Food Science

Learn to use the technology and equipment to conduct scientific experiments on the microbiology and chemistry of food products. Study the science of sensory evaluation or how to test products under extreme conditions such as high pressure and or cold temperatures.

Learn by doing in microbiology labs, sensory labs, and food science labs. Understand production from start to finish in on-campus processing facilities. The food science program is offered in partnership with Washington State University, just 8 miles away, giving you access to the professors and facilities of both major universities.

Work with faculty members whose grant-funded research projects are contributing to the food industry’s most exciting innovations. Before entering the program, determine the professor whose research interests match your own. Secure a position as an assistant in his or her lab. This professor will chair your graduate committee and guide your independent project.

Choose a program:

Master’s: Coursework and research generally takes two years. Work as a research assistant, and teach for at least one semester. Write a thesis. Publish a scientific paper on your findings in an academic journal.

Ph.D.: Coursework and research generally takes four years. Pass preliminary and qualifying exams. Work as a professor’s research assistant, and teach for at least one year. Write a dissertation. A Ph.D. student identifies a problem, and demonstrates how his or her research addresses the problem. Publish scientific articles on your findings.

Conduct a research project with the guidance of your primary professor and hand-selected graduate committee. Present your findings in a lecture to your professors and peers. Demonstrate your expertise in a question and answer session.

Master’s Thesis: Develop a research goal based on work being done in your primary lab. Carry out scientific data collection, and carefully document your results. For example, you might design and conduct experiments on human subjects for sensory analysis, or study manipulations in bacteria to fulfill functions such as offering pro-biotics. Publish an article of your experiments and findings in an academic periodical. A Master’s thesis is excellent preparation for a Ph.D.

Non-thesis project: Analyze a real-world problem and develop solutions. For example, create a manual for the use of sensory analysis software that tabulates responses automatically. Put together a professional paper of your project and results. A project is an excellent addition to your career portfolio.

Ph.D. Dissertation: Write a proposal for a study that will seek to provide an answer to a significant question. For example, you might study how variations in diet changes the flesh and caviar of salmon or evaluate modifications in starch chemistry to better understand reactivity properties under various conditions such as freezing. Carry out scientific data collection, and carefully document your results. Achieve significant independence in your research. Publish scientific articles of your experiments and findings in an academic periodical.

Learn by doing in facilities like these:

• Study production in on-campus processing facilities for meat, dairy, and cereal products
• Analyze consumer experiences using the latest computer software in a state-of-the-art sensory lab
• Evaluate texture, elongation, and physical properties of food products in the rheology lab
• Observe food behavior at the molecular level with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipment.

• genetic and metabolic engineering of microorganisms, such as lactic acid bacteria, for bio-preservation of food products
• conversion of biomass, such as potato processing waste, to valuable fuels and chemicals
• food borne anti-toxicants to reduce chronic disease
• processes and technologies novel dehydration methods, to improve the microbial safety of foods
• soft wheat and potato quality and end-use potential
• starch behavior and function

Food Science students registered at the University of Idaho have access to the Food Science faculty and facilities at Washington State University as part of the School of Food Science. Students can also access the Food Technology Center in Caldwell Idaho.

Prepare for Success

Candidates for this program should have:

• An undergraduate degree in food science, chemistry, or microbiology
• Creativity and an interest in lab work and data collection
• A desire to contribute to the largest manufacturing industry in the United States

Your First Year

Your first year, you should expect to:

• Take courses in advanced food science courses such as lipid and carbohydrate chemistry
• Conduct research in your primary lab
• Establish your advisory committee of professors and experts that will assist you during your studies
• Work with your committee to plan the specifics of your coursework and research goals
• Select an independent research topic

What You Can Do

With this degree, you’ll have job possibilities like:

Product developer: Lead an innovative team to design new food products; use findings about consumer experiences to refine products.

Research scientist: Manage your own lab and discover new food-processing techniques or experiment with health-promoting ingredients such as nutraceuticals, antioxidants, and probiotics.

Operations manager: Oversee the production process of a food plant—testing raw ingredients and finished products to make sure they meet quality standards

Food safety specialist: Work for a government agency to ensure food is processed in safe, sanitary environments.

Professor: Conduct research in an academic lab and teach the next generation of food scientists.

Opportunities

Each of our graduates receives multiple job offers. Salaries start as high as $60,000 and can rise considerably over the course of your career. Food scientists are employed around the world by large and small food-processing companies, food ingredient suppliers, food testing labs, federal and state agencies, and colleges and universities.

Graduates with a Ph.D. may design and manage significant research projects, or operate their own labs. Graduates with a master’s degree generally assist in significant research projects, and manage portions of the research.

