Video: Food safety expert dishes out kitchen crockery for the holidays

December 18, 2025

Penn State food safety expert Martin Bucknavage comments on kitchen fails and serves up food safety tips for the holidays.

Graduate students conduct food safety research abroad with NSF grants

December 16, 2025

Two graduate students in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences traveled abroad and gained experience in food safety research over the summer thanks to funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation.  

Penn State College of Ag Sciences to offer food science short courses

December 11, 2025

In 2026, food inspectors and sanitarians, quality assurance managers, food plant managers and food engineers can learn the latest developments in food science with short courses offered by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

Teaching excellence lauded in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences

December 9, 2025

Exceptional educators in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences have been honored with the college’s 2025 teaching awards, recognizing their impact in and out of the classroom.

Food science graduate student awarded Pennsylvania Space Grant fellowship

November 24, 2025

Auja Bywater, doctoral candidate in food science and international agriculture and development, was awarded a graduate research fellowship by the Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium for her work in creating safe, sustainable food systems.

Penn State’s College of Ag Sciences recognizes faculty for research impact

November 12, 2025

Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences recognized exceptional achievements in research during its fourth annual Research Awards Ceremony held Oct. 28 at the Hintz Family Alumni Center on the University Park campus.

College of Ag Sciences students harvest global insights at World Food Forum

November 5, 2025

Students from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences participated in the World Food Forum, held Oct. 10-17 at the Food and Agriculture Organization headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Penn State Fermentation Club helps students 'brew' success

November 4, 2025

From sourdough starters to kombucha brews, Penn State’s Fermentation Science Club is giving students across campus a taste of hands-on fermentation.

SPARK session on addressing student concerns to be held Oct. 23

October 17, 2025

The Center for Faculty Development and Advancement invites program chairs, graduate program chairs, program directors, professors in charge, and others within the Penn State community who carry responsibilities in academic leadership to a session focusing on "Managing Challenges: Addressing Student Concerns," scheduled for Oct 23 from 1 to 2 p.m. 

Food science professor to create food safety endowment with estate pledge

October 9, 2025

Catherine Nettles Cutter, a longtime professor of food science in the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, and her husband, Lester Cutter, have pledged a $200,000 estate gift to establish the Nettles Cutter Food Safety Endowment in the Department of Food Science. Funds from the gift will support research in areas of microbial food safety and food safety education.

One Health Microbiome Center awards 11 inaugural doctoral training fellows

September 23, 2025

The One Health Microbiome Center at Penn State has awarded the first cohort of doctoral students to receive the Biotechnological and Integrative Opportunities in Microbiome Sciences (BIOMS) doctoral training fellowship. Fellows will engage in rigorous training in microbiome sciences and biotechnology.

Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences names 2025-26 seed grant recipients

September 15, 2025

Eight projects, featuring research teams representing a dozen departments across the University, have been selected to receive seed funding from the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences

Young girls may be less responsive to food fullness cues than young boys

September 11, 2025

Young boys and girls eat different amounts if provided with fruit before a meal, with girls consuming more, according to a new study led by researchers in the Penn State Department of Nutritional Sciences.

Wine chemistry can be accurately judged from fermenting tiny batches of wine

July 22, 2025

Making wine is a complex endeavor — it depends on grape composition, microbes like yeast, and environmental conditions such as temperatures, rainfall amounts and soil quality where grapevines are growing. A team of researchers led by Penn State food scientists has validated a reliable and more convenient way to study wine chemistry than the traditional 5-gallon fermentation batch approach — microvinification, or fermentations of about a quarter cup. 

Food for thought: How a wooden spoon inspired a career and philanthropy

June 24, 2025

Sherri Slocum has updated a previous estate commitment for a graduate award in the Department of Food Science in the College of Agricultural Sciences and The Arboretum at Penn State to now include additional graduate student support in food science.

‘Fingerprinting’ plant compounds helps explain food, drink tastes

June 11, 2025

For the first time, a team led by researchers at Penn State has developed a method of “fingerprinting” plant compounds called procyanidins, introducing a more sophisticated and accurate way to analyze the perceptual variation in many foods and drinks, including wine and chocolate.        

Edible, biodegradable fibers made from milk protein, cellulose

June 6, 2025

Milk protein and cellulose derived from plants may be the next big thing in sustainability, thanks to a first-of-its-kind advancement made by researchers at Penn State. Using a manufacturing technique called electrospinning, the team created nanofibers 1,000 times thinner than a human hair and then manipulated those fibers into mats that hold promise for a variety of products, like biodegradable — and even edible — food packaging.

Looking to cut calories? Try adding chilies, study suggests

May 21, 2025

Throwing a little heat on your meal might be an effective strategy for cutting back on calories, according to a new study led by researchers at Penn State.

Agricultural honor society Gamma Sigma Delta recognizes faculty and students

April 15, 2025

The Penn State chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, the agricultural honor society, recognized faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars and students from the College of Agricultural Sciences during its annual meeting April 3.

Voting for Berkey Creamery favorites tees off in this year’s ‘Flavor Madness’

March 17, 2025

Spring is on the horizon, which means it’s time for one of the Berkey Creamery’s favorite traditions: voting is open to crown this year’s scoop champion in Flavor Madness.

Sending a 'We Are!' to these Penn Staters — March 5

March 5, 2025

As part of our regular “We Are!” feature, we recognize 17 Penn Staters who have gone above and beyond what’s asked of them in their work at the University.

Penn State Ag student Auja Bywater wins global research award

February 27, 2025

Auja Bywater, a doctoral student in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, has been awarded second prize in the Global Challenges University Alliance 2030 research competition.

Penn State alumnus Nedoroscik and DWTS cast swing by Penn State Berkey Creamery

January 24, 2025

Penn State’s own Stephen Nedoroscik, gymnast, Olympic medalist and standout on the last season of “Dancing With the Stars,” accompanied by several of his castmates, made a sweet return to campus Thursday with a visit to what he said is one of his favorites — the Berkey Creamery.

How the Penn State Food Science Club Helps Shape the Food Scientists of Tomorrow

January 14, 2025

This year marks the 51st anniversary of the Penn State Food Science Club, an organization that, in affiliation with the Institute of Food Technologists Student Association (IFTSA), promotes community within the university’s Department of Food Science while also providing networking and career opportunities to students.

College of Ag Sciences celebrates faculty, staff achievements in research

December 10, 2024

Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences celebrated another year of outstanding success and accomplishments in research during the 2024 Research Awards Ceremony, held Nov. 19 at the Hintz Family Alumni Center on the University Park campus.

International food science summer school comes to Penn State

November 20, 2024

A two-week food science summer school was hosted by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences this past July, giving undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to learn from experts both internal and external to the University.

Penn State Extension specialist honored by national food safety organization

November 14, 2024

Martin Bucknavage, Penn State Extension senior program specialist for food safety and quality, has been selected to receive a 2024 Volunteer of the Year Award from the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance, established to develop and provide training and outreach to support the U.S Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety Modernization Act.

University fellowships awarded to 110 graduate students

October 10, 2024

The J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School at Penn State named 110 graduate students as recipients of the 2024-25 University Graduate Fellowships and Distinguished Graduate Fellowships. The students were honored on Oct. 3 at a reception held at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Two earn Outstanding Guided Study Group Leader Award

October 9, 2024

Penn State Learning named Marielle Manes and Austin Bentzinger as the recipients of the Outstanding Guided Study Group Leader Award for the spring 2024 semester.

Three Minute Thesis competition provides lasting impact for graduate students

October 9, 2024

Graduate students took away positive experiences participating in Penn State’s inaugural Three Minute Thesis competition this past spring.