About

Haibo Huang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Food Science & Technology at Virginia Tech. His research focuses on developing food- and bio-processing technologies to produce food ingredients, animal feed, and green chemicals from agricultural and food products, aiming to improve the sustainability of the food production chain. His group is specifically interested in exploring novel solutions such as fermentation, extraction, and fractionation to convert food waste and byproducts into value-added products. His current projects include the fractionation and purification of high-value components like proteins, lipids, and antioxidants from food processing byproducts, as well as the conversion of various types of food wastes into value-added chemicals using innovative fermentation techniques. Additionally, his research involves the quantification and characterization of major components in food. Dr. Huang holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Biological Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, an M.S. in Biological Engineering from the University of Arkansas, and a B.S. in Biosystems Engineering from Zhejiang University.

Research topics

• Food science
• Chemistry
• Pulp and paper industry
• Biology
• Waste management
• Environmental science
• Engineering
• Environmental chemistry
• Organic chemistry
• Chemical engineering
• Environmental engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Biotechnology
• Composite material
• Materials science
• Process engineering
• Biochemistry
• Horticulture
• Animal science
• Chromatography

Selected publications

• Impacts of cycles of a novel low-pressure homogenization process on cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) as a sustainable packaging film material

  Carbohydrate Polymer Technologies and Applications · 2025-03-01 · 7 citations

  articleOpen access

  Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) have been among the most researched materials for their myriad advantages, yet are still facing challenges toward advanced developments due to their natural hydrophilicity affecting a broad range of properties. A simple, mildly-conditioned (low pressure at 7 MPa, for 0-25 cycles) homogenization approach was explored, and its effects on the Northern bleached softwood based-CNF films’ functional properties were investigated. Post-homogenization, promoted hydrogen bonding and fibrillation were evidenced by FTIR and surface SEM, respectively. A maintained high crystallinity (64%) and smoother surface of homogenized CNF films (Sa, 2.64 from 4.73 μm) compared to the untreated CNF films was also achieved. The resulting decrease in oxygen permeability (0.25 from 0.48 cc.μm/m 2 .day.kPa, at 50%RH) is comparable to the reference values of the commercial oxygen barrier resin brand of ethylene-vinyl alcohol (EVOH). Significant improvements in mechanical (tensile strength, 157 from 94 MPa; Young's modulus, 3843 from 2630 MPa; and elongation-at-break, 7.59 from 5.69%) and thermal (elastic modulus, loss modulus, damping factor, and degradation temperature) properties were confirmed. Contact angle improvement (0-60 seconds) was also obtained. With varying optimum homogenization cycles, this work demonstrates the prospect of a straightforward, cheap, and environmentally friendly approach in modifying CNF with enhanced processability and applicability for diverse applications.

  PublisherDOI

• Photothermally enhanced antibacterial and antioxidant dextran hydrogel dressing incorporating tannic acid microparticles for accelerated wound healing

  International Journal of Biological Macromolecules · 2025-11-05 · 4 citations

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  PublisherDOI

• Reducing Heat Without Impacting Quality: Optimizing Trypsin Inhibitor Inactivation Process in Low-TI Soybean

  Foods · 2025-08-29 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  A soybean meal is a key protein source in human foods and animal feed, yet its digestibility is constrained by endogenous trypsin inhibitors (TIs). Thermal processing is the mainstream tool for TI inactivation, but high-intensity heat treatments increase energy consumption and can potentially denature proteins, diminishing nutritional quality. Reducing the thermal input while maintaining nutritional quality is, therefore, a critical challenge. One promising strategy is the use of soybean cultivars bred for low-TI expression, which may allow for milder processing. However, the performance of these low-TI cultivars under reduced heat conditions remains unstudied. This study treated soybean samples under four different temperatures (60, 80, 100, and 121 °C) for 10 min and investigated the impact of heat treatment on TI concentration, in vitro protein digestibility, and nutritional properties of meals from a conventional high-TI variety (Glenn) and a novel low-TI variety (VT Barrack). Results showed that heat treatment at 100 °C significantly improved protein digestibility and lower TI concentrations in both varieties. A negative correlation was observed between protein digestibility and TI concentration in both soybean varieties. At 100 °C, the low-TI variety achieved 81.4% protein digestibility with only 0.6 mg/g TIs, whereas the high-TI variety required 121 °C to achieve comparable protein digestibility and a TI reduction. These findings highlight that low-TI soybeans can lower the necessary thermal treatment to 100 °C to minimize TIs while simultaneously preserving protein quality and cutting energy demand, offering a practical, cost-effective approach to producing higher-quality soybean meals.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• LncRNA‐MEG3 Regulates Muscle Mass and Metabolic Homeostasis by Facilitating SUZ12 Liquid–Liquid Phase Separation

