Kerry E. Kaylegian, Ph.D.

Research Interests

My program provides technical support to the dairy industry and delivers outreach programs focused on improving the safety and quality of dairy products. I direct and lecture in our annual short courses on dairy preventive controls and food safety, dairy basics for small-scale dairy processors, cheese making, pasteurizer operations, and cultured products, and assist with the ice cream short courses. I also provide customized training to domestic and international audiences.

My research is focused on creating tools for small-scale cheesemakers to improve the safety and quality of their cheese and meet food safety regulations. The tools include guidelines and spreadsheets and worksheet templates that processors can customize to meet their needs. Another area of my extension program is working with Value-Added Dairy Foods Working Group to create resources and assist small and medium-scale processors and entrepreneurs with value-added dairy foods processing and food safety.

I have a strong interest in the sensory evaluation of dairy products and judge cheese and dairy products at several national competitions, coach the Penn State Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Team, and Chair the Pennsylvania Farm Show Cheese Competition.

I support the industry as a faculty advisor for the Pennsylvania Association of Milk Food and Environmental Sanitarians (PAMFES) and the Pennsylvania Cheese Guild, and am on the Board of Directors for the American Cheese Society and the Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest.

Awards

Extension Excellence Award, 2019, Gamma Sigma Delta, Penn State

Garde et Jure, 2018, Guilde Internationale des Fromagers, New World Chapter

Julius Bauerman Lectureship Award, 2016, Philadelphia Section of the Institute of Food Technologists

American Dairy Science Foundation Scholar Award in Dairy Foods, 2015, American Dairy Science Association

Marie Kelso Memorial Award, 2014, Pennsylvania Manufacturing Confections Association

Recent Publications

Penn State Extension Guide for Implementing a Food Safety System in Small-scale and Raw Milk Cheese Plants. 2019. Caprera, L., and Kaylegian, K. E. Penn State Extension, University Park, PA. http://extension.psu.edu.

Penn State Extension Food Safety Plan for Raw Milk Gouda Cheese Teaching Example and Fillable Form. 2019. Caprera, L., and Kaylegian, K. E. Penn State Extension, University Park, PA. http://extension.psu.edu.

Farmstead and Artisan Cheesemaking. 2018. Cornelisse, S., Kaylegian, K. E., Kime, L., Harper, J., and Montgomery, E. Extension Ag Alternatives, Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Office, University Park, PA. http://extension.psu.edu.

Creating Health and Nutrition, Selecting Cheese for Health. 2018. Reed, S., Cooper, R., and Kaylegian, K. E. Lynn James (Ed.). Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Office, University Park, PA. http://extension.psu.edu.

Penn State Extension Cheese Tracking System. 2017. Caprera, L. and K.E. Kaylegian. Penn State Extension, University Park. Downloadable system with instruction guide, guide to setting up a sensory evaluation program, and 17 document and spreadsheet files that can customized. https//extension.psu.edu/penn-state-extension-cheese-tracking-system.

Ingredients in Milk. Skytte, U. P., and Kaylegian, K. E. 2017. In: Beckett's Industrial Chocolate Manufacture and Use. (5th Ed). Wiley Blackwell, West Sussex, UK.

Home Cheesemaking. 2016. Kaylegian, Penn State, College of Agricultural Sciences, University Park, PA. http://extension.psu.edu.

Syrko, J., and K. E. Kaylegian. 2015. Developing a Contemporary Dairy Foods Extension Program:  A Training and Technical Resource Needs Assessment of Pennsylvania Dairy Foods Processors. Journal of Extension.  53(5):http://www.joe.org/joe/2015october/rb1.php.

Key Concepts in Cleaning and Sanitation. 2015. Kaylegian, K.E. University Park, College of Agricultural Sciences, University Park, PA. http://extension.psu.edu.

Writing Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures. 2015. Kaylegian, K.E. University Park, College of Agricultural Sciences, University Park, PA. http://extension.psu.edu.

Rico, D. E., E. R. Marshall, J. Choi, K. E. Kaylegian, C. D. Dechow, and K. J. Harvatine. 2014. Within-milking variation in milk composition and fatty acid profile of Holstein dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 97:4259-4268.

Kaylegian, K. E. 2014. Milk-derived Ingredients for Confections. Manufacturing Confectioner. 94:33.

Pennsylvania Dairy Plant and Raw Milk Permit Directory. 2014. Kaylegian, K.E. University Park, College of Agricultural Sciences, University Park, PA. http://extension.psu.edu.

Yogurt:  Active Nutrition for Active Lifestyles. 2013. Kaylegian, K.E. University Park, College of Agricultural Sciences, University Park, PA. http://extension.psu.edu.