Contact Dr Natalia Falagan Sama
- Tel: +44 (0) 1234 754983
- Email: Natalia.Falagan@cranfield.ac.uk
- Twitter: @natalia_falagan
- ORCID
- Google Scholar
- ResearchGate
Areas of expertise
- Food Quality
- Food Safety
Background
Natalia graduated from the University of Valencia (Spain) as an Agricultural Engineer and then studied for an MSc in Advanced Techniques in Agricultural and Food Research and Development at University of Cartagena (UPCT, Spain). She obtained her PhD in Food Engineering in 2015 from UPCT, conducting her research in two centres of excellence: University of California (Davis, USA) and Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA, Bordeaux, France). She joined the Plant Science Laboratory at Cranfield in 2016 and is now Senior Lecturer in Food Science and Technology.
Current activities
Natalia is driven by the need to reduce food waste and improve food security; while maintaining the quality and safety of fresh produce across the supply chain. She investigates the underlying ripening and senescence mechanisms of fruit and vegetables and develops innovative strategies for postharvest management. Natalia has international experience in food production systems through collaboration with private companies and government funded research. She publishes her work in peer-reviewed journals focusing on postharvest biology, and sustainable technology and packaging.
Recent projects include: Next generation modified atmosphere materials to extend farm storage and reduce waste (BBSRC), Postharvest technology and improved agricultural practice to reduce avocado waste in Mexico (QR GCRF) and Rurban Revolution (Global Food Security's Resilience of the UK Food System Programme, with support from BBSRC, ESRC, NERC and the Scottish Government).
Natalia teaches on the Food Systems and Management and Future Food Sustainability MSc programmes and is the module leader of Postharvest Technology. She is also a STEM ambassador, bringing science and technology to schools.
She is a Member of the Royal Society of Biology, Member of the Institute of Agricultural Engineers, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Member of the Scientific Advisory Committees in the Food Standards Agency. Natalia sits on the Cold-Chain working group for the Cool Coalition and the National Technical Advisory committee for the African Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold Chain (ACES). In 2021, Natalia has won the 'Top 50 Women in Engineering: Engineering Heroes' award in 2021 and a medal awarded by the Royal Academy of Engineering (Spain) in 2022 for her work towards food loss and waste reduction. In 2023, she was selected 'Best Research Supervisor' at Cranfield University in the Student Choice Awards.
Clients
World Bank Group
Johnson Matthey
Orchard House Foods
AMC Group
BBSRC
Innovate UK
GCRF
Department of International Trade
ESRC
NERC
Blue Skies
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Gage E, Terry LA & Falagán N. (2025). Biological factors and production challenges drive significant UK fruit and vegetable loss. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 105(4)
- Gage E, Terry LA & Falagán N. (2025). Postharvest stress manipulation in Tenderstem® broccoli – examining the potential for stress-adaptative responses to promote sustainable quality retention. The Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print)
- O’Brien C, Falagán N, Kourmpetli S, Landahl S, Terry LA, .... (2024). Non-destructive methods for mango ripening prediction: Visible and near-infrared spectroscopy (visNIRS) and laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV). Postharvest Biology and Technology, 212
- Gage E, Wang X, Xu B, Foster A, Evans J, .... (2024). Reducing food loss and waste contributes to energy, economic and environmental sustainability. Journal of Cleaner Production, 451
- Gage E, Jain R, Terry LA & Falagán N. (2024). Controlled atmosphere as cold chain support for extending postharvest life in cabbage. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 216
- Navarro-Calderón Á, Falagán N, Terry LA & Alamar MC. (2023). Biomarkers of postharvest resilience: unveiling the role of abscisic acid in table grapes during cold storage. Frontiers in Plant Science, 14
- Sakrabani R, Garnett K, Knox JW, Rickson RJ, Pawlett M, .... (2023). Towards net zero in agriculture: future challenges and opportunities for arable, livestock and protected cropping systems in the UK. Outlook On Agriculture, 52(2)
- Walsh LE, Mead BR, Hardman CA, Evans DL, Liu L, .... (2022). Potential of urban green spaces for supporting horticultural production: a national scale analysis. Environmental Research Letters, 17(1)
- Evans DL, Falagán Sama N, Hardman CA, Kourmpetli S, Liu L, .... (2022). Ecosystem service delivery by urban agriculture and green infrastructure – a systematic review. Ecosystem Services, 54(April)
- Grandsir C, Falagán N & Alamar MC. (2022). Application of novel technologies to reach net‐zero greenhouse gas emissions in the fresh pasteurised milk supply chain: A review. International Journal of Dairy Technology, 76(1)
- Payen FT, Evans DL, Falagán N, Hardman CA, Kourmpetli S, .... (2022). How much food can we grow in urban areas? Food production and crop yields of urban agriculture: a meta-analysis. Earth's Future, 10(8)
- Kourmpetli S, Falagán N, Hardman C, Liu L, Mead B, .... (2022). Scaling-up urban agriculture for a healthy, sustainable and resilient food system: the postharvest benefits, challenges and key research gaps. International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation, 8(2/3)
- Mead BR, Davies JAC, Falagán N, Kourmpetli S, Liu L, .... (2022). Urban agriculture in times of crisis: the role of home food growing in perceived food insecurity and well-being during the COVID-19 lockdown.. Appetite, 169
