Food Science and Technology

The mission of the Department of Food Science and Technology is to be a leader in contributing to the quality, safety, marketability, and availability of food through excellence in teaching, research, and Extension. The principal supporting disciplines are microbiology, chemistry, biochemistry, economics, engineering, and nutrition. Food science and technology is a convenient name used to describe the application of scientific principles to create and maintain a wholesome food supply. Food science has given us frozen foods, microwave meals, nutritious foods and snacks, more easily prepared traditional foods, and above all, VARIETY in our diets. The food scientist helps elucidate the link between food and health to develop foods which can enhance our well-being. Food science allows us to make the best use of our food resources and minimize waste.

Undergraduate Program – Bachelor's Degree

The Food Science and Technology major prepares students to apply the principles of science and engineering to better understand the relationship of food and health. The curriculum offers four options:

Food Safety and Microbiology - Students discover why food can spoil or cause illness. They help discover new ways to improve food safety and health and develop fermentations for new beverages and food products.

Food and Flavor Chemistry - Students learn how to make foods taste good and tempting to eat.

Food Product and Package Development - Students gain knowledge to create foods that can improve health and packages that improve food quality.

Food Economics and Marketing - Students develop skills to succeed in sales and marketing within the nation’s largest industry – food processing. They learn how to ensure that food industries are meeting governmental, company, and industry standards.

Graduate Program

The department offers graduate work leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees that are built around courses in food science and technology, supported by courses in chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, mathematics, statistics, engineering, and biology. Areas of research, which offer opportunities for graduate education, include food biochemistry, food chemistry, food microbiology, packaging, food engineering, and new-product and process development.

Research

Research within the Department of Food Science and Technology includes projects in four main areas: food safety, food chemistry and sensory evaluation, food packaging and processing, and enology and viticulture.

Extension

Extension projects in the Department of Food Science and Technology include food safety, value-added food product development, dairy foods, enology-grape chemistry, and commercial fish and shellfish technologies.

Contact Information:

Joe Marcy, Interim Department Head
22 Food Science and Technology (0418)
Blacksburg, VA 24061
(540) 231-6806
Fax (540) 231-9293
fstinfo@vt.edu

Department of Food Science and Technology Homepage