Department of Food Science and Technology

Department website: https://foodscience.tamu.edu/

Interim Department Head: Dr. David Baltensperger

The graduate programs in the Department of Food Science and Technology are administered by the department and its graduate faculty, including faculty members from the departments of Food Science and Technology, Animal Science, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Horticultural Sciences, Poultry Science, Soil and Crop Sciences and the Health Science Center.

The department's core teaching and research facilities focus on applied contemporary and novel technologies in food processing, food safety, quality and sustainability. Our facilities include the NASA Space Food and Research Facility, the National Center for Electron Beam Research, a pilot-scale hot-fill/high-acid processing/bottling line, a modern grain processing and baking, teaching and demonstration lab and a food science analytical, multi-user lab.

Graduate training in Food Science and Technology is designed to provide advanced training in the basic sciences, processing technology and engineering processes related to the production, processing, distribution or utilization of food. Food science courses are selected to strengthen the graduate student's primary interests and needs. Courses of study lead to the Master of Food Technology and Leadership, the Master of Science and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Food Science and Technology.

Faculty research areas include:

cellular agriculture and alternative proteins
fermentation processes and precision fermentation
harnessing electron beam (eBeam) technology to neutralize pathogens and sterilize food
food and carbohydrate chemistry
food microbiology and safety
food diversity
sensory analysis and consumer science
meat and poultry science
food packaging, processing and engineering (including rheology)
cereal science
international food and nutrition security research
foods for health, and isolation and characterization of bioactives
natural compounds in foods and their role in food quality and human health
generation of knowledge and innovative tools for improving health

Questions about graduate degrees in food science and technology can be directed to the department's email address at foodscience@ag.tamu.edu.

Food Science and Technology

FSTC 605 Chemistry of Foods

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Chemical covalent and noncovalent interactions in food systems; the glass transition and moisture in foods; carbohydrate chemistry; reactions of food lipids; food protein functionality; chemistry of flavor; processing chemistry; food additives; and nutraceutical phytochemicals. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

FSTC 606/DASC 606 Microbiology of Foods

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Nature and function of beneficial and defect-producing bacteria in foods; food-borne illness, effects of processing, storage and distribution; techniques for isolation and identification from foods. Prerequisite: Graduate classification. Cross Listing: DASC 606/FSTC 606.

FSTC 607/ANSC 607 Physiology and Biochemistry of Muscle as a Food

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Biochemical, histological, anatomical and physical characteristics of muscle cells and factors associated with transformation of muscle cells into meat. Prerequisite: BICH 410 or approval of instructor. Cross Listing: ANSC 607/FSTC 607.

FSTC 616 Food Biomanufacturing and Cellular Agriculture

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Basic principles and techniques of food biomanufacturing, including bioprocessing, fermentation science, cellular agriculture, space food, and molecular farming, by addressing bioprocessing, microbial community, bacterial and yeast-based fermentation, bioreactors, cellular agriculture technologies, enzymes applications in food production, and sustainability; introduction to the concepts of cellular agriculture, fermentation and precision fermentation, bioprocessing, different bioreactors, and life cycle analysis roles in making decisions about the final products; learning to read papers to develop protocols and how to modify them; understanding of upstream and downstream processing, which will cover the bacterial, and yeast-based fermentation, precision fermentation, cellular agriculture, bioprocessing and food safety aspects of these products; biomanufacturing applications for different products developed from plants, insects, algae, and animals’ byproducts. Prerequisites: Graduate classification.

FSTC 619 Molecular Methods for Microbial Characterization

Credits 3. 2 Lecture Hours. 2 Lab Hours. Underlying principles of molecular methods for microbial detection and characterization in natural and man-made ecosystems; emphasis on method application and data interpretation; emphasis on microbial pathogens and indicator organisms in foods and environment; laboratory covers select protocols. Prerequisites: FSTC 326/ANSC 326; SCSC 405; POSC 429; approval of instructor.

FSTC 629/POSC 629 Electron Beam and Ionizing Technologies

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. 0 Lab Hours. Underlying theory of ionizing technologies cobalt-60 gamma, electron beam (eBeam) and X-ray technologies; focuses on the myriad of applications of these technologies in the agriculture, food, environment, medical industry, plastic polymers and other industries; environmental remediation, medical device sterilization, as well as agricultural industry applications in food safety, food quality and phytosanitary treatments. Prerequisite: Graduate classification. Cross Listing: POSC 629/FSTC 629.

FSTC 631 Food Carbohydrates

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Chemistry, structure, functionality and nutritional properties of food carbohydrates; fiber chemistry, functionality and nutritional properties, artificial sweeteners, starch structure and functionality and hydrocolloid functionality. Prerequisite: BICH 410.

FSTC 632 Innovative Functional Food Ingredients

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Exploration of the impact of functional food ingredients on human health and the microbiome, processing, quality control, and regulatory compliance under FDA and FTC guidelines. Prerequisites: Graduate classification.

