About

Lisa Dean is a USDA-ARS Research Food Technologist and Professor in the Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences at North Carolina State University. Her research interests include peanut quality and flavor, food lipid chemistry, nutritional analysis, and the isolation, identification, and validation of small molecule bioactive compounds from all parts of peanut plants. She has been a faculty member at NC State since 2005, contributing to food science research and education. Professor Dean holds a Ph.D. in Food Science with a Nutrition minor from North Carolina State University, along with a master's degree in Food Science and Nutrition from the University of Delaware and a bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Towson State University. Her professional background includes roles as a Research Food Technologist at USDA, a Senior Food Chemist at Southern Testing and Research Laboratories, and a Physical Science Technician at the National Institute on Aging, NIH. She is a Certified Food Scientist and a member of several professional organizations, including the American Chemical Society, the Institute of Food Technologists, and the American Peanut Research and Education Society. Her achievements include a USDA Certificate of Appreciation, election to Gamma Sigma Delta and Phi Tau Sigma, and a U.S. patent related to fabric staining prevention.

Research topics

• Biology
• Food science
• Chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Pulp and paper industry
• Biotechnology
• Biochemical engineering
• Organic chemistry
• Engineering
• Animal science
• Chromatography

Selected publications

• Volatile Compound Profiles of Raw and Roasted Peanut Seeds of the Runner, Spanish and Valencia Market Types

  Journal of Food Research · 2026-03-07

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Consumers are driven by roasted peanut flavor to purchase peanuts and peanut products. Different market types are used to create peanut products partially based on their roasted flavor characteristics.  There is little information available in this area on the Spanish and Valencia market types.  This study investigated the chemistry involved in roasted peanut flavor formation by examining the differences in the volatile organic compounds present in raw and dry roasted Spanish and Valencia market type peanuts when compared to those found in the more popular Runner types. The volatile organic compound (VOC) profiles were generated with headspace solid phase microextraction paired with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Mixed model ANOVAs and Tukey’s tests were employed for significance testing and to separate sample means. Principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to visualize the effects of roasting and market type on VOC profiles to ascertain the compounds responsible for the profile differences. The cluster analysis revealed some distinct patterns that distinguish market types and roast treatments. The raw peanuts were characterized primarily by alcohols, ketones, and aldehydes, and roasted profiles contained Maillard browning products such as pyrazines, pyrroles, and furans. Approximately 38% of the compounds found varied in abundance among the market types. Descriptive sensory analysis by a trained panel found the variation in the intensities of many attributes was greater between individual samples than between market types. This research establishes baseline VOC profiles of Spanish and Valencia market types that could help identify compounds that may contribute to roasted peanut flavor to optimize/preserve peanut flavor through peanut breeding and processing techniques.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Consumer Perception of Organic Peanuts and Peanut Products: Identifying Acceptance and Purchase Interest in North Carolina

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2025-01-01

  preprintOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Peanut Physiology and Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses

  Peanut Science · 2025-01-01 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  Peanut is a nutritious and highly-valued crop across the world. Achieving competitive yield and quality is challenged by biotic and abiotic stresses and the relatively high production requirements compared with other crops. To successfully address these challenges, it is important to understand peanut physiology and its essential requirements for growth and development. This article reviews the requirements for growth including soil characteristics, water, nutrients, and environmental conditions. The physiological effects of stresses during seed storage and germination and during plant growth, development, and reproduction are discussed. Phenotyping based on physiological responses are also discussed.

  PublisherDOI

• Corrigendum: Fatty acid profile driven by maternal diet is associated with the composition of human milk microbiota

  UNC Libraries · 2025-02-28

  articleOpen access

  Corrigendum to: Fatty acid profile driven by maternal diet is associated with the composition of human milk microbiota

  PublisherDOI

• Lipid composition and nutritional quality of some commercially available cold pressed oils

  Frontiers in Nutrition · 2025-12-18 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Consumer interest in alternatives to highly refined oils from soybean and corn for culinary applications has resulted in an increase in the availability of alternatives, especially cold pressed ones. Sources that were once only known to certain regions or cultures are now becoming more mainstream. In addition, the interest in sustainability in the agricultural sector has led to the usage of seeds from previous "waste" sources. The fatty acid profiles, phytosterols and tocopherols were evaluated in some cold pressed oils from small processors. These included benne (black sesame), okra seeds, peanuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds. Polyunsaturated fatty acid contents ranged from 1.8% in sunflower oil to 44.3% in pumpkin seed oil. Cold pressed oils do not have the phytosterols and tocopherols removed by further refining. All the oils tested contained significant amounts of phytosterols with the lowest levels of Beta-sitosterol in the okra seed oil (29.0 mg/100 g) and the highest in the sunflower seed oil (251 mg/100 g). The tocopherols present in the oils were in agreement with literature reports for oil seeds and tree nuts with significant amounts of the alpha and gamma forms. Unusually, the benne oil was found to have large amounts of the Beta form (8.8 mg/g oil). Use of these oils can make positive contributions to human health by providing significant amounts of these lipid nutrients to the diet.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Consumer perception of organic peanuts and peanut products: Identifying acceptance and purchase interest

