Joshua Lambert

Professor of Food Science

Joshua Lambert

Research Summary

Dietary polyphenols in prevention of obesity and fatty liver disease; efficacy and mechanisms of action of food-derived phytochemicals in prevention of lung cancer; biotransformation, bioavailability and potential hepatotoxicity of dietary phytochemicals

Impact of food and medicinal plants and phytochemicals on human health. Role of plant genetics, environmental factors, agronomic practices, and post-harvest processing in moderating the relationship between medicinal and food plants and human health

Huck Graduate Students

Huck Affiliations

Links

Most Recent Publications

Ramps (Allium tricoccum Aiton) as a Wild Food in Northern Appalachia

Cathryn V. Pugh, Eric P. Burkhart, Sarah E. Nilson, Joshua D. Lambert, 2025, Society and Natural Resources

Zinc biofortification via fertigation using alternative zinc sources and concentration levels in pea, radish, and sunflower microgreens

Pradip Poudel, Erin L. Connolly, Misha Kwasniewski, J Lambert, Francesco Di Gioia, 2024, Scientia Horticulturae on p. 113098

Cocoa and Polyphenol-Rich Cocoa Fractions Fail to Improve Acute Colonic Inflammation in Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Treated Mice

Daphne K. Weikart, Kiana M. Coleman, Michael G. Sweet, Ashley M. McAmis, Helene Hopfer, Andrew P. Neilson, Joshua D. Lambert, 2024, Die Nahrung on p. 2400431

Allicin and total phenolic content in ramps (Allium tricoccum Ait.) in relation to phenological stage, morphological traits, and harvest location

R. Teal Jordan, Eric P. Burkhart, Margot Kaye, David Munoz, Joshua D. Lambert, 2024, Biochemical Systematics and Ecology

Factors driving variability in the phytochemistry of ramps (Allium tricoccum)

Rebecca Jordan, E Burkhart, M Kaye, Joshua Lambert, 2024, Food Chemistry on p. 104846

Preparation and Compositional Analysis of Lignocellulosic Plant Biomass as a Precursor for Food Production During Food Crises

Tara N. Mather, Niroshan Siva, Marjorie Jauregui, Hannah Klatte, Joshua D. Lambert, Charles T. Anderson, 2024, Current Protocols on p. e1090

Nutritional Composition of Post-Catastrophic Foods

Tara Mather, Niroshan Siva, Marjorie Jauregui, Pradip Poudel, Maria Julia de Lima Brossi, de Lima Brossi, Maria Julia, Joshua D. Lambert, Francesco Di Gioia, Erin L. Connolly, Charles Anderson, 2024, Current Protocols on p. e1110

Comparative urine metabolomics of mice treated with non-toxic and toxic oral doses of (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate

Soomee Hwang, Imhoi Koo, Andrew D. Patterson, Joshua D. Lambert, 2023, Food and Function on p. 9434-9445

Zinc biofortification through seed nutri-priming using alternative zinc sources and concentration levels in pea and sunflower microgreens

Pradip Poudel, Francesco Di Gioia, Joshua Lambert, Erin L. Connolly, 2023, Frontiers in Plant Science on p. 1177844

Cocoa And Cocoa Polyphenol Fractions Fails To Improve Colitis In Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Treated Mice

Daphne K. Weikart, Joshua Lambert, 2022, FASEB Journal

Most-Cited Papers

Elective cancer surgery in COVID-19-free surgical pathways during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: An international, multicenter, comparative cohort study