FSTC 639 Strategic Messaging and Stakeholder Engagement in the Food Industry

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Principles and strategies of persuasive communication as applied to the food industry; creation of engaging content tailored to various audiences, such as consumers, stakeholders, policymakers, and media professionals; emphasis on practical skills in writing, public speaking, and digital communication, focusing on topics such as food safety, sustainability, product marketing, and health advocacy; development of skills to influence opinions, promote products, and address pressing issues in the food industry with clarity and impact. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

FSTC 647/ANSC 647 Technology of Meat Processing and Distribution

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Quantitative and qualitative characteristics of meat and meat products as related to food technology processing operations; manufacturing, preservation, packaging and merchandising. Cross Listing: ANSC 647/FSTC 647.

FSTC 649 Microbial Detection and Genomics in the Food Industry

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Principles and advanced applications of molecular methods for detecting and characterizing microbial pathogens and indicator organisms in food-related environments; emphasis on method selection, sensitivity, specificity, and data interpretation, with consideration of sample matrix, pathogen load, and background microflora; theory and practice of conventional methods, omics-based detection and characterization; contemporary data analysis platforms; critical assessment and application of appropriate detection technologies in real-world food production, processing, and distribution settings. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

FSTC 657/ANSC 657 Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Examination of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles specifically related to meat and poultry; microbiological and process overviews; good manufacturing practices (GMP) and standard operating procedures (SOP) development; team-building and implementation into industry operations. This class is designed for the production of food and fulfills the training requirements of USDA's HACCP regulation for meat and poultry (9 CFR Part 417), and FDA's HACCP regulations for fish and fishery products (21 CFR Part 123 and 1240) and for juice (21 CFR Part 120). Cross Listing: ANSC 657/FSTC 657.

FSTC 664 Fundamentals of Food Law

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. History, development of, and fundamental principles behind current food regulations, including food labeling, adulteration, food safety, food additives, dietary supplements, and import and export laws; overview of government agency jurisdiction, international law and ethics. Prerequisites: Graduate classification.

FSTC 667/ANSC 667 Industrial Processed Meat Operations

Credits 3. 2 Lecture Hours. 2 Lab Hours. Application of scientific principles and business practices to manufactured meat products; interrelationships among marketing, manufacturing, product development, regulatory compliance and quality assurance in commercial processed meat operations. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor. Cross Listing: ANSC 667/FSTC 667.

FSTC 670 Quality Assurance for the Food Industry

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. Principles of food system process control; statistical process control (SPC); tools required to assure uniform communication and understanding of quality assurance systems. Prerequisite: Graduate classification. Cross Listing: ANSC 670/FSTC 670.

FSTC 681 Seminar

Credits 0-1. 0-1 Other Hours. Oral reports and discussions of current research and developments in food science and technology designed to broaden understanding of problems and to stimulate research.

FSTC 684 Professional Internship

Credits 0 to 16. 0 to 16 Other Hours. Experience in application of formal training to a commercial operation under supervision of operations manager and designated faculty member; investigation of matter of mutual interest and report results in a professional paper approved by the graduate committee.

FSTC 685 Directed Studies

Credits 0 to 4. 0 to 4 Other Hours. Directed study of selected problems emphasizing recent developments in research techniques.

FSTC 687/ANSC 687 Sensory Evaluation of Foods

Credits 3. 2 Lecture Hours. 2 Lab Hours. Application of sensory science principles and practices to food systems including an understanding of discriminative, descriptive and consumer sensory techniques. Prerequisite: CHEM 222 or CHEM 228. Cross Listing: ANSC 687/FSTC 687.

FSTC 689 Special Topics in...

Credits 1 to 4. 1 to 4 Other Hours. Special topics in an identified area of food science ad technology. May be repeated for credit.

FSTC 691 Research

Credits 1 to 23. 1 to 23 Other Hours. Investigations leading to thesis or dissertation in various areas of food science and technology.

Buckley, Rebecca Creasy, Instructional Associate Professor
Food Science and Technology
PHD, University of Florida, 2013

Castillo, Alex, Associate Professor
Food Science and Technology
PHD, Texas A&M University, 1998

Ku, Seockmo, Assistant Professor
Food Science and Technology
PHD, Purdue University, 2015

Murano, Elsa A, Professor
Food Science and Technology
PHD, Virginia Tech, 1990

Ovissipour, Reza, Associate Professor
Food Science and Technology
PHD, Washington State University, 2017
PHD, Tarbiat Modares University, 2010

Pillai, Suresh D, Professor
Food Science and Technology
PHD, University of Arizona, 1989

Riaz, Mian N, Instructional Professor
Food Science and Technology
PHD, The University of Maine, 1992

Talcott, Stephen T, Professor
Food Science and Technology
PHD, University of Arkansas, 2000

Talcott, Susanne U, Professor
Food Science and Technology
PHD, University of Florida, 2004