Food Science

What is food science?

Food science is the application of scientific methods and principles to food.  At every step between the farm and your table, food science is used to determine best practices for producing, preserving, packaging, shipping, and storing foods. Food science is also critical to monitoring and ensuring the safety of our modern food supply. It can also be used to make heavily processed, calorie-dense, nutrient-void foods, and that is how it is often viewed. However, food science can also be used to improve the nutrient profile in foods, keep foods safe, and understand the nutrient content of foods. 

Past and current research projects involving food science:

  • Validating the use of natural spice antioxidants to preserve omega-3 content and prevent off-flavors in a fish product
  • Measuring the anthocyanin content of processed foods
  • Antioxidant activity of dietary supplements and food extracts
A person conducts research in a food science lab.