Dr. Keith Vorst

Dr. Keith Vorst

Position
  • Director, Polymer and Food Protection Consortium
  • Associate Professor
Dr. Vorst serves as the Director of the Polymer and Food Protection Consortium and Associate Professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Iowa State University in Ames, IA. Dr. Vorst’s research areas include the technical development, and safety of food packaging projects and food safety including the human science interaction of food and packaging materials at Iowa State University. Dr. Vorst worked in industry for three major packaging companies and served as a consultant for a major automotive manufacturer prior to joining academia in his current position at Iowa State University. Dr. Vorst has over 60 publications and 16 published or pending patents for plastic characterization, contamination monitoring, carbon nanotubes, medical device manufacturing, microbial testing methods, and polymer design. Dr. Vorst has done extensive work in method and sample preparation development for PFAS analysis in packaging materials. Dr. Vorst has published in the American Society for Testing of Materials (ASTM), Journal of Testing and Evaluation, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Journal of Polymer Testing, Journal of Food Protection, Food and Analytical Methods, and Journal of Plastic Film and Sheeting, and has also served as a reviewer for the Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Journal of Food Protection, Food Control, and Journal of Testing and Evaluation.

Contact

Email
kvorst@iastate.edu
Phone
515-294-6957
1541 Food Sciences
536 Farm House Ln
Ames
,
IA
50011-1054
Social Media and Websites

Education

  • Ph.D., Food Science, Michigan State University, 2005
  • M.S., Packaging Science, Michigan State University, 2002
  • B.S., Food Manufacturing, Purdue University, 1997

Affiliations

Cecon, V. S., Curtzwiler, G. W., & Vorst, K. L. (2023). Evaluation Of Mixed #3–7 Plastic Waste from Material Recovery Facilities (MRFS) In the United States. Waste Management, 171, 313–323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2023.09.002

Ignacio, M. C. C. D, Tumu, K. N., Munshi, A., Vorst, K., & Curtzwiler, G. W. (2023). Suitability of MRF Recovered Post-Consumer Polypropylene Applications in Extrusion Blow Molded Bottle Food Packaging. Polymers, 15(16), 3471–3471. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15163471

Ignacio, M. C. C. D., Curtzwiler, G. W., Early, M. R., Updegraff, K. M., & Vorst, K. L. (2023). Ion Selective Electrode (ISE) Method for Determination of Total Fluorine and Total Organic Fluorine in Packaging Substrates. Methods and Protocols, 6(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.3390/mps6010010

Ignacio, M. C. C. D., Maier, D. E., & Vorst, K. (2023). Engineering properties of commercially available hermetic storage bag liners. Journal of American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), 66(3), 601-615.https://doi.org/10.13031/ja.15366

Mort, R., Peters, E. E., Griffin, E., Curtzwiler, G. W., Vorst, K., & Jiang, S. (2023). Low-Isocyanate Polyurethane Foams with Improved Stability and Compression Modulus Prepared from Biosourced and Landfill-Diverted Materials. ACS Applied Polymer Materials, 5(9), 7602–7613. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.3c01536

Sánchez-Rivera, K. L., del Carmen Munguía-López, A., Zhou, P., Cecon, V. S., Yu, J., Nelson, K. M., Miller, D., Grey, S., Xu, Z., Bar-Ziv, E., Vorst, K., Curtzwiler, G. W., Van, R. C., Zavala, V. M., & Huber, G. W. (2023). Recycling of a post-industrial printed multilayer plastic film containing polyurethane inks by solvent-targeted recovery and precipitation. Resources Conservation and Recycling, 197, 107086–107086. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.107086

Tumu, K., Vorst, K., & Curtzwiler, G. (2023). Endocrine modulating chemicals in food packaging: A review of phthalates and bisphenols. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 22(2), 1337–1359. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.13113

Yu, J., Aurora, Cecon, V. S., Sánchez-Rivera, K. L., Nelson, K. M., Wu, J., Kolapkar, S. S., Zavala, V. M., Curtzwiler, G. W., Vorst, K., Bar-Ziv, E., & Huber, G. W. (2023). High-purity Polypropylene from Disposable Face Masks via Solvent-Targeted Recovery and Precipitation. Green Chemistry, 25(12), 4723–4734. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3gc00205e

Cecon, V. S., Curtzwiler, G. W., & Vorst, K. L. (2022). A Study on Recycled Polymers Recovered from Multilayer Plastic Packaging Films by Solvent‐Targeted Recovery and Precipitation (STRAP). Macromolecular Materials and Engineering, 307(11), 2200346. https://doi.org/10.1002/mame.202200346

Cecon, V. S., Curtzwiler, G. W., & Vorst, K. L. (2022). Influence of Biofillers on the Properties of Regrind Crystalline Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (CPET). Polymers, 14(15), 3210. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14153210

