About the Department
The Department of Food Science at Penn State is one of the premier food science departments in the country.
The Department of Food Science is Penn State’s home for the emerging technologies and best practices required for producing, safe, delicious, nutritious food. Our small-school atmosphere facilitates a warm, welcoming, intellectually stimulating, and professional environment.
Our work is closely aligned with the demands of industry and the needs of the community. We boast state-of-the-art facilities and world-class faculty with years of working experience in their fields.
Student success drives the department. Our undergraduate Food Science major offers students hands-on science with real-world applications, strong internship experiences, wide-ranging scholarship opportunities, and excellent job placement.
Our graduate program offers master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees. Graduate students receive in-depth training in the core disciplines of food chemistry, food microbiology, food engineering and processing, and sensory evaluation.
Research is facilitated through core disciplines as well as following collaborative multidisciplinary signature areas: Microbial Food Safety, Food Choice, Food-Based Solutions for Enhanced Health, and the Material Nature of Foods, as well as underlying cross-cutting research themes of Food Quality and Food Fermentation. Students can participate in meaningful research from the first semester of their first year.
Meet our faculty, staff, and students, and see why we are one of the premier food science departments in the country.
Latest News
April 8, 2024
College of Ag Sciences recognizes students, faculty for exceptional achievements
During its annual meeting on April 3, the Penn State chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, the agricultural honor society, honored faculty and students from the College of Agricultural Sciences.
Read MoreApril 5, 2024
Size of salty snack influences eating behavior that determines amount consumed
The size of an individual snack piece not only influences how fast a person eats it, but also how much of it they eat, according to a new study led by researchers at Penn State. With nearly a quarter of daily calorie intake in the United States coming from snacks, these findings may have implications for helping people better understand how eating behavior impacts calorie and sodium intake.
Read MoreMarch 11, 2024
Finalists announced for Graduate School Three Minute Thesis competition March 23
Eleven graduate students have been selected for the final round of the inaugural Penn State Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. The final in-person round will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 23, both live-streamed online and in person at the Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center. The event is free and open to the public, and advance registration is required.
Read MoreMarch 7, 2024
Teaching excellence recognized in College of Agricultural Sciences
Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences has recognized seven faculty members for outstanding teaching in 2023.
Read MoreUpcoming Events
Hybrid Seminar - Is More Better? Navigating the Complex Relationship between Multi-Hurdle Antimicrobial Approaches and the Multi-Dimensional Framework of Resistance
April 25, 2024
252 Erickson Food Science Building
Hybrid Seminar - Can We Can It? An overview of canned wine research
April 25, 2024
252 Erickson Food Science Building
Commercial Canning of Acid and Acidified Foods
April 29, 2024
New Holland, PA
Pennsylvania Association for Food Protection 2024 Conference
May 1-2, 2024
The Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center, State College, PA
Department of Food Science
- Email foodsci@psu.edu
- Office (814) 865-5444
- Fax (814) 863-6132