliveira (co-PI). CSREES – USDA.
Composition, stability and functional properties of lipids extracted from sablefish (Anapoploma fimbria) heads and fillets. Duration: 2005 - 2007. Researchers: Dr. Oliveira (PI), Dr. Crapo (co-PI), Dr. Sathivel (co-PI) and Dr. Bechtel (collaborator). CSREES – USDA.

PI = principal investigator

Professional experience & certifications

Sept. 05. Seafood HACCP certification. The Association of Food and Drug Officials.
June 05. MIDI Sherlock training certification. MIDI Inc.
2001/present. Assistant Professor Analytical Seafood Chemistry. Fishery Industrial Technology Center. School of Fishery and Ocean Sciences. University of Alaska Fairbanks, AK, USA.
1993/94. Executive Research Assistant. Sector of Aromas, Flavors and Casings. Souza Cruz Research and Development Center, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Refereed publications

Finstad G*, Wiklund E, Long K, Rinker PJ, Oliveira ACM, Bechtel PJ. 2007. Feeding soy or fish meal to Alaskan reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) – effects on animal performance and meat quality. Rengifer 27(1):59-75.

Bower CK*, Malemute CL and Oliveira ACM. In press. Preservation methods for retaining n-3 PUFAs in salmon products. J. Aquat. Food Prod. Tech. (special edition 2nd TAFT meeting). Submitted Dec. 06. Accepted Apr. 07.

Bechtel PJ*, Chantarachoti J, Oliveira ACM and Sathivel S. In press. Composition of immature Alaska walleye pollock roe (Theragra chalcogramma). J. Food Sci. Submitted July 06. Revised Dec. 06. Accepted April 07.

Kong F, Oliveira ACM, Tang J*, Rasco B, Crapo C. In press. Effect of salt addition on the quality changes of salmon fillet during thermal processing. Food Chem. Submitted Dec. 06. Revised Jan. 07.Accepted April 07

Richards M*, Nelson NM, Kristinsson HG, Mony SSJ, Petty HT and Oliveira ACM. 2007. Effects of heme protein structure and lipid substrate composition on hemoglobin-mediated lipid oxidation. J. Agric. Food Chem. 55(9):3643-3654.

Chantarachoti J, Oliveira ACM*, Himelbloom BH, Crapo CA and McLachlan DG. 2007. Alaska pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) spoilage and ethanol incidence in the canned product. J. Agric. Food Chem. 55(7): 2517-2525.

Oliveira ACM*, Himelbloom B, Crapo CA, Vorholt C, Fong Q and RaLonde R. 2006. Quality of Alaskan maricultured oysters (Crassostrea gigas): A one-year survey. J. Food Sci. 71(9): C532-C543.

Damar S, Yagiz Y, Balaban MO*, Ural S, Oliveira, ACM and Crapo, CA. 2006. Prediction of oyster volume and weight using machine vision. J. Aquat. Food Prod. Tech. 15(4):5-17

Oliveira ACM*, Balaban MO and O’Keefe SF. 2006. Composition and consumer attribute analysis of smoked fillets of gulf surgeon (Ancipenser oxyrinchus desotoi) fed different commercial diets. J. Aquat. Food Prod. Tech. 15(3): 33-48

Oliveira ACM *and Bechtel PJ. 2006. A Comparison of lipid content and composition of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) male and female livers. J. Aquat. Food Prod. Tech. 15(3): 5-19

Bechtel PJ* and Oliveira ACM. 2006. Chemical characterization of liver lipid and protein from cold water fish species. J. Food Sci. 71(6):S480-485.

Oliveira ACM* and Balaban MO. 2006. Comparison of a colorimeter with a computer vision system in measuring color of Gulf of Mexico sturgeon fillets. Appl. Eng. Agric. 22(4): 538-587.

Chantarachoti J, Oliveira ACM*, Himelbloom BH, Crapo CA and McLachlan DG. 2006. Portable electronic nose for detection of spoiling Alaska pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha). J. Food Sci.71 (5): S414-S421.

Oliveira ACM and Becthel, PJ. 2006. Lipid analysis of fillet from Giant Grenadier (Albatrossia pectoralis), Arrow Tooth Flounder (Atherestes stomias), Pacific Cod (Gadus macrocephalus) and Walleye Pollock (Theragra chalcogramma). J. Muscle Foods 17:20-33.

