Dr Stacey Duvenage is an Associate Professor in Food Safety at the Natural Resources Institute (NRI), University of Greenwich. Stacey leads research at the interface of food safety, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), environmental microbiology and agri-food systems. Using a One Health approach, her work examines how foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial resistance emerge, spread and can be mitigated across environmental, agricultural and food-production systems. Her expertise covers environmental AMR surveillance, irrigation-water quality, microbial food safety and pathogen genomics. She has a particular focus on the occurrence, dissemination and characterisation of antimicrobial resistant microorganisms and resistance genes within the agri-food ecosystem. 

Stacey joined the University of Greenwich in 2021 as a Lecturer in Food Safety. She was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2024 and to Associate Professor in 2026. She leads the Food Safety and Quality Research Group within the Centre for Food Systems Research. Since 2024 she has been Programme Leader for the MSc Applied Food Safety and Quality Management. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). She plays a leading role in building interdisciplinary research programmes that bring together food safety, environmental health and AMR, including international collaborations on the environmental dimensions of antimicrobial resistance in food systems. 

Stacey is UK Principal Investigator on IOSAR (Integrative One Health Surveillance for Antimicrobial Resistance: Tracking AMR from farm to community). This project is jointly funded by the United Kingdom Medical Research Council and the South African Medical Research Council, in partnership with the University of Pretoria. IOSAR is developing an integrated surveillance approach to identify AMR hotspots and transmission pathways. It traces resistant bacteria through poultry farms, soils, irrigation water, wastewater, animal waste, fresh produce and surrounding communities in the UK and South Africa. The project combines microbiological testing through metagenomic analysis, high-throughput qPCR antibiotic resistance gene analysis, culture-based microbiology, phenotypic resistance testing and whole-genome sequencing, with climate and environmental data to inform evidence-based interventions.  

Before joining Greenwich, Stacey held several competitive postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. These were funded by the National Research Foundation–Department of Science and Innovation Centre of Excellence in Food Security, the USAID Partnership for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) and the University of Pretoria. During this time she also served as a part-time lecturer in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences. She holds a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Pretoria (2013). 

Stacey has published widely in international peer-reviewed journals (2026 h-index of 15). She supervises MSc, PhD and postdoctoral researchers and is committed to developing the next generation of food safety and AMR scientists. Her current research programme develops innovative One Health approaches to understanding and reducing AMR risks in global agri-food systems. It places particular emphasis on environmental transmission pathways, water reuse, climate resilience and evidence-based interventions to improve food safety and public health. 

Dr Duvenage’s research takes a One Health approach to food safety and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) across the farm-to-fork continuum. She is particularly interested in how environmental compartments act as reservoirs and transmission routes for foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria such as Enterobacterales. These compartments include irrigation water, wastewater, soils and animal waste. One exciting and innovative focus of her work is integrated genomic surveillance. This combines culture-based microbiology, phenotypic susceptibility testing, metagenomic analysis, high throughput qPCR, and whole-genome sequencing with climate and environmental data to track resistance from farm to community. It is the approach behind the UK MRC/SAMRC-funded IOSAR project in the UK and South Africa. 

She leads the Food Safety and Quality Research Group within NRI’s Centre for Food Systems Research. 

Her work to date has produced evidence on irrigation-water quality and on the role of fresh produce in spreading pathogens and AMR, which supports microbial risk assessment and safer water-reuse practices. In future, she aims to develop surveillance frameworks that detect AMR hotspots early and guide practical, evidence-based interventions. These would strengthen food safety, climate resilience and public health. 

Current Funded Research Projects  

SA-MRC/UK-MRC Climate Change, One Health and Zoonosis. ‘Integrative One Health Surveillance for Antimicrobial Resistance (IOSAR) - Tracking AMR from farm to community’. UK Principle Investigator. 

This project is jointly funded by the United Kingdom Medical Research Council and the South African Medical Research Council, in partnership with the University of Pretoria. IOSAR is developing an integrated surveillance approach to identify AMR hotspots and transmission pathways. It traces resistant bacteria through poultry farms, soils, irrigation water, wastewater, animal waste, fresh produce and surrounding communities in the UK and South Africa.  

