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
July 28, 2022
After a two-year hiatus, College of Ag Sciences resumes study abroad programs
After a two-year pause due to the pandemic, students in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences once again are taking advantage of study abroad opportunities. In the spring semester, students visited countries around the world, including Spain, Ireland, Germany and Kenya.
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June 22, 2022
Sigler wins awards for academic advising excellence from College of Ag Sciences
Chris Sigler, assistant teaching professor and academic adviser in the Department of Food Science, recently received both the 2022 Excellence in Academic Advising Award and the 2021-22 Community of Advising Excellence Award from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
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May 11, 2022
Food safety from farm to fork: Resources for farmers markets vendors
As farmers markets kick off this season, vendors and producers may benefit from Penn State Extension educational materials on controlling food safety risks from farm to fork — including a resource guide and an online course.
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April 29, 2022
Microbiologists get grant to study biofilms guarding foodborne pathogen Listeria
Microbiologists in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences have received a $605,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to study how microbial biofilms protect Listeria monocytogenes, the bacterium that causes the deadly foodborne illness listeriosis.
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Upcoming Events

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Programs for Meat and Poultry Processors (HACCP)
August 16-18, 2022
252 Erickson Food Science Building, University Park, PA

Preventive Controls for Human Foods - York, PA
September 7-9, 2022
York, PA

Food Defense – Developing a Food Defense Plan for Your Operation, Glen Mills, PA
September 13, 2022
Glen Mills, PA

Foreign Supplier Verification Program, Glen Mills, PA
September 14-15, 2022
Glen Mills, PA
Department of Food Science
- Email foodsci@psu.edu
- Office (814) 865-5444
- Fax (814) 863-6132