Oliveira ACM*, Crapo CA, Himelbloom B, Vorholt C, and Hoffert J. 2005. Headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and electronic nose analysis of volatile compounds in canned Alaska pink salmon having various grades of watermarking. J. Food Sci. 70(7):S419-426.

Oliveira ACM* and Becthel, PJ. 2005. Lipid composition of Alaska pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and Alaska walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) byproducts. J. Aquat. Food Prod. Tech. 14 (1) 73-91.

Oliveira ACM*, O’Keefe SF and Balaban MO. 2005. Handling guidelines, composition and processing yields of cultured Gulf of Mexico sturgeon (Ancipenser oxyrynchus desotoi). J. Aquat. Food. Prod. 14 (10) 5-16.

Oliveira ACM*, O’Keefe SF and Balaban MO. 2004. Video analysis to monitor rigor mortis in cultured Gulf of Mexico sturgeon (Ancipenser oxyrynchus desotoi).J. Food Sci. 69 (8): E392-397.

Oliveira ACM*, O’Keefe SF, Balaban MO, Sims, C and Portier, K. 2004. Influence of commercial diets on quality aspects of cultured Gulf of Mexico surgeon (Ancipenser oxyrinchus desotoi). J. Food Sci. 69 (7):S278-284.

*Corresponding author

Book Chapters

Balaban MO*, Damar S, Odabasi AZ and Oliveira ACM. In press. Quality evaluation of seafoods. In: Computer Vision Technology for Food Quality Evaluation. Da-Wen Sun (Editor). Elsevier, New York, NY. p. TBA

Plante S, Oliveira ACM, Smiley S* and Bechtel PJ. 2006. Production and characterization of a sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) liver meal and of dried powders from stickwaters. In: Seafood Research from fish to dish. J. Luten, C. Jacobsen, K. Bekaert, A. Saebo and J. Oehlenschlager (Editors). Wageninger Academic Publishers. Wageninger, The Netherlands. p. 413-418.

Smiley S*, Babbit J, Forster I, Divakaran S and Oliveira ACM. 2003. Analysis of whitefish meals made in Alaska. In: Advances in Seafood Byproducts. P.J. Bechtel (Editor). Alaska Sea Grant, Fairbanks, Alaska. p. 431-454.

*Corresponding author

Outreach and scientific proceedings publications

RaLonde R*, Oliveira ACM, Himelbloom B, Crapo C, Vorholt C, Fong Q and RaLonde R. In press. Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) mariculture in Alaska. World Aquaculture.

Oliveira ACM*, Stone D, Plante S, Smiley S, Bechtel PJ and Hardy R. In press. Fish oils from Alaskan seafood processing by-products: an unexploited sustainable resource for aquaculture. World Aquaculture.

Oliveira ACM* and Bechtel, PJ. 2004. Characterization of liver lipids from Alaska fish species. In: Proceedings from the 34th West European Fishery Technologist Annual Meeting. German Federal Research Center for Nutrition and Food. Lubeck, Germany. p. 226-230.

Oliveira ACM*, Crapo C, Himelbloom B, Hoffert J and Vorholt C. 2004. Headspace analysis of volatiles compounds in canned wild Alaska pink salmon at various degrees of watermarking. In: Proceedings from the 34th West European Fishery Technologist Annual Meeting. German Federal Research Center for Nutrition and Food. Lubeck, Germany. p. 172-176.

Oliveira ACM* and Bechtel PJ. 2003. Alaska Pollock byproducts: Lipid content and composition. In: Proceedings of the 1st Trans Atlantic Fisheries Technology Conference. The Icelandic Fisheries Laboratory. Reykjavik, Iceland. p. 358-360.

Smiley S*, Oliveira ACM, Subramaniam S, Bechtel PJ and Babbitt J. 2003. Characterization of lipids from pink salmon heads and viscera hydrolysates. In: Proceedings of the 1st Trans Atlantic Fisheries Technology Conference. The Icelandic Fisheries Laboratory. Reykjavik, Iceland. p. 325-327.

Bechtel PJ*, Subramaniam S, Oliveira ACM, Smiley S and Babbitt J. 2003. Properties of hydrolysates from Pink Salmon heads and viscera. In: Proceedings of the 1st Trans Atlantic Fisheries Technology Conference. The Icelandic Fisheries Laboratory. Reykjavik, Iceland. p. 284-285.
*Corresponding author

Published Conference Abstracts

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