School of Human Sciences staff profiles content store_hidden Hamid Ghoddusi Our staff

Dr Hamid B. Ghoddusi is a Reader in Food and Microbial Sciences at London Metropolitan University and Head of the Microbiology Research Unit (MRU). He holds a PhD in Food Science (Microbiology) from the University of Reading and has extensive experience in higher education, research, academic leadership, and industry collaboration.

His research focuses on food microbiology, probiotics, prebiotics, gut microbiota, fermented foods, food safety, antimicrobial resistance, and the relationship between food and human health. He has led and contributed to numerous research and knowledge-exchange projects, secured external funding, supervised doctoral researchers, and published extensively in the fields of food science and microbiology.

Dr Ghoddusi has extensive teaching experience across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in food science, nutrition, microbiology, biotechnology, and related disciplines. He has designed, led, and delivered many modules to name a few, Food Microbiology & Safety, Food Safety & Quality Management, Food product Development & processing, Scientific Research Methodology, Food Science Research Dissertation, Food Biotechnology, Food Science, Industrial Placement, Milk Hygiene and Food Processing and Quality. He has supervised a large number of undergraduate and MSc research projects and dissertations and doctoral supervision.

He has also played a key role in curriculum development, quality assurance, student recruitment, and programme leadership.

Before joining London Metropolitan University in 2008, Dr Ghoddusi held senior academic and leadership positions at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, including Associate Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, and Associate Dean.

Dr Ghoddusi has extensive experience in curriculum development, programme leadership, and external examining and previously served as Course Leader for the MSc Food Science programme. He is actively engaged with the food industries, supporting innovation, product development, food safety, shelflife and microbiological consultancy.

His professional contributions include serving as a member of the UK Food Standards Agency's Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP) from 2016 to 2024 and as a reserve member of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) CEP Panel from 2018 to 2022. He currently serves as Co-Chair of the Food Group of the Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

Dr Ghoddusi's research career up until recent years has mainly focused on characterising lactic acid bacteria including probiotics (especially bifidobacteria) and their potential applications in fermented dairy products. His current research interests are primarily in the areas of functional foods, which involve efficacy of functional foods (including probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics) using in vitro models of the human gastrointestinal region and in vivo, in human feeding studies.

Such research lies in the areas of applying advanced molecular biology and analytical techniques to study the inter-relationships between food, the commensal microbiota and health. The interactions between dietary components, the gut microbiota and metabolites are increasingly known to be substantial in maintaining health. Dr Ghoddusi is also interested in the importance and impact of diet on the gastrointestinal ecosystem and the host in general, including the application of functional foods. Likewise, he has a growing interest in dairy and non-dairy based fermented foods and the microorganisms and the metabolic activities of the microbiota involved. This comprises identification, enumeration and characterisation of probiotic bacteria in food and supplement. In line with this, research on traditional fermented foods across the world continues to be of interest to him. The latest research theme that Dr Ghoddusi is currently leading is on 'Microbiota of Human Breast Milk', looking at diversity and population of LAB and their potential probiotic characteristics.

Course leader for Food Science MSc and MRes.

Module convener:

• Postgraduate: Food Biotechnology, Food Microbiology & Safety, Food Safety and Quality Management, Food Science Research Dissertation, Food Science Industrial Placement
• Undergraduate: Food Science and Microbiology, Microbial Biotechnology, Fundamentals of Biotechnology Lead/Guest Lecturer
• Postgraduate: Nutrition, Food Science and Catering, Advanced Food Analysis, Advanced Metabolic Nutrition, Scientific Research Methodology, Advanced Food Processing
• Undergraduate: Food Science and Microbiology, Nutrition Science 2, Laboratory Science, Infection Science

Taheri, S., Khomeiri, M., Shirzad Aski, H., Ghoddusi, H.G., Jafari, S.M. and Ghaemi, E. (2025) Human Milk as a Source of Next-Generation Probiotics: Quantifying Akkermansia muciniphila and Microbial Contamination Risks in Donor Milk. Iranian Journal of Microbiology. 17(6):893-900. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12777627/

