Zhenlin Liao is a Professor at the College of Food Science, at South China Agricultural University. He obtained a Master's degree from the Institute of Microbiology of Yunnan University in 1996 and a PhD in microbiology from the Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences in 2004. He is also a life member of the Chinese Society for Microbiology and an expert in the external review of China’s Foods for Special Medical Purposes. His research focuses on probiotics, intestinal flora, and microbial system development.