  Advanced Science · 2025-04-26 · 14 citations

  articleOpen access

  Skeletal muscle plays a crucial role in maintaining motor function and metabolic homeostasis, with its loss or atrophy leading to significant health consequences. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as key regulators in muscle biology; however, their precise roles in muscle function and pathology remain to be fully elucidated. This study demonstrates that lncRNA maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) is preferentially expressed in slow-twitch muscle fibers and dynamically regulated during muscle development, aging, and in the context of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Using both loss- and gain-of-function mice models, this study shows that lncRNA-MEG3 is critical for preserving muscle mass and function. Its depletion leads to muscle atrophy, mitochondrial dysfunction, and impaired regenerative capacity, while overexpression enhances muscle mass, increases oxidative muscle fiber content, and improves endurance. Notably, lncRNA-MEG3 overexpression in MDX mice significantly alleviates muscle wasting and adipose tissue infiltration. Mechanistically, this study uncovers a novel interaction between lncRNA-MEG3 and the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), where lncRNA-MEG3 binds to SUZ12 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit (Suz12), stabilizes PRC2, facilitates SUZ12 liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), and regulates the epigenetic modulation of four and a half lim domains 3 (Fhl3) and ring finger protein 128 (Rnf128). These findings not only highlight the crucial role of lncRNA-MEG3 in muscle homeostasis but also provide new insights into lncRNA-based therapeutic strategies for muscle-related diseases.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Soybean Lectin Cross-Links Membranes by Binding Sulfatide in a Curvature-Dependent Manner

  Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry · 2025-05-24 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  -acetyl-d-galactosamine (GalNAc), its lipid interactions remain unexplored. Using a novel purification method, we isolated lectin from soybean meals and characterized its interactions with GalNAc and the glycosphingolipid sulfatide. Isothermal titration calorimetry revealed micromolar affinity for GalNAc, whereas most GalNAc derivatives displayed weak or no binding. Lectin exhibited high-affinity binding to sulfatide in a membrane curvature-dependent manner. Binding of lectin to sulfatide promoted cross-linking of sulfatide-containing vesicles. Whereas sulfatide interaction was independent of GalNAc binding, suggesting distinct binding sites, vesicle cross-linking was inhibited by the sugar. Molecular dynamics simulations identified a consensus sulfatide-binding site in lectin. These findings highlight the dual ligand-binding properties of soybean lectin and may provide strategies to mitigate its antinutritional effects and improve soybean meal processing.

  PublisherDOI

• Metalloproteinase-responsive gelatin/polylysine hydrogel microneedles for on-demand curcumin delivery in bacteria-infected wound healing

  Colloids and Surfaces B Biointerfaces · 2025-05-15 · 18 citations

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  PublisherDOI

• Understanding the efficiency and uncertainty of water supply service assessment based on the Budyko framework: A case study of the Yellow River Basin, China

  Ecological Indicators · 2025-03-29 · 5 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  • Assessing efficiency and uncertainty of water supply in the Yellow River Basin. • Uncertainty in precipitation, ET 0 , Kc inputs, and ω value affected model performance. • Integration with the lumped model yielded more robust simulation results. • Climate change emerged as a key factor driving water supply service dynamics. Freshwater ecosystem services (ESs) analyses are increasingly employed to address water resource management challenges. However, few studies have systematically examined the efficiency and uncertainty of such assessments, limiting their applicability for decision-making. In this study, the InVEST water yield model was applied to assess water supply service in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) from 2000 to 2022. We evaluated the model’s sensitivity to climate variables and the parameter ω. Six sets of data/parameter input combinations were constructed to drive the model independently. Spatiotemporal trends were compared with observed data from 33 hydrological stations along the Yellow River mainstem and tributaries to assess the model performance and uncertainties. Finally, the response of water supply to climate change and vegetation dynamics was further discussed. The results showed that precipitation exhibited the highest sensitivity, and errors in precipitation inputs were the primary source of data input uncertainties. Compared to the raster-scale ω-value calculation method, the method combined with the lumped model delivered the most robust simulation results (R2, RMSE, and MAE for mainstream basins: 0.91, 50.08 mm, and 38.85 mm; for tributary basins: 0.89, 6.43 mm, and 4.04 mm, respectively). Climate change, particularly changes in precipitation, emerged as a key factor driving water supply service dynamics. These findings enhance the understanding of efficiency and uncertainty in water-related ESs assessments and offer valuable insights for applications in other regions.

  PublisherDOI

• S-Scheme Ti@Ce MOF Heterojunction for Enhanced Visible-light Photocatalytic Degradation

  Chemical Research in Chinese Universities · 2025-11-05

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  PublisherDOI

• Identification and Mitigation of Inhibitory Substances Contained in High-Salinity Crude Glycerol Generated from Biodiesel Production for Polyhydroxyalkanoate Synthesis by <i>Haloferax mediterranei</i>

  ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering · 2025-09-22 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  growth. In contrast, overliming and arrested anaerobic digestion were confirmed to be ineffective in inhibitor removal. This study provides deep insights into inhibitor chemistry and presents acid precipitation as an effective pretreatment strategy for waste valorization of high-salinity crude glycerol.

  PublisherDOI

• Research on the dynamic and deformation characteristics of unsaturated frozen sulfate saline red clay

  Cold Regions Science and Technology · 2025-09-15 · 1 citations

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Frequent coauthors

• Jian Lü

  Sichuan University

  109 shared

• Rong Cao

  Tan Kah Kee Innovation Laboratory

  104 shared

• Zhong‐Shuai Wu

  Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy

  98 shared

• Jieqiong Qin

  Henan Agricultural University

  57 shared

• Zhi‐Bin Fang

  Chinese Academy of Sciences

  47 shared

• Pratteek Das

  Chinese Academy of Sciences

  42 shared

• Tian‐Fu Liu

  Chinese Academy of Sciences

  39 shared

• Kai Yu

  39 shared

Labs

• Sensory Evaluation LabPI