Food Science Research
Research in the food science department is primarily conducted in the context of graduate education. Impact groups provide focus to research efforts of our faculty members. The six impact groups within the department focus on: ingredients as materials; food safety; consumer food choice; cocoa, chocolate, and confectionary products; plant and mushroom products; and dairy foods manufacturing.
The impact group on ingredients as materials takes a materials science approach to study the physical basis of food ingredient functionality. By maintaining an academic focus in food materials characterization with faculty contributing overlapping skills and by maintaining and extending a suite of the latest instrumentation, we take a multifaceted approach to solving real world problems. Our skills and comprehensive instrumentation capabilities are applied in graduate education and research, and are available as a resource to the food industry.
The mission of the Food Safety Group (FSG) is to provide integrative, systematic, collaborative, and multidisciplinary approaches to food safety research, teaching and outreach. The FSG promotes research to prevent foodborne disease by focusing on the microbial ecology of foods, novel methods for detection and molecular epidemiology, and new treatments to reduce pathogens on foods. Through undergraduate and graduate classroom education, the FSG prepares tomorrow’s researchers, teachers, and food industry members for leadership roles in food safety. Outreach workshops and short courses communicate science-based food safety information to all sectors of the food system, including food producers, manufacturers, the retail and food service industry, and consumers.
Consumer food choices may be studied at the individual, family or community level. The most common social unit, the family as represented by its household members, has considerable influence on both individual food choice made outside the family as well as choices served or offered within the family setting. Current research examining the family food system includes understanding how risk perception, family member food preferences, gender roles, and traditional food patterns affect food choices. Strategies to increase family openness to new choices or patterns (i.e. increased flexibility) are being developed and tested.
The mission of the cocoa, chocolate, and confectionary group is to advance the science and technology as related to the manufacturing of confectionery products. We serve this industry and consumers by conducting collaborative research pertinent to this large and dynamic segment of Pennsylvania's food system. Research conducted by this group includes topics such as rheological and material characterization, oil and moisture migration, development of on-line sensors, flavor perception and interactions. This group also organizes research symposia in collaboration with industry associations and is internationally recognized as a Center of Excellence.
Pennsylvania is among the leading states in the production and processing of numerous fruits, vegetables, and cereals. We also lead the nation in the production and processing of mushrooms. It is the goal of the plant and mushroom products group to conduct teaching, research and outreach programs that will make Penn State a premier institution in improving the quality of and adding value to plant and mushroom products. We seek to enhance the sustainability of the food systems involved in producing and processing these products in Pennsylvania and beyond.
The Dairy Manufacturing Impact Group (DMIG) serves as a focal point for research and outreach activities related to the quality, functionality and safety of dairy products and dairy ingredients. Research projects include basic and applied studies involving microbiology, chemistry, physical characterization, processing and product utilization. Outreach activities of the DMIG include the Cultured Dairy Products Short Course, The Pasteurizer Operators Workshop, and the Ice Cream Short Course. In addition, the group serves as a forum for discussion of dairy manufacturing-related extension issues.
