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UMass Food Science

UMass Food Science

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Official page of the UMass Amherst Food Science Department research program in the United States by the National Research Council.

Food science as a formal academic discipline began at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1918, and now, almost a century later, it remains one of the world's preeminent food science programs. The Department of Food Science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst was recently ranked the number one food science Ph.D. The 2010 study evaluated graduate programs according to several criteri

06/15/2026

Our students have an incredible time at IFT FIRST, and their testimonials say it all. The UMass Food Science community continues to grow, inspire, and show up for one another.

See you this year!

UMass Food Science booth at IFT FIRST
July 13th-15th, 2026

And don’t miss the UMass Food Science IFT Chicago Alumni Gathering
July 13th, 2026
Registration link in bio

06/11/2026

🎓 Alumni Weekend 2026 Recap 🎉

What an incredible weekend celebrating the UMass Food Science community! From reconnecting with alumni and hearing their career journeys to participating in hands-on activities, trivia, sensory evaluations, a chocolate demonstration, raffles, and more, Alumni Weekend was filled with learning, laughter, and lasting memories.

Thank you to all of the alumni, students, faculty, and staff who made this weekend so special. We loved bringing together generations of UMass Food Scientists and celebrating the impact of our community.

🎥 Watch the full recap to relive the highlights of Alumni Weekend 2026!

Photos from UMass Food Science's post 06/10/2026

From ideation to final product, our students showcased their full food‑product development skills in the Survey of Food Science course last semester, guided by Matthew Steffens.

06/09/2026

UMass Food Science will be at IFT First and we’re ready to meet you!

Stop by our booth to chat with our professors, connect with our amazing graduate and undergraduate students, meet members of our Food Science Club, and explore everything our top‑ranked program has to offer.

Don’t forget to grab some exclusive UMass Food Science merch while you’re here!

Photos from UMass Food Science's post 06/08/2026

Every UMass Food Science Annual Gathering is a chance to celebrate the people who make our program exceptional.

This year, we introduced two new honors, and we are thrilled to recognize..

Faculty of the Year: Peiyi (Penny) Shen
Staff of the Year: Moriah A. Fahey

Congratulations to them and to all who were celebrated for their contributions.

06/04/2026

🎓 Alumni Weekend 2026: Alumni Interviews Part 2 🎤

We’re back with more advice and career insights from our UMass Food Science alumni! From navigating career changes and finding opportunities to making the most of your time as a student, our alumni shared valuable lessons they’ve learned throughout their professional journeys.

Thank you to our alumni for taking the time to connect with current students and inspire the next generation of food scientists. We loved hearing where your UMass Food Science education has taken you!

06/03/2026

Join us in Chicago for a special evening celebrating the UMass Amherst community and the College of Natural Sciences!

Registration link in bio!

Reconnect, unwind, and grow your network at this gathering of alumni, colleagues, and friends. The evening will feature exciting updates from campus leadership, including Lili He, Chair of the Food Science Department, and Michael Fox, Dean of the College of Natural Sciences.

Whether you’re based in Chicago or attending the IFT Expo, we hope you’ll join us for this opportunity to strengthen connections and celebrate our shared community.

Date: July 13, 2026
Time: 6:00-9:00 PM
Location:
The University Club
76 East Monroe Street
Chicago, IL 60603

We encourage our faculty, alumni, and partners to attend and to help spread the word!

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Photos from UMass Food Science's post 06/02/2026



This week we’re featuring Harris, a master’s student in Dr. Lutz Grossmann’s lab.

His research is on how to produce and incorporate fat into plant‑based meat alternatives to create realistic marbling-like structures. By engineering a novel extrusion segment that separates protein and fat during processing, his system allows these phases to reorganize downstream forming marbling, a key feature for replicating the appearance, flavor, and texture of animal-based whole‑cut meats.

By integrating lipids directly into the extrusion process, his work aims to elevate the textural and sensory qualities of plant-based meats and enable scalable production of texturized, anisotropic, whole‑cut “marbled” alternatives. This research has the potential to expand the diversity and realism of products in the plant-based meat industry.

Stay tuned for more updates from .erdman ’s research journey.

Comment your curious questions below and Harris will be happy to answer them!

Photos from UMass Food Science's post 05/29/2026

Congratulations to our graduate students! 🙌

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Location

Amherst

Category

College & University

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+14135452276

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240 Chenoweth Laboratory/102 Holdsworth Way
Amherst, MA
01003

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm