Fonseca, Jorge
Jorge Fonseca
Dr. Jorge Fonseca is an international expert in food science and technology, packaging science, horticulture, agronomy, business administration, marketing, and food governance. He has authored over 150 scientific and technical publications that address different aspects of food systems, focused on agri-food industry issues. Dr. Fonseca’s food sector experience spans over 40 countries, ranging from private businesses to public institutions and universities. He is a USDA Research Leader at the Agricultural Research Service’s Food Quality Lab. Before his current role, he was the Program Adviser of the Food Systems Strategic Program at the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO).
“Persevere in what you love and be ready to build resilience.” - Dr. Jorge Fonseca, 2023
Teng, Z., Luo, Y., Pearlstein, D.J., Wheeler, R.M., Johnson, C.M., Wang, Q. and Fonseca, J.M., 2023. Microgreens for Home, Commercial, and Space Farming: A Comprehensive Update of the Most Recent Developments. Annual Review of Food Science and Technology, 14, pp.539-562.
Mannar, V., Micha, R., Allemandi, L., Afshin, A., Baker, P., Battersby, J., Bhutta, Z., Corvalan, C., Di Cesare, M., Chen, K. and Dolan, C., 2020. 2020 global nutrition report: action on equity to end malnutrition.
Kim, H.J., Fonseca, J.M., Choi, J.H., Kubota, C. and Kwon, D.Y., 2008. Salt in irrigation water affects the nutritional and visual properties of romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 56(10), pp.3772-3776.
Fonseca, J.M. and Rushing, J.W., 2006. Effect of ultraviolet-C light on quality and microbial population of fresh-cut watermelon. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 40(3), pp.256-261.
Kim, H.J., Fonseca, J.M., Choi, J.H. and Kubota, C., 2007. Effect of methyl jasmonate on phenolic compounds and carotenoids of romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 55(25), pp.10366-10372.
Jorge M. Fonseca was born and raised in a small town of 120,000 people in Costa Rica. During his early years, he learned from his father to appreciate nature. He grew up in a poor family that valued nature as a way to add food to their daily meals. The ability to easily collect fruits, vegetables, herbs, insects, and wild animals for food taught Dr. Fonseca the importance of keeping nature healthy. He also learned from his father to respect the danger of being immersed in nature.
In high school, he attended Colegio Marista in Alajuela, Costa Rica, and was a senior exchange student at Northeast High School in Lincoln, Nebraska. Growing up, Dr. Fonseca picked coffee beans during long school breaks. It was an excellent way for a teenager to spend time outdoors and make money while understanding the importance of a crop that must coexist with many living organisms in the environment.
Dr. Fonseca attended Universidad de Costa Rica UCR for his undergraduate education. He received a Bachelor of Science and License in Agronomy – Plant Sciences in 1992, focusing on postharvest physiology and technology. In 1995, Dr. Fonseca completed his Master of Business of Administration from the National University, which he attended in Costa Rica and San Diego, California. In 1998, Dr. Fonseca began his graduate studies at Clemson University. He completed his Master of Science in Horticulture with an emphasis in Packaging Science in 2000 and earned his Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology in 2003. In 2013, while working for the Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO), Dr. Fonseca returned to school at the Open University of Catalonia, which hosted a joint program with Michigan State University and the FAO. There, he completed a master’s degree in International society and international food governance in 2014.
While completing his first master’s degree at the Universidad de Costa Rica, Dr. Fonseca worked as a Research Assistant for the National Postharvest Technology Laboratory, where he helped teach postharvest courses. He worked at Universidad de Costa Rica until 1998. In 1998, Dr. Fonseca began working at Clemson University as a Teaching Assistant and then as a Research Assistant.
In 2003, after completing his Ph.D., Dr. Fonseca accepted a position as Associate Professor at the University of Arizona, where he taught postharvest physiology, technology, and produce safety. he served as associate professor at the University of Arizona and Yuma Agricultural Center. Dr. Fonseca received tenure in 2009 and continued teaching until 2011. He led Arizon’s produce quality and safety research and extension program. He also taught vegetable physiology, production and logistics, and food production and processing innovation. His research encompasses sensory, chemical, microbial, and nutritional aspects of vegetable quality.
Dr. Fonseca used his food science and technology expertise while consulting for several food companies, including USAID, Food Freshness Technology, Favorite Fruit Company, JIFSAN, and Global Cold Chain Alliance. From 2005 to 2010, Dr. Fonseca was an agro-industry consultant for USAID, where he supported many projects, including a long-term project in Jamaica called the “farmer to farmer” program.
In 2007, Dr. Fonseca was a consultant for Silliker Mérieux in Chicago, where he developed new fresh food analysis programs. In 20008, he spent a year consulting with the Rural Development Administration in South Korea, supporting the development of new state programs on agriculture practices and risk management. In 2009, Dr. Fonseca co-founded Fresh Terra Services, a laboratory that supports the agri-food industry with water and food quality testing. From 2007 to 2010, Dr. Fonseca was a consultant with Food Freshness Technology, where he provided the latest technologies for managing agricultural products postharvest. Also, from 2007 to 2010, Dr. Fonseca was an International consultant with the Favorita Fruit Company in Ecuador, providing similar technological support for Favorita’s pineapple operations. In 2010, Dr. Fonseca consulted for BANF Bioscientia, a Costa Rican company that develops green technologies for food safety programs.
Dr. Fonseca consulted for the Global Cold Chain Alliance from 2008 to 2011. Although the position was based in the United States, Dr. Fonseca contributed to USAID-sponsored programs in the Dominican Republic, Moldova, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan. He served as a technical leader for cold chain, postharvest systems, market logistics, and food safety program national assessments.
In 2009, Dr. Fonseca accepted a Visiting Professor position at the Universidade Estadual de Campinas in Brazil. While in Brazil, Dr. Fonseca researched the formation of biofilms on food-borne bacteria on vegetables and taught courses on the topic.
In 2011, Dr. Fonseca began working for the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO). Dr. Fonseca’s first role was as an Agro-Industry Officer in the AgrocIndustry Division. There, he worked in Rome, Italy, on projects in Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East to improve post-production and logistic systems. In 2016, he moved to a new department, the Nutrition and Food System Division. In that role, he managed a diverse portfolio of projects. These included several related to value chain development and food systems, particularly the role of local government. He also supported elaborating on several global products as an analyst of fresh produce supply chains. In his final two years with FAO, he was Programme Adviser – Urban Food Agenda for the Fod Systems Strategic Management Team. He supervised the organization’s overall work on city-driven food systems.
Since 2019, Dr. Fonseca has held his current position as Research Leader at the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS). Dr. Fonseca’s position is 50% administration and 50% research. He leads the ARS Food Quality Lab at the Beltsville, Maryland Agricultural Research Center. The Food Quality Lab conducts basic and applied research to understand fresh produce’s biological and genetic pathways. Dr. Fonseca and his team research the physical aspects of fruit and vegetable development, decay during storage, and the genetic and biochemical mechanisms of fungal infection.
His latest work involves leading a group of highly talented scientists at all stages of their careers in developing breakthrough science that can significantly reduce food loss and increase consumption of quality fresh produce and cereal grains. He is passionate about finding solutions to food security and nutrition issues systematically and inclusively.
Dr. Fonseca’s career highlight was working in over 40 countries. He was a consultant for private companies in nine countries and contributed to development projects in the other 31 countries. Dr. Fonseca uses a systemic view to understand the broader impacts of technical decisions, including environmental impacts. He is an internationally regarded expert who has published over 150 articles, including one that won a national press award.
Dr. Fonseca considers many individuals his mentors throughout his early life and career, including Dr. Luis Felipe Arauz, former Secretary of Agriculture in Costa Rica; Dr. Jim Rushing, former professor at Clemson University; and Dr. Marta Montero, head of biosystems engineering dept, Universidad de Costa Rica.
Dr. Fonseca mentored many undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, research associates, scientists, and other young professionals as a professor. At the University of Arizona, he supervised postdocs, research assistants, students, and laboratory managers associated with the postharvest and food safety programs, with partial funds from the industry.
In his current role, he also serves as a research mentor to selected postdoctoral candidates for USDA’s Agricultural Research Service. The ARS is the USDA’s chief scientific in-house research agency with a mission to solve agricultural problems affecting people in the United States daily from field to table.
Dr. Fonseca advises younger professionals to “Persevere in what you love and be ready to build resilience. Take absolutes with caution, and avoid making absolutes, as most depend on how you look at things. Think about the domino effect with our decisions and actions” (2023).
Climate KIC. 2018, December 18. Jorge Fonseca (FAO): “The consumer has the power to change the unsustainability of the food system.” Retrieved July 6, 2023, from https://spain.climate-kic.org/en/news/jorge-fonseca-fao-the-consumer-has…
Fonseca, J. and Vergara N. 2015. Logistics in the Horticulture Supply Chain in Latin America and the Caribbean. FAO. Retrieved July 6, 2023 from https://www.fao.org/3/i4792e/i4792e.pdf.
Jorge Fonseca. n.d. Home [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorge-m-fonseca-48a76045/]. LinkedIn. Retrieved July 6, 2023 from https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorge-m-fonseca-48a76045/.
Survey and interviews conducted by Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Sustainability Initiative staff. 2022-2023. Yale University-School of the Environment. New Haven, Connecticut.