Dillon, L and Ghoddusi, H. B. (2024) Evaluation of Chemical and Microbiological Characteristics of Kombucha Tea Produced during an Extended Fermentation. Journal of Food Processing & Technology. 15:1114. https://www.walshmedicalmedia.com/open-access/evaluation-of-chemical-and-microbiological-characteristics-of-kombucha-tea-produced-during-an-extended-fermentation-129709.html

Ebrahimi, R., Fathi, M. and Ghoddusi, H. B. (2024) Pickering emulsions stabilized by cellulose nanocrystals extracted from hazelnut shells: Production and stability under different harsh conditions. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 258 (Part 2), February, 12898.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.128982

Obioha, P.I., Anyogu, A., Awamaria, B., Ghoddusi, H.B. and Ouoba, L.I. (2023) Antimicrobial Resistance of Lactic Acid Bacteria from Nono, a naturally fermented milk product. Antibiotics, 12, 843-856. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12050843

Ebrahimi, R., Fathi, M. and Ghoddusi, H. B. (2023) Nanoencapsulation of oregano essential oil using cellulose nanocrystals extracted from hazelnut shell to enhance shelf life of fruits: Case study: Pears. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 242 (part 1), July, 124704

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124704

Noktehsanj Avval, M., Hosseininezhad, M., Pahlevanloo, A. and Ghoddusi, H.B. (2023) Creating Optimal Conditions for Bacteriocin Production from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Isolated from Traditionally Fermented Fruits and Vegetables. Journal of Research and Innovation in Food Science and Technology, 11 (4), 351-366. https://doi.org/10.22101/JRIFST.2022.331749.1332

Noktehsanj Avval, M., Hosseininejad, M., Pahlavanloo, A., and Ghoddusi, H.B. (2023) Isolation and characterization of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum bacteriocin from fruit-based fermented products and its comparison with commercial nisin. Iranian Food Science and Technology Research Journal, 19 (2) 311-331. https://ifstrj.um.ac.ir/article_42267.html

Farahmand, N., Ouoba, L.I.I., Naghizadeh Raeisi, S., Sutherland, J. and Ghoddusi, H.B. (2021) Probiotic Lactobacilli in Fermented Dairy Products: Selective Detection, Enumeration, and Identification Scheme. Microorganisms 9 (8):1600. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9081600

Obioha, P.I., Ouoba, L.I. Anyogu, A., Awamaria, B., Atchia, A. Ojimelukwe, P.C. Sutherland, J.P. and Ghoddusi, H.B. (2021) Identification and characterisation of the lactic acid bacteria associated with the traditional fermentation of dairy fermented product. Brazilian Journal of Microbiology. 52, 869–881. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-021-00461-y

Siddiqui, S., Hackl, S., Ghoddusi, H.B., McIntosh, M. R., Gomes, A. C., Ho, J., Reeves, M.B. and McLean, G.R. (2020) IgA binds to the AD-2 epitope of glycoprotein B and neutralizes human cytomegalovirus. Immunology, 162, 314–327.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/imm.13286

Ouoba, L.I.I., Jespersen, L., Obioha, P.I., Anyogu, A., and Ghoddusi, H.B. (2019) Environmental heterogeneity of Staphylococcus species from alkaline fermented foods and associated toxins and antimicrobial resistance genetic elements. International Journal of Food Microbiology. 311:108356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2019.108356

For a full list of publications and access to articles please visit: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Hamid-Ghoddusi

• Joint grant for the FRGS grant – Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia (MOHE). Diversity and potential of lactic acid bacteria from local fermented plant based products for bacteriocin and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) production
• Joint grant for ICARD program (Iran MSRT) on isolation, identification and characterization of bacteriocins produced by indigenous lactobacilli from native food products
• Knowledge Connect grant with moubon dairy company on improving the quality of sweetened yoghurt

Funding 

Rescaling Fund, London Metropolitan University: £4,750 to fund the purchase of reagents and consumable needed for the project researching campylobacter contamination.

• Member of  the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes, Food Standard Agency (FSA)
• Member of IFST South East Branch Committee