Previous Funded Research Projects  

Whole genome sequencing of multidrug resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae through the SeqAfrica funding. 2020/2021. The Fleming Fund through the University of Pretoria. 

The purpose of the whole genome sequencing of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae which have been classified as multidrug resistant, extended spectrum- and/or AmpC producing Enterobacteriaceae will allow the determination of characteristics that these organisms can exhibit, mainly interested in antibiotic resistance characteristics that these organisms have a potential to express. The fact that these have been isolated from environmental and food sources further add to the importance of the antibiotic surveillance required to understand the most recent emerging health risk of antibiotic resistance.  

Nutrition, Health and Safety for Food Security Programme. Safe Food Project. 2015-2021 Department of Science and Innovation-National Research Foundation Centre of Excellence in Food Security through the University of Pretoria. 

In line with global food safety authorities, three areas of priority were addressed within South Africa’s formal and informal fresh produce supply chain. An integrated approach was taken which included risk analysis, risk reduction and mitigation through innovation, education and communication as well as assessing the effect of the naturally occurring microorganisms in the prevention of disease in the hope to reduce risk within vulnerable communities to lessen the double burden of food insecurity and communicable disease.  

A Long-term European Union- Africa Research and Innovation Partnership on Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (LEAP-Agri). 2019-2021, through the University of Pretoria. 

Strategy for the development of food safety management systems of redistributed fresh produce as well as the determination of fresh produce safety from informal hawker markets in the urban city food systems of Cape Town, South Africa and Accra, Ghana.

• Mr G. Dinede Aga: Protecting human health through a One Health approach-food safety intervention in Ethiopia, PhD candidate, 2023. Co-Supervisor. 
• Mr G. Sultan: Culture-Based Surveillance of Antibiotic-Resistant Enterobacterales across Three United Kingdom Poultry-Arable Farms, PhD candidate, 2026. Supervisor. 
• Completed Postgraduate Research Students 
• Ms N. Mbamba: South African water contamination and mitigation through filtration. University of Pretoria, MSc Biotechnology 2025. Supervised by Professor L. Korsten (University of Pretoria). Co-supervised by Dr E.M. Du Plessis (University of Pretoria) and Dr S. Duvenage (University of Greenwich). 
• Ms D. Kgoale: A comparative microbial analysis of dark leafy green vegetables (Morogo) produced, prepared and sold formally and informally. University of Pretoria, PhD Biotechnology 2025. Supervised by Professor L. Korsten (University of Pretoria). Co-supervised by Dr S. Duvenage (University of Greenwich) and Dr J Gokul (University of Pretoria). 
• Ms L. Richter: Prevalence and characterisation of antimicrobial resistant Enterobacteriaceae in fresh vegetables from farm to retail in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. University of Pretoria, PhD Biotechnology 2022. Supervised by Professor L. Korsten (University of Pretoria). Co-supervised by Dr E.M. Du Plessis (University of Pretoria) and Dr S. Duvenage (University of Greenwich). 
• Ms M. Ratshilangano: Determining the microbiological safety of commercially produced lettuce and spinach. University of Pretoria, MSc Plant Pathology 2021. Supervised by Professor L. Korsten (University of Pretoria). Co-supervised by Dr E.M. Du Plessis (University of Pretoria) and Dr S. Duvenage (University of Pretoria).  
• Ms C. Coetzee. Microbial dynamics and prevalence of foodborne pathogens associated with avocado fruit Persea americana Mill. University of Pretoria, MSc Plant Pathology 2021, passed. Supervised by Professor L. Korsten (University of Pretoria). Co-supervised by Dr E.M. Du Plessis (University of Pretoria) and Dr S. Duvenage (University of Pretoria). 
• Ms M. Dlangalala. Molecular detection, quantification and characterization of extended spectrum β-lactamase and AmpC encoding genes from a cucumber agroecosystem. University of Pretoria, MSc Biotechnology 2021, passed cum laude. Supervised by Professor L. Korsten (University of Pretoria). Co-supervised by Dr E.M. Du Plessis (University of Pretoria) and Dr S. Duvenage (University of Pretoria). 