- Davies J, Walsh L, Mead B, Liu L, Falagán N, .... (2022). Scaling-up urban agriculture for a healthy, sustainable and resilient food system: the postharvest benefits, challenges and key research gaps. International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation, 8(2/3)
- Hardman CA, Holden R, Davies J, Evans D, Falagán N, .... (2022). Growing or Greening? Does urban agriculture and nature exposure influence mood, perceived restorativeness and food preferences?. Appetite, 179
- Mead BR, Christiansen P, Davies JAC, Falagán N, Kourmpetli S, .... (2021). Is urban growing of fruit and vegetables associated with better diet quality and what mediates this relationship? Evidence from a cross-sectional survey. Appetite, 163(August)
- García-Pastor ME, Falagán N, Giné-Bordonaba J, Wójcik DA, Terry LA, .... (2021). Cultivar and tissue-specific changes of abscisic acid, its catabolites and individual sugars during postharvest handling of flat peaches (Prunus persica cv. platycarpa). Postharvest Biology and Technology, 181(November)
- Mead BR, Davies EB, Davies J, Falagán N, Kourmpetli S, .... (2021). A qualitative analysis of perceived opportunities and barriers to engaging in urban agriculture. Appetite, 157
- Mead BR, Christiansen P, Davies J, Falagán N, Kourmpetli S, .... (2021). Is urban growing of fruit and vegetables associated with better diet quality and what mediates this relationship?. Appetite, 157
- Mead BR, Davies JAC, Falagán Sama N, Kourmpetli S, Liu L, .... (2021). Growing your own in times of crisis: the role of home food growing in perceived food insecurity and well-being during the early COVID-19 lockdown. Emerald Open Research, 1(6)
- Anastasiadi M, Falagán N, Rossi S & Terry LA. (2020). A comprehensive study of factors affecting postharvest disorder development in celery. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 172
- Falagán N, Miclo T & Terry LA. (2020). Graduated controlled atmosphere: a novel approach to increase "Duke" blueberry storage life. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11
- Bonnot T, Martre P, Hatte V, Dardevet M, Leroy P, .... (2020). Omics Data Reveal Putative Regulators of Einkorn Grain Protein Composition under Sulfur Deficiency. Plant Physiology, 183(2)
- Falagán Sama N & Terry LA. (2019). 1-Methylcyclopropene maintains postharvest quality in Norwegian apple fruit. Food Science and Technology International, 26(5)
- Serradilla MJ, Falagán N, Bohmer B, Terry LA & Alamar MC. (2019). The role of ethylene and 1-MCP in early-season sweet cherry ‘Burlat’ storage life. Scientia Horticulturae, 258
- Falagán N & Terry LA. (2018). Recent advances in controlled and modified atmosphere of fresh produce. Johnson Matthey Technology Review, 62(1)
- Puccinelli M, Malorgio F, Terry LA, Tosetti R, Rosellini I, .... (2018). Effect of selenium enrichment on metabolism of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit during post‐harvest ripening. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 99(5)
- Falagán N, Artés F & Aguayo E. (2018). Heat treatment as postharvest tool for improving quality in extra‐early nectarines. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 98(4)
- Alamar MC, Falagán N, Aktas E & Terry LA. (2017). Minimising food waste: a call for multidisciplinary research. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 98(1)
- Silveira AC, Falagán N, Aguayo E, Vilaró F & Escalona VH. (2017). Compositional changes on colored and light-yellow-fleshed potatoes subjected to two cooking processes. CyTA - Journal of Food, 15(2)
- De la Rosa JM, Conesa MR, Domingo R, Aguayo E, Falagán N, .... (2016). Combined effects of deficit irrigation and crop level on early nectarine trees. Agricultural Water Management, 170
- Falagán N, Artés F, Gómez PA, Artés‐Hernández F, Conejero W, .... (2016). Deficit irrigation strategies enhance health‐promoting compounds through the intensification of specific enzymes in early peaches. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 96(5)
- Falagán N, Artés F & Aguayo E. (2016). Natural additives to preserve quality and improve nutritional value of fresh-cut nectarine. Food Science and Technology International, 22(5)
- Conesa MR, Falagán N, de la Rosa JM, Aguayo E, Domingo R, .... (2016). Post-veraison deficit irrigation regimes enhance berry coloration and health-promoting bioactive compounds in ‘Crimson Seedless’ table grapes. Agricultural Water Management, 163
- Falagán N, Artés F, Gómez PA, Artés-Hernández F, Pérez-Pastor A, .... (2016). Individual Phenolics and Enzymatic Changes in Response to Regulated Deficit Irrigation of Extra-early Nectarines. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science, 141(3)
- Segantini DM, Falagán N, Leonel S, Modesto JH, Takata WHS, .... (2015). Chemical quality parameters and bioactive compound content of brazilian berries. Food Science and Technology, 35(3)
- Falagán N, Artés F, Gómez PA, Artés-Hernández F, Pérez-Pastor A, .... (2015). Combined effects of deficit irrigation and fresh-cut processing on quality and bioactive compounds of nectarines. Horticultural Science, 42(3)
- Falagán N, Artés F, Artés-Hernández F, Gómez PA, Pérez-Pastor A, .... (2015). Comparative study on postharvest performance of nectarines grown under regulated deficit irrigation. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 110
- Falagán N, Artés F, Gómez PA, Artés-Hernández F, Conejero W, .... (2015). Deficit irrigation strategies combined with controlled atmosphere preserve quality in early peaches. Food Science and Technology International, 21(7)
- Mead BR, Davies JAC, Falagán N, Kourmpetli S, Liu L, .... Urban agriculture in times of crisis: the role of home food growing in perceived food insecurity and well-being during the early COVID-19 lockdown. Emerald Open Research, 3