James C. Glasbey, Dmitri Nepogodiev, Joana F.F. Simoes, Omar Omar, Elizabeth Li, Mary L. Venn, Mohammad K.Abou Chaar, Vita Capizzi, Daoud Chaudhry, Anant Desai, Jonathan G. Edwards, Jonathan P. Evans, Marco Fiore, Jose Flavio Videria, Samuel J. Ford, Ian Ganly, Ewen A. Griffiths, Rohan R. Gujjuri, Angelos G. Kolias, Haytham M.A. Kaafarani, Ana Minaya-Bravo, Siobhan C. McKay, Helen M. Mohan, Keith J. Roberts, Carlos San Miguel-Méndez, Peter Pockney, Richard Shaw, Neil J. Smart, Grant D. Stewart, Sudha Sundar, Raghavan Vidya, Aneel A. Bhangu, C. Allemand, L. Boccalatte, M. Figari, M. Lamm, J. Larrañaga, C. Marchitelli, F. Noll, D. Odetto, M. Perrotta, J. Saadi, L. Zamora, C. Alurralde, E. L. Caram, D. Eskinazi, J. P. Mendoza, M. Usandivaras, R. Badra, A. Esteban, 2021, Journal of Clinical Oncology on p. 66-78

Inhibition of pancreatic lipase by black tea theaflavins: Comparative enzymology and in silico modeling studies

S Glisan, K Grove, Neela Yennawar, Joshua D. Lambert, 2017, Food Chemistry on p. 296-300

Cocoa procyanidins with different degrees of polymerization possess distinct activities in models of colonic inflammation

Zachary Bitzer, Shannon Glisan, Melanie Dorenkott, Katheryn Goodrich, Liyun Ye, Sean O'Keefe, Joshua D. Lambert, Andrew Neilson, 2015, Nutrition Reports International on p. 827-831

(-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate decreases colonic inflammation and permeability in a mouse model of colitis, but reduces macronutrient digestion and exacerbates weight loss

Zachary Bitzer, Ryan J. Elias, M Kumar, Matam Vijay-Kumar, Joshua D. Lambert, 2016, Die Nahrung on p. 2267-2274

Grape compounds suppress colon cancer stem cells in vitro and in a rodent model of colon carcinogenesis

L Reddivari, V Charepalli, S Radhakrishnan, R Vadde, R Elias, J Lambert, Jairam Vanamala, 2016, BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine on p. 278

Differential prooxidative effects of the green tea polyphenol, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, in normal and oral cancer cells are related to differences in sirtuin 3 signaling

Ling Tao, Jong Yung Park, Joshua D. Lambert, 2015, Die Nahrung on p. 203-211

Flavonoid intake is inversely associated with obesity and C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation, in US adults

J. A. Vernarelli, J. D. Lambert, 2017, Nutrition and Diabetes

Dietary pretreatment with green tea polyphenol, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate reduces the bioavailability and hepatotoxicity of subsequent oral bolus doses of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate

Karma D. James, Sarah C. Forester, Joshua D. Lambert, 2015, Food and Chemical Toxicology on p. 103-108

In Vitro Antioxidant and Cancer Inhibitory Activity of a Colored Avocado Seed Extract

Deepti Dabas, Ryan J. Elias, Gregory R. Ziegler, Joshua D. Lambert, 2019, International Journal of Food Science on p. 7

Green Tea Polyphenols Mitigate Gliadin-Mediated Inflammation and Permeability in Vitro

Charlene B. Van Buiten, Joshua Lambert, Ryan J. Elias, 2018, Die Nahrung on p. e1700879

News Articles Featuring Joshua Lambert

Jun 24, 2025

Ten interdisciplinary research teams awarded IEE seed grants

Ten interdisciplinary research teams have received funding through the Institute of Energy and the Environment’s (IEE) 2025 Seed Grant Program.

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Feb 13, 2025

‘I’m going to change everyone’s life on here’: People say avocado seed and alcohol hack actually relieves pain

Folks across social media are touting a viral pain-relief hack that includes soaking avocado seeds in alcohol.

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Oct 04, 2024

USDA grant to support summer research experiences for undergraduates

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture recently announced an investment of $11.6 million in its Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates program. Among the recipients, Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences was awarded a $750,000 grant to support 50 undergraduate students in exploring career opportunities in food science and nutritional sciences.

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Jul 16, 2023

Understanding the WHO's 'possibly carcinogenic' aspartame decision

The World Health Organization has released an opinion aspartame potentially being carcinogenic.

