Ph.D. Student Turning JCERT Funding into Educational, Research Advancements

New research that compares consumer preferences of spinach grown in three different ways found consumers prefer spinach grown locally under high tunnels, versus spinach grown locally in an open field or non-local, commercially grown spinach sold at grocery stores. High tunnels, a low-cost alternative to greenhouses, are plastic-covered structures used to grow crops.

Konstantinos Batziakas, a doctoral candidate in the horticulture and natural resources program at K-State Olathe, used support from the Johnson County Education Research Triangle (JCERT) to conduct the study, “Descriptive Analysis and Consumer Acceptability of Locally and Commercially Grown Spinach.” The study compared sensory characteristics, such as the taste and appearance, of the three types of spinach and consumers’ perceptions of each.

Batziakas reports the results can be used to help local spinach growers achieve higher premiums for their product and better market their produce to consumers. Journal of Food Science published the study by Batziakas and K-State Olathe faculty in horticulture and sensory analysis in its August 2019 issue.

Batziakas received a JCERT scholarship in fall 2019. The scholarships, funded through the JCERT tax Johnson County voters approved in 2008, are awarded to applicants who meet certain criteria and demonstrate academic merit.

“The JCERT scholarship decisively contributed to my academic success,” Batziakas said. “Without the financial help, I would have certainly faced problems in covering my tuition and living expenses. Thanks to JCERT’s support, I am relieved of the anxiety of finding extra funding, which helped me be successful in my studies and research activities. My 4.0 GPA and my recent publication in the Journal of Food Science reflect this success.”

Because the scholarship and the residents who funded it have meant so much to Batziakas, he is using his education and connections to give back to the community that has given to him.

“I will be eternally grateful for the financial assistance, so I am showing my appreciation to the Johnson County community by participating in numerous extension and outreach activities that are aimed at improving the area’s food system,” Batziakas said.

Batziakas’ efforts include:

• Volunteering with After the Harvest – Healthy Food for Hungry People, a nonprofit hunger-relief organization;
• Providing education about fresh produce commodities for the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Savor the Season project;
• Teaching workshops at the Growing Growers Kansas City conference for beginner and experienced farmers;
• Helping at the K-State Olathe Horticulture Research and Extension Center’s Field Days;
• Hosting tours for area high school teachers of the Postharvest Physiology Lab, which involves plant response to technologies that extend shelf life and quality; and
• Assisting with the “Willie and the Salad Bonanza” contest offered to the K-12 community.

Batziakas also presented at the Great Plains Growers Conference for three consecutive years.