MSc: Applied Food Safety and Quality Management 

As Associate Professor in Food Safety in the Food and Markets Department at NRI, Dr Duvenage provides academic leadership across research, teaching and enterprise. 

She is Programme Leader for the MSc Applied Food Safety and Quality Management. In that role she leads the design, delivery and review of the programme and associated modules, keeping the curriculum research-informed, internationally relevant and aligned with industry and regulatory expectations. She works with University quality assurance teams to maintain academic standards and oversees the welfare, progression and assessment of students on the programme. 

As leader of the Food Safety and Quality Research Group within the Centre for Food Systems Research, she contributes to research strategy and plans at Department and Faculty level. She leads the development of externally funded research with national and international partners, including the IOSAR project. She line-manages postdoctoral researchers and teaching staff, supervises PhD and MSc researchers, and mentors early career academics. 

She also contributes to the wider University community as a member of the University and Faculty Technology-Enhanced Learning Working Group, and through outreach activities and open days.

• Dlangalala, Manana, Duvenage, Stacey, Du Plessis, Erika M., and Korsten, Lise (2026) Cucumber Production System as a Reservoir for Clinically Important Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase- and AmpC Beta-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains. International Journal of Food Science, 1361352. (doi.org/10.1155/ijfo/1361352).  
• Richter, Loandi, Duvenage, Stacey, Du Plessis, Erika M., Msimango, Thabang, Dlangalala, Manana, Mathavha, Muniewa T., Molelekoa, Tintswalo, Kgoale, Degracious M., and Korsten, Lise (2024) Genomic Evaluation of Multidrug-Resistant Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase (ESBL)-Producing Escherichia coli from Irrigation Water and Fresh Produce in South Africa: A Cross-Sectional Analysis. Environmental Science & Technology. (doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c02431). 
• Kgoale, Degracious M., Duvenage, Stacey, Du Plessis, Erika M., Gokul, Jerry K., and Korsten, Lise (2024) Serotype distribution, antimicrobial resistance, virulence genes and genetic diversity of Salmonella spp. isolated from small-scale leafy green vegetable supply chains in South Africa. Journal of Food Protection, 87: 100195. (doi: 10.1016/j.jfp.2023.100195). (Impact factor: 2.0, 2023). 
• Kgoale, Degracious M., Gokul, Jerry K., Duvenage, Stacey, Du Plessis, Erika M., and Korsten, Lise (2023) Profiling bacterial communities of irrigation water and leafy green vegetables produced by small-scale farms and sold in informal settlements in South Africa. CABI Agriculture and Bioscience, 4: 36. (doi: 10.1186/s43170-023-00176-0). 
• Msimango, Thabang. N., Duvenage, Stacey, Du Plessis, Erika and Korsten, Lise (2023) Microbiological quality assessment of fresh produce: potential health risk to children and urgent need for improved food safety in school feeding schemes. Food Science and Nutrition, 11, pp. 5501-5511. (doi: 10.1002/fsn3.3506).  
• Richter, Loandi, Du Plessis, Erika, Duvenage, Stacey and Korsten, Lise (2023) Prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Enterobacterales in Africa's water-plant-food interface: a meta-analysis (2010–2022). Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7, pp.1-12. (doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2023.1106082).  
• Baloyi, Tintswalo, Duvenage, Stacey, Du Plessis, Erika, Villamizar-Rodríguez, German and Korsten, Lise (2021) Multidrug resistant Escherichia coli from fresh produce sold by street vendors in South African informal settlements. International Journal of Environmental Health Research (doi: 10.1080/09603123.2021.1896681). 
• Richter, Loandi, Du Plessis, Erika M., Duvenage, Stacey and Korsten, Lise (2020) High prevalence of multidrug resistant Escherichia coli isolated from fresh vegetables sold by selected formal and informal traders in the most densely populated Province of South Africa. Journal of Food Science, 86 (1):161-168. (doi: 10.1111/1750-3841.15534). 
• Richter, Loandi, Du Plessis, Erika M., Duvenage, Stacey and Korsten, Lise (2020) Occurrence, phenotypic and molecular characterization of extended-spectrum- and AmpC- β -lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae isolated from selected commercial spinach supply chains in South Africa. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11 (April):1-10. (doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00638).