  Applied Food Research · 2025-10-17

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  • Consumer interest in organic food products is increasing • Organic peanuts are not readily available in the US • Consumers do not associate whole peanuts with branded products • Consumers at present are not willing to pay a premium for organic peanuts An online survey was conducted by the North Carolina State University Sensory Service Center to determine the purchase intent of consumers of peanuts and peanut-containing products that have been grown under organic conditions. From the surveys completed (313), it was determined that the highest number of consumers purchased peanuts either as peanut butter or as snack or energy bars. They considered organic foods to be more nutritious and safer than conventionally grown foods. The importance of organic peanuts and peanut products being available for purchase did not rate above no preference on a sliding scale. When asked about paying a premium price for organically produced peanut products, an increased price over that of conventionally produced products was small. The data indicates that the increased cost to growers in the North Carolina region to produce organically produced peanuts would not be justified at this time.

  PublisherDOI

• Peanut Seed Maturation, Quality, and Nutritional Composition

  Peanut Science · 2025-02-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Due to the indeterminant flowering nature of the peanut plant, at harvest, a range of seed maturities are found. Although sorting by size does produce seed lots of consistent maturity, some quantity of immature kernels may be present as it has been reported that a peanut pod may grow to its final size before the seed inside is fully mature. This review discusses the physical and chemical changes that occur with peanut seed maturation. The effects on the peanut composition and resulting quality of the components and roasted peanut flavor and lipid quality are presented.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Composition of Raw and Roasted Runner, Spanish and Valencia Market Type Peanuts

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2024-01-01

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Changes in Runner Peanut Quality Parameters as a Function of Roast Times

  Peanut Science · 2024-01-01 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Physical and chemical changes in runner peanuts were evaluated after roasting for various times up to 24 minutes. The seed size, color, moisture content, total oil content, sugar content, free amino acid content and flavor attributes were determined on raw and roasted peanuts from each subsample. Moisture declined from 6.5 % to 0.4 % (DW) after 24-min. Drying curves were constructed and the critical moisture content (CMC=2.41 % (DW)) was determined at 6-min. Roast peanutty rose rapidly between 6- and 12-min of roasting followed by a steep decline. Other sensory descriptors exhibited changes in their response curves at 6- and 12- min. Color analysis showed that kernels and pastes darkened (L values) during roasting and became redder (a value) and yellower (b value). Nearly all amino acids, sucrose and stachyose concentrations dropped rapidly after 6-min. Sensory, color, sugars, and amino acid data plotted against time and moisture content exhibited specific patterns with threshold points, maxima and inflection points occurring at the same times and moisture contents. The data were discussed in terms of developing a more mechanistic view of the roasting process. Proper roasting is required for everything from genotype evaluation to mass product production. A more complete understanding of the physical and chemical effects of roasting times can guide practices to better optimize peanut quality.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Review for "Enhanced phenolic content and antioxidant activity of broad bean natto following simulated in vitro digestion"

  2024-01-12

  peer-review1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Timothy H. Sanders

  Immucor (United States)

  39 shared

• Jack P. Davis

  North Carolina State University

  17 shared

• Keith W. Hendrix

  16 shared

• Ondulla T. Toomer

  Agricultural Research Service

  11 shared

• Brittany L. White

  7 shared

• Claire Marie Klevorn

  North Carolina State University

  6 shared

• Marshall C. Lamb

  National Peanut Research Laboratory

  6 shared

• Montana Wagner‐Gillespie

  6 shared

Labs

• Wolfpack Brewing LabPI

Education

• Ph.D., Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences

  North Carolina State University

  2009

• M.S., Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences

  North Carolina State University

  2004

• B.S., Food Science

  North Carolina State University

  2002

Awards & honors

• USDA Certificate of Appreciation (2003)
• Elected Gamma Sigma Delta, May 1997
• Elected Phi Tau Sigma, March 1996
• Amy Rextrew Award (Outstanding Graduate Student in the Colle…
• Woman of Distinction Award, University of Delaware, 1989