Performing Department
FD SC HUM NUTR ANR
Non Technical Summary
Food Science and Technology is a multi-disciplinary education and research area consisting of food chemistry and food biochemistry, food engineering, food packaging, food safety, and food laws and regulations. Within the Food Science and Technology program, there are specific courses on food processing and preservation. Such courses are at most U.S. universities (offering agricultural sciences majors) are generally comprised of processing science and technology of fruits/vegetables, cereal grains, dairy, and meat and poultry processing. Traditionally, these courses have fulfilled food industry needs for trained manpower but, in most cases, such courses have not been aligned well with the emerging consumer trends and/or have not covered subject matter on emerging and innovative food processing technologies.To meet the needs of emerging/evolving consumer and technology trends and to prepare a trained workforce in food processing and quality optimization, there is a need to strengthen current courses of study and to develop new curriculum that aligns with the food industry dynamics.The main objectives of this planning activity proposal are to: 1) Determine the gaps in current food processing curricula; 2) Planning for an open-source book; and 3) Develop a full USDA-HEC proposal for curriculum strengthening with due input from the food industry and regulatory agencies' stakeholders. The anticipated impacts on improving the quality of food and agricultural sciences education are to update and modernize curriculum of food processing courses and align it with food industry's dynamic needs.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Food Science/ and Technology is a multi-disciplinary education area, encompassing food chemistry, food biochemistry, food engineering, food packaging, and food laws and regulations. A survey of undergraduate food processing curriculum at most U.S. universities shows that the courses in this area are generally comprised of processing science and technology of fruits and vegetables, meat and poultry, dairy foods, and cereal grains processing. Traditionally, these courses have fulfilled food industry needs for trained professionals but they have not been aligned with the emerging consumer trends, e.g., consumers are increasingly opting for foods produced/processed in environmentally-friendly and sustainable agricultural production systems. One of the major recent consumer trends has been increasingly more preference for plant-based foods (as meat alternatives) due primarily to the environment and health concerns. In order to meet these emerging consumer trends and prepare a trained workforce in the science and technology of processing and quality optimization of plant-based foods, there is a need to strengthen current and develop new curriculum in this fast-growing area of food industry. Need area to be addressed by this proposal is II(C)(a): Curriculum Strengthening and Development, Instructional Delivery Systems, and Expanding Student Career Opportunities. The main objectives of this planning proposal are to: 1) conduct formal surveys of undergraduate curriculum of food processing courses, 2) hold planning meetings with multi-disciplinary faculty to strengthen curriculum; 3) connect with food industry stakeholders to align curriculum with their needs; and 4) plan to submit a full proposal to USDA upon completion of this planning proposal.
Project Methods
Objective 1: Conduct surveys of undergraduate curriculum food processing courses; Assess knowledge gaps based on above survey. Objective 2: Hold planning meetings with multi-disciplinary faculty; Meet with undergraduate student advisors; Objective 3: Meet formally with food industry stakeholders to seek their input; Analyze/finalize recommendations from food industry stakeholders; Objective 4: Research sources for appropriate materials for an open-source book; Finalize plans for a full proposal based on all of the above activities; Dissemination:Poster presentation of planning activity at a regional/national conference