UW-Madison Department of Food Science

Professor Richard Hartel speaks to Deema Zein in an interview from PBS regarding recipe changes from beloved chocolate companies.🍫

Candy makers quietly change recipes as climate change hits cocoa industry Earlier this week, The Hershey Company announced that it is returning all of its classic brands to earlier milk and dark chocolate recipes. The move comes amid a growing backlash over the recipe changes and the use of chocolate alternatives in some of its candies. Deema Zein explores what’s behind...

Professor J.P. van Pijkeren has been named the faculty director of the Food Research Institute ()! As the new director, van Pijkeren will be responsible for developing, maintaining, and improving connections with industry sponsors and funds for FRI programs and activities.

Scott Rankin received a name professorship in 2026. Dr. Rankin received the Food Science Campbell Bascom Professorship, which recognizes faculty in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) for outstanding contributions in the field of agriculture.

The Food Science Department has invited Ali Bouzari to give a seminar on Monday, March 2nd and 12pm. Ali is a culinary scientist, author and educator with a Ph.D. in Food Biochemistry. He is a co-founder of Pilot R&D, a company leveraging food scientists to optimize food products. Bouzari has been featured on Eater, WIRED, TEDx, and judged on the Netflix show "Snack vs. Chef."

We hope to see you there!

As major companies eliminate synthetic dyes from their products by the end of 2027, Wisconsin researchers are positioned at the forefront of the natural alternatives revolution.
Professor Bradley Bolling has pioneered research of anthocyanins, natural pigments responsible for the vibrant hues in fruits like cranberries.

“We want to understand how the pigments in cranberry are stabilized,” Bolling said.

Bolling developed a patented process using lecithin, an emulsifier, to extract natural pigments from cranberries without using alcohol or acetone. This makes the process safer and more environmentally sustainable.

Wisconsin researchers lead natural food coloring breakthrough as industry phases out artificial dyes UW-Madison professor Bradley Bolling has spent years studying natural colorants that could potentially replace synthetic dyes while offering additional health benefits.

A new method for removing harmful by-products could help clear a major hurdle for plant-based fuel production. Dr. Victor Ujor's genetically modified bacteria, P. putida, has the potential to eliminate a big roadblock in bioenergy production.



https://foodsci.wisc.edu/rewired-microbe-scarfs-toxic-chemicals-for-dinner-and-then-skips-dessert/

Sometimes chocolate develops a white film, but why? Professor Richard Hartel explains to us why it happens.



https://foodsci.wisc.edu/why-does-chocolate-turn-white-its-not-mold/

Photo by ZAP // NightCafe Studio

Food Science Professor Bradley Bolling contributed to a new review on wild blueberry health benefits. Listen in on Channel 15 this Thursday at 10PM for the whole story. Want to read the full article? https://www-tandfonline-com.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/doi/full/10.1080/10408398.2025.2610406