Li, H., A. Aguirre-Villegas, H., D. Allen, R., Bai, X., H. Benson, C., T. Beckham, G., L. Bradshaw, S., L. Brown, J., C. Brown, R., S. Cecon, V., B. Curley, J., W. Curtzwiler, G., Dong, S., Gaddameedi, S., E. García, J., Hermans, I., Soo Kim, M., Ma, J., O. Mark, L., & Mavrikakis, M., Olafasakin, O. O., Osswald, T. A., Papanikolaou, K. G., Radhakrishnan, H., Sanchez Castillo, M. A., Sánchez-Rivera, K. L., Tumu, K. N.,  Van Lehn, R. C., Vorst, K. L., Wright, M. M., Wu, J., Zavala, V. M.,    Zhoua, P., and Huber, G. W. (2022). Expanding plastics recycling technologies: chemical aspects, technology status and challenges. Green Chemistry, 69(12), 2939-2946. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2GC02588D

Mort, R., Cecon, V. S., Mort, P., McInturff, K., Jiang, S., Vorst, K., & Curtzwiler, G. (2022). Sustainable Composites Using Landfill Bound Materials. Frontiers in Materials, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmats.2022.849955

Mort, R., Olson, E., Thurber, H., Jiang, S., Vorst, K., & Curtzwiler, G. (2022). Waterborne Polyurethane/Acrylic Adhesive Blends from Physaria fendleri Oil for Food Packaging Applications. Sustainability, 14(14), 8657. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148657

Mort, R., Peters, E., Curtzwiler, G., Jiang, S., & Vorst, K. (2022). Biofillers Improved Compression Modulus of Extruded PLA Foams. Sustainability, 14(9), 5521. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095521

Cecon, V. S., Da Silva, P. F., Curtzwiler, G. W., & Vorst, K. L. (2021). The challenges in recycling post-consumer polyolefins for food contact applications: A review. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 167, 105422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105422

Cecon, V. S., Da Silva, P. F., Vorst, K. L., & Curtzwiler, G. W. (2021). Dataset of the properties of polyethylene (PE) blends of different densities mixed with post-consumer recycled polyethylene (PCRPE). Data in Brief, 38, 107452. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2021.107452

Cecon, V. S., Da Silva, P. F., Vorst, K. L., & Curtzwiler, G. W. (2021). The effect of post-consumer recycled polyethylene (PCRPE) on the properties of polyethylene blends of different densities. Polymer Degradation and Stability, 190, 109627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2021.109627

Ivey, A., Talbert, J., Evangelista, R., Vorst, K., & Curtzwiler, G. (2021). Influence of a hydrocarbon side chain on the performance of Physaria fendleri-Castor oil polyurethane packaging adhesives. Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 4, 100216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clet.2021.100216

Liu, L., Silva, P. F., Curtzwiler, G. W., & Vorst, K. L. (2021). In-process monitoring of total organic volatiles during packaging film manufacturing using portable sensors. Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 4, 100129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clet.2021.100129

Mort, R., Vorst, K., Curtzwiler, G., & Jiang, S. (2021). Biobased foams for thermal insulation: material selection, processing, modelling, and performance. RSC Advances, 11(8), 4375–4394. https://doi.org/10.1039/D0RA09287H

Olson, E., Liu, F., Blisko, J., Li, Y.-F., Ayuna Tsyrenova, Mort, R., Vorst, K., Curtzwiler, G., Yong, X., & Jiang, S. (2021). Self-assembly in biobased nanocomposites for multifunctionality and improved performance. Nanoscale Advances, 3(15), 4321–4348. https://doi.org/10.1039/d1na00391g

Vorst, K. L., Saab, N., Silva, P., Curtzwiler, G., & Steketee, A. (2021). Risk assessment of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food: Symposium proceedings. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 116, 1203-1211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2021.05.038

Xie, Y., Brecht, J. K., Abrahan, C. E., Bornhorst, E. R., Luo, Y., Monge, A. L., Vorst, K., & Brown, W. (2021). Improving temperature management and retaining quality of fresh-cut leafy greens by retrofitting open refrigerated retail display cases with doors. Journal of Food Engineering, 292, 110271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2020.110271

Curtzwiler, G. W., Silva, P., Hall, A., Ivey, A., & Vorst, K. (2020). Significance of Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Food Packaging. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.4346

de Frias, J. A., Luo, Y., Zhou, B., Zhang, B., Ingram, David. T., Vorst, K., Brecht, J. K., & Stommel, J. (2020). Effect of door opening frequency and duration of an enclosed refrigerated display case on product temperatures and energy consumption. Food Control, 111, 107044. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2019.107044

Monge Brenes, A. L., Brown, W., Steinmaus, S., Brecht, J. K., Xie, Y., Bornhorst, E. R., Luo, Y., Zhou, B., Shaw, A., & Vorst, K. (2020). Temperature profiling of open- and closed-doored produce cases in retail grocery stores. Food Control, 113, 107158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2020.107158

Olson, E., Liu, F., Bahns, T., Jiang, S., Vorst, K., & Curtzwiler, G. (2020). Post-consumer polymers (PCR) for color retention of delicatessen meats and elucidation of the light blocking mechanism. Sustainable Materials and Technologies, 25, e00193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.susmat.2020.e00193