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May 03, 2023

Biofortification of microgreens with zinc could mitigate global ‘hidden hunger’

When the seeds of plants such as pea and sunflower are biofortified with zinc, the seedlings they quickly produce — harvested as microgreens — could both help to mitigate global malnutrition and boost the odds of people surviving a catastrophe.

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Feb 24, 2023

Processing, like fermentation and roasting, doesn’t cut cocoa’s health benefits

It is widely believed that when foods undergo processing, their health benefits are reduced. But that is not true for cocoa, according to a Penn State-led team of researchers, who conducted a new study using a mouse model.

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Feb 10, 2023

Q&A: Is chocolate healthy?

UAs Valentine’s Day approaches, the mind naturally turns to love – and chocolate. To learn more about chocolate and its effects on us, we spoke with Joshua Lambert, professor of food science at Penn State.

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Nov 08, 2022

Ramped up: Higher demand for wild leeks has foragers overeager, threatens plant

Early spring enthusiasm for ramps — also known as wild leeks — may be causing lower plant yields and threatening communities of the forest herb, according to Penn State researchers.

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Nov 07, 2022

Stock up on this 1 fruit if you're trying to lose weight

The delicious and juicy ruby red strawberry is more than just a fruit to cover with chocolate as a treat. In fact, strawberries are small nutritional powerhouses.

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Nov 07, 2022

How many calories are in a strawberry? Here are all the health benefits of strawberries

The delicious and juicy ruby red strawberry is more than just a fruit to cover with chocolate as a treat. In fact, strawberries are small nutritional powerhouses.

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Apr 24, 2021

There Is a Lot of Fungus Among Us

Coffee for immune support. Supplements for inflammation. And psychedelics promising relief from serious ailments. Mushrooms are everywhere, and investors are paying attention.

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Dec 23, 2020

Discovery of chemical clue may lead to solving cacao's black pod rot mystery

The finding of relatively high levels of the antimicrobial compound clovamide in the leaves of a disease-resistant strain of cacao has significant implications for breeding trees that can tolerate black pod rot, according to Penn State researchers who conducted a novel study.

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Jun 08, 2020

Research team to study food resilience in the face of catastrophic global events

An interdisciplinary team of Penn State professors has received $3 million from Open Philanthropy to study food resilience in the face of potentially catastrophic global events.

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Nov 08, 2019

An Avocado a Day Could Lower “Bad” Cholesterol, Says New Study

Most of us don’t need much of an excuse to include more avocados in our diet. Whether it’s morning avocado toast or party-ready guacamole, avocados are a lusciously creamy addition to our meals and snacks. But what if their benefits could go well beyond taste?

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Nov 06, 2019

An Avocado A Day May Keep Bad Cholesterol At Bay

They say “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”, but a new study from Penn State found an avocado a day can keep your cholesterol at bay.

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Nov 06, 2019

An avocado a day keeps the heart doctor (and cholesterol) away

Does your mouth water at the idea of creamy avocado on a slice of toast? According to new research from Penn State, one avocado a day may help lower so-called “bad” cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

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Oct 28, 2019

One avocado a day helps lower 'bad' cholesterol for heart healthy benefits

Move over, apples — new research from Penn State suggests that eating one avocado a day may help keep “bad cholesterol” at bay. According to the researchers, bad cholesterol can refer to both oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and small, dense LDL particles.

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May 07, 2019

Institutes of Energy and the Environment announces seed grant recipients

Several Huck researchers are among the recipients of 2018-19 IEE seed grants.

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Mar 29, 2019

Penn State food science professors upcycle the avocado seed as a food colorant

Avocados, the latest green berry craze containing over 20 vitamins and minerals in their flesh, have been found to contain vibrant orange food colorant capabilities within the compounds of their seeds.

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Mar 15, 2019

There are health benefits to avocados that go beyond good fats, according to a new study

Researchers from Penn State University have found that avocado seed extract could successfully be used to reduce inflammation caused by white blood cells.

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Jul 22, 2025

What is resistant starch? The carbohydrate that may help you lose weight and improve gut health

Experts often recommend cutting down on starchy foods for people who are trying to lose weight or who have diabetes. But recent research has found that not all starch is created equal.

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