Recent graduates work for H.J. Heinz Co., J.R. Simplot Co., Lamb Weston, Kraft Foods, Land O’Lakes, the Food and Drug Administration, and USDA.

Current Research

Participate in grant-funded research projects. Recent studies include:

Gluten-free grain alternatives. Study the properties of starch from gluten-free teff grain for various food applications. Explore and broaden potential markets for Idaho grain growers.

Nutraceutical potential of northwest berries. Evaluate cranberries, blueberries, and huckleberries for a range of bioactive compounds using animal and cell culture models. Document berries’ bioactive profile of anthocyanins, flavanols, flavonols and phenolic acids for antioxidant activity.

Potato peel edible film. Study the use of potato peel by-product for the creation of biopolymer edible films and coating. Evaluate antimicrobial and antioxidant properties and the ability of edible film to protect from oxidation or moisture change and enhance of product appearance.

Wastewater phosphorus removal. Help the industry respond to tighter federal and state limits on phosphorus release by testing new high flow treatment processes and equipment that scrub phosphorus levels in discharge water. Help refine technology being commercialized by a new Idaho start-up company Blue Water Technologies, Inc.

Biofuels from food processing waste. Study microbial biocatalysts and the effects on biomass-to-ethanol conversion. Experiment with metabolically engineering waste for ethanol production for more efficient biofuel production.

Activities

Attend national, regional meetings of professional organizations such as the Institute of Food Technologists or AACC International. Present your research findings. Presented with a problem case study and what they do to solve the problem. Panel of judges. Meet potential employer and graduate students from other universities.

Other opportunities at UI include:

Food Science Club: Meet food scientists who come to campus to discuss career opportunities. Tour food plants and attend professional meetings, including the Intermountain Institute of Food Technologists' annual meeting in Sun Valley.

Graduate and Professional Student Association: Gain leadership experience and represent your department in UI student government.

Annual Student Research Expo: Compete for cash prizes awarded for graduate research presentations.

College of Graduate Studies Awards: Share in the annual recognition of graduate students engaged in outstanding teaching, research, leadership, and mentoring.

Hands-On Experience

Gain hands-on experiences like these:

Research Assistant: Help professors with grant-funded research. Positions are paid.

Teaching Assistant: Work directly with students. Teach fundamental laboratory skills such as how to purify a protein, determine the structure of a lipid, or grow a culture of cell. Grade papers and exams. Positions are paid.

Mentor: Help undergraduates prepare for intercollegiate competition in the IFTSA Western Region College Bowl. Assist the Food Product Development Team as it develops new products like “bubble” tea or vegetable flavored yogurt and compete for industry prizes.

International research: Collect data or exchange findings with scientists in other countries. Study consumer sensory experiences in Finland. Find out what scientists in Brazil have discovered about biofuels. Explore what scientists in Japan know about edible films.

Facilities

UI’s Food Technology Center provides business, technical, and processing assistance to food entrepreneurs and food companies—giving you the opportunity for first-hand experience in areas such as food safety, sanitation, food regulation, and business planning.

Faculty Involvement

All graduate students will have a primary faculty advisor and an advisory committee. The members of this committee can be selected from the Faculty in the School of Food Science (UI and WSU). Classes are small and allow good interaction with the professors.

Alan McCurdy
Department Head & Professor
Research Interests: Lipid Chemistry, Modification of Edible Oils and Fats, Utilization of lipase to esterify and interesterify triacylglycerols, Processing of Meats
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Caleb Nindo, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Research Interests: investigations on novel dehydration methods and their effect on bioactive compounds in food, especially antioxidants found in Northwest berries, berry juices or their dehydrated extracts; studying the physical-chemical properties of foods, including rheology, glass liquid transition, and how they affect food quality during and after processing; facilitate the teaching of instrumental measurement of physicochemical properties of foods and computerized sensory evaluation
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Greg Möller, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Research Interests: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Biogeochemistry of As, Se, and P, Water Quality, Food Safety
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Gülhan Ünlü, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Research Interests: Food/dairy microbiology, Microbial food safety/food biopreservation, Genomics of foodborne bacteria, Conversion of food and agricultural waste to value-added products
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Jeff Bohlscheid, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Research Interests: Enology, Food fermentation, Flavor Chemistry, Culinology, Molecular Gastronomy
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Jeff Kronenberg
Food Processing Specialist
Technical assistance: regulatory compliance, food safety, preparation for 3rd party sanitation inspections, health and safety, product development, food safe and sanitary engineering, new business startup, marketing, management, lean manufacturing and productivity improvement, pest control, HACCP implementation, quality control, and microbiological testing
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Kerry Huber, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Research Interests: Starch chemistry and modification, Cereal science, Role of starch in processed foods, Food chemistry, Quality of wheat and potatoes
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