Dr. Handel has been a member of the Drexel faculty since 1984, most recently in the Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology before coming to Goodwin College. He teaches courses in food science including basic foods and food product development at the undergraduate level; food chemistry, food analysis, food safety, and food processing at the combined undergraduate/graduate level; and sensory evaluation and readings in food science at the graduate level. He has also taught data analysis for the biological sciences. His research focus has been in the area of edible fats and oils. At Drexel University, he has also investigated diatoms as a source of omega-3 fatty acids and was involved in the development of baked products containing fat and sugar replacers.

Dr. Handel's current work involves investigation of interfacial tension between frying fats and water and changes in IFT that occur during frying and the effects of these changes on fat absorption by the fried foods. He is also evaluating the effects of various adsorbent materials on performance of frying fats by use of a starch based model food system and the usefulness of hand-held instruments to measure frying oil quality in foodservice operations. He spent a sabbatical year at the USDA-ARS Eastern Regional Research Center in Wyndmoor, PA, and renewed his interest in the effects of irradiation on foods. With colleagues at the ERRC, he has evaluated the multi-sensor array (electronic nose) for its ability to detect irradiated foods. He also used the FRAP assay to measure the antioxidant potential of foods as it relates to protection of pathogens from the effects of irradiation. He is currently investigating in vivo methods to measure the antioxidant potential of food ingredients using of a photosynthetic bacteria.

Gil, B. G. and A. P. Handel. 1995. The effect of surfactants on the interfacial tension of frying fat. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc.72: 951-955.

Sommers, C.H., X. Fan, B.A. Niemira and A.P. Handel. 2001. Effect of ionizing radiation on beef bologna containing soy protein concentrate. J. Food Safety 21: 151-165.

Sommers, C.H., A.P. Handel and B.A. Niemira. 2002. Radiation resistance of Listeria monocytogenes in the presence and absence of sodium erythorbate. J. Food Sci. 67: 2266-2270.

Fan, X., D.W. Thayer and A.P. Handel. 2002. Nutritional quality of irradiated orange juice. J. Food Proc. Preserv. 26: 195-211.

Sommers, C.H., X. Fan, A.P. Handel and K. Baxendale. 2002. Effect of citric acid on the radiation resistance of Listeria monocytogenes and frankfurter quality. Meat Sci. 63: 407-415.

Sommers, C. H., N. Keser, X. Fan, F. M. Wallace, J. S. Novak, A. P. Handel and B. A. Niemira. 2003. Irradiation of ready-to-eat meats - eliminating Listeria monocytogenes while maintaining product quality. In: Food Irradiation and Packaging for Irradiated Food., V. Komolpraser (Ed.). American Chemical Society, Washington, DC. pp. 77-89.

University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 1972-1977
PhD, Food Science, ‘Radiolytic Decomposition Products of Phospholipids’.

Purdue University, 1970-1972
MS, Food Science, ‘Cholesterol Ester Composition and Metabolism in the Mammary Gland’

University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 1966-1970
BS, Chemistry