Research Areas:

Food Processing
Food Dehydration/Drying

Expertises:

Food Processing
Background in Chemical Engineering
Development of Instructional Materials for International & Domestic Applications

Affiliations:

• Canadian Institute of Food Science & Technology
• Registered Professional Engineer (Ontario)
  

Current Research Projects:

• Food Drying Kinetics
• Solar Drying of Food Products
  

Other Projects:

• Development of Educational Programs for Sub-Saharan Africa
• Development of Educational Materials for Honduras

Selected Publications:

• T. Zhou, A.D. Harrison, R. McKellar, J.C. Young, J. Odumeru, P.Piyasena, X. Lu, D.G. Mercer, and S. Karr; Determination of Acceptability and Shelf-Life of Ready-to-Use Lettuce by Digital Image Analysis. Food Research International, 37 (9), 875-881 (2004).
  
  
• R.C. McKellar,J. Odumeru, T. Zhou, A. Harrison, D.G. Mercer, J.C. Young, X. Lu, J. Boulter, P.Piyasena, S. Karr; Influence of a Commercial Warm Chlorinated Water Treatment and Packaging on the Shelf-Life of Ready-to-Use Lettuce. Food Research International, 37 (4), 343-354 (2004).
  
  
• Geoffrey.G. Rye and Donald G. Mercer; Changes in Headspace Volatile Attributes of Apple Cider Resulting from Thermal Processing and Storage. Food Research International, 36, 167-174 (2003).
  

Posters Presented at Conferences (2004 to 2006):

• D.G. Mercer; On-Farm Solar Drying in Developing Nations: Poster to be presented at the 13th World Congress of Food Science and Technology, Nantes, France, September 17 - 21, 2006.

• D.G. Mercer, D.B. Lund, and J.S. Meech; A Distance Education Approach to Food Science Training in Sub-Saharan Africa: Poster to be presented as a companion to a paper to be given at the 13th World Congress of Food Science and Technology, Nantes, France, September 17 - 21, 2006.

• D.G. Mercer; Predicting Behaviour of Food Products During Solar Drying by Means of a Laboratory-Scale Dryer; Poster presentation at the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology & Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Joint Conference, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 28-30, 2006.

• D.G. Mercer, D.B. Lund, and J.S. Meech; Food Science Training by Distance Education in Sub-Saharan Africa; Poster presentation at the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology & Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Joint Conference, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 28-30, 2006.

• D.G. Mercer, P. Leyenaar, D. Pletsch, and P.A. Remillard; Fostering Agri-Food Sector Linkages Between India and Canada; Poster presentation at the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology & Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Joint Conference, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 28-30, 2006.

• D.G. Mercer; Solar Drying: Addressing Food Processing Needs in Equatorial Guinea and Honduras; Poster presentation at the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology & Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Joint Conference, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, May 16-19, 2004.

• D.G. Mercer and A. Colidres; Meeting Food Science Educational Needs in Honduras; Poster presentation at the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology & Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Joint Conference, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, May 16-19, 2004.
  

Course Manuals:

• D.G. Mercer; “Dehydration and Drying in Food Processing Applications”. This course manual was developed for the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) as for use in a training module for training food industry workers in Sub-Sahara Africa. April 2005 (165 pages).

• D.G. Mercer and N.P. Goursky; “Safe Farms - Safe Food”, A course manual prepared for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada outlining the key safety risks associated with food production on the farm. February 2004 (42 pages).
  

• A series of manuals was prepared for a comprehensive Food Processing Course offered in 2004 by the University of Guelph, Alfred Campus. Titles of these manuals were:
  

• “Food Processing - Background”: Topics include: Growth of Microorganisms; Principles of Spoilage; Food-Bourne Illnesses; World Population; Global Food Supply; and the Need for Food Processing. January 2004 (63 pages)

• “Food Processing - Basic Concepts”: Topics include: Organizing Information; Approaches to Problem Solving; Mass Balances; Dealing with Temperatures; Specific Gravity, Density and Brix; Dealing with Pressure; Piping and Tubing; and Industrial Case Studies. January 2004 (86 pages).

• “Heating and Cooling in Food Processing”: Topics include: Fundamentals; Changes of State; Calculating Specific Heat Capacities of Food Products; Calculating Latent Heats of Fusion of Food Products; Steam; Equipment Used in Heating and Cooling ; Heating and Cooling Calculations; Predictions of Freezing Times; and Practice Problems. January 2004 (53 pages).

• “Dehydration and Drying in Food Processing”: Topics include: Preparatory Material; Drying Basics; Industrial Case Studies; Water Activity and Food; Drying Curves; Psychrometrics; Dryer Types; and Heat Transfer Mechanisms. January 2004 (101 pages)

• “Separation and Concentration Processes in Food Related Applications”: Topics include: Filtration; Centrifugation; Evaporation; Freeze Concentration; Ion Exchange; Chromatographic Techniques; Solvent Extraction; Precipitation; and Air Purification. January 2004 (105 pages)

• “Instrumentation and Control in Food Processing”: Topics include: Process Control Concepts; HACCP; Statistical Manufacturing Control; Sampling; Code Dating; Control Strategies; Data Acquisition; Sensors and Instrumentation; and Pumps. January 2004 (100 pages).

• “Waste Management Strategies in Food Processing”; Topics include: Hierarchy of Procedures; Environmental Concerns; Traditional Techniques; Pressures to Reform; Alternatives; Approaches to Waste Management; Reasons to Practise Waste Management; Dissolved Air Flotation; Terminology; and Industrial Case Study. January 2004 (42 pages)
  

International Project Reports:

• D.G. Mercer; “Food Processing Report for Ontario-India Rural Economic Development Partnership”, as part of the “Final Report for Ontario-India Rural Economic Development Partnership”, Kemptville College. Sponsored by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT). Report Issued March 2005 (overall length 43 pages).
  

• D. G. Mercer; “Initial Report on the Development of a Food Science Department at the National Agricultural University in Catacamas, Honduras”, July 2003; Sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Report Issued September 2003 (100 pages).

• D.G. Mercer; “Report on the Application of Solar Drying in Catacamas, Honduras”; July 2003; Sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Report Issued August 2003 (146 pages).

• D.G. Mercer: “Solar Drying of Food Materials: Training Sessions and Experimental Results”; Mission Report for “PRAMUR” (Promocion del Auto Empleo de las Mujeres Rurales en Guinea Ecuatorial); October to November 2002. Sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) through Alfred College, University of Guelph. Report Issued January 2003 (121 pages).

• D.G. Mercer: “Storage Life Enhancement of Market Garden Crops in Equatorial Guinea”; Mission Report for “PRAMUR” (Promocion del Auto Empleo de las Mujeres Rurales en Guinea Ecuatorial); June to July 2002. Sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) through Alfred College, University of Guelph. Report Issued July 2002 (94 pages).