Food Science and Technology
Head: J.E. Marcy
Professors: S.E. Duncan, J.E. Marcy, S.F. O'Keefe, and S.S. Sumner
Associate Professors: R.R. Boyer, J.D. Eifert, M.A. Ponder, and R.C. Williams
Assistant Professors: C. Fernandez-Fraguas, H. Huang, D.D. Kuhn, A.P. Neilson, and A.C. Stewart
Distinguished Professor Emeritus: G.F. Flick Jr.
Professor Emeritus: M.L. Jahncke, N.G. Marriott, M.D. Pierson, and B.W. Zoecklein
Associate Professor Emeritus: P.P. Graham
Adjunct Faculty: B. Blakistone, H. Bruce, and A.M. Dietrich
Manager, Consumer Food Safety Program: M.W. Chase
Career Advisor: L.A. Granata
Web: www.fst.vt.edu
E-mail: fstinfo@vt.edu
Overview
Food science benefits consumers every day with healthier diets, better tasting affordable foods, and increased food safety. In the Department of Food Science and Technology, you really do get to play with your food! Food Science is an exciting area that applies a blend of basic sciences such as biology, chemistry and physics with microbiology, biochemistry, mathematics and engineering to improve the taste, nutrition and value of the world's food supply. The Food Science and Technology curriculum includes hands-on experiences that supports classroom instruction with practical applications and creative opportunities for product development.
Demand for Food Science and Technology graduates has never been greater. Practically 100% of Virginia Tech's Food Science and Technology graduates have jobs in product development, research, sales and marketing, quality assurance, production management, analytical and technical services and regulatory affairs at graduation. Food processing is the largest industry in the United States. This industry employs nearly 2 million people and accounts for more than 16 percent of the country's gross national product. In a recent survey of U.S. Food Science programs, Virginia Tech ranked 6th nationally in placing Food Science B.S. graduates into graduate or professional schools.
The Virginia Tech Department of Food Science and Technology is the only food science department in Virginia. The program is recognized by the national Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) as having curricula and options that meet the "IFT Undergraduate Education Standards for Degrees in Food Science." Students enrolled in these programs are eligible to apply for IFT Scholarships. The Virginia Tech Food Science Club is a student chapter of the national IFT organization and houses the Product Development and College Bowl teams that permits students to meet professionals in the food industry, develop leadership skills and enhance their educational experience. Students have excellent opportunities for internships as an additional way to explore different facets of the food industry.
The Food Science and Technology building is home to a 5,000 square-foot processing pilot plant, a fully-equipped research winery, a cutting-edge high-pressure processing area as well as laboratories modernly equipped for chemical, physical and microbiological analysis of foods. Due to the department's success and growth we expanded to the Human and Agricultural Biosciences Building (HABB1) and the Integrated Life Sciences Building in the VT Corporate Research Park. HABB1 is, located across the street from our present building provides the department with additional laboratories, pilot plants, taste panel and food preparation facilities, conference rooms, graduate student research spaces and faculty and staff offices. In the Department of Food Science and Technology you may receive a Bachelor of Science in one of four options: Food Business, Food and Health, Science or Food and Beverage Fermentation.
The Department also offers a minor, as well as a double-major option in Food Science and Technology to students in all other colleges of the university. Students completing the Science or Food & Health option requirements will also be prepared for graduate schools and professional schools of pharmacy medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine. Food Science and Technology students have the opportunity to participate in stimulating undergraduate research projects and internships.
Degree Requirements
The graduation requirements in effect at the time of graduation apply. When choosing the degree requirements information, always choose the year of your expected date of graduation. Requirements for graduation are referred to via university publications as "Checksheets". The number of credit hours required for degree completion varies among curricula. Students must satisfactorily complete all requirements and university obligations for degree completion.
The university reserves the right to modify requirements in a degree program. However, the university will not alter degree requirements less than two years from the expected graduation year unless there is a transition plan for students already in the degree program.
Please visit the University Registrar website at http://registrar.vt.edu/graduation-multi-brief/index1.html for degree requirements.
Satisfactory Progress
University policy requires that students who are making satisfactory progress toward a degree meet minimum criteria toward the General Education (Curriculum for Liberal Education) (see "Academics") and toward the degree.
Satisfactory progress requirements toward the specific degree can be found on the major checksheet by visiting the University Registrar website at http://registrar.vt.edu/graduation-multi-brief/index1.html.
Undergraduate Course Descriptions (FST)
2014: INTRODUCTION TO FOOD SCIENCE
Fundamentals for food science and technology. Integration
of basic principles of food safety, human nutrition, food
spoilage, and sensory evaluation with the appropriate
technology of food preservation and processing.
(2H,2C)
2044 (IS 2044) (PSCI 2044): FOOD, WAR AND CONFLICT
Explores the history of food production and processing
relative to the commencement or continuation of conflict.
Examines why and how wars have been fought over economic
policies, food trade and control of food supplies. Examines
efforts to protect food and water supplies from intentional
contamination and acts of terrorism. Focus on food products
and the preservation, processing and distribution
technologies that arose from war and conflict.
(3H,3C)
2244: TOPICS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Variable topics in food science and technology such as
emerging trends, challenges and regulatory policy.
Qualitatively and quantitatively explore relevant and timely
issues facing food systems. May be repeated for a maximum
of six credits with different topics. Pre: Sophomore
standing.
Variable credit course.
2544 (HNFE 2544): FUNCTIONAL FOODS FOR HEALTH
Introduction to functional foods (foods with additional
value beyond basic nutrition) including development of
functional foods, novel sources, and traditional foods with
value-added health benefit; regulatory issues; and media
messages.
(3H,3C)
2974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.
2984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.
3024: PRINCIPLES OF SENSORY EVALUATION
Principles of sensory evaluation including theory,
sensory physiology and psychology, experimental
methods, applications, and statistical analysis.
Pre: STAT 3005 or STAT 3615.
(3H,3C)
3114 (HORT 3114): WINES AND VINES
Principles and standard practices of wine grape production,
processing, and sensory evaluation for students with a
professional interest in premium table wines.
Junior standing and consent required.
(2H,2L,3C)
3124: BREWING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Study of chemical reactions important in brewing of beer and
hard cider. Effects of variations in malting, mashing, and
other processing steps on characteristics and quality of
beer; fruit sugar, acid and fermentation impacts on cider
composition and quality. Investigation of reactions that
cause flavor deterioration.
(3H,3C)
3214 (APSC 3214): MEAT SCIENCE
Fundamentals of meat science in meat inspection, carcass
evaluation, fabrication, fresh meat, processed meat and
product preservation on beef, pork, lamb, poultry, and
seafood. Physical, chemical, physiological and
microbiological properties of meat as related to composition
and quality. Fundamentals in processing techniques, product
quality assurance and food safety programs in meat
industries.
Pre: ALS 2304, BIOL 2604, CHEM 1015.
(2H,4L,4C)
3514: FOOD ANALYSIS
Data analysis, sampling techniques, theory and practice of
chemical and physical methods of food analysis for
determination of food composition; application of analytical
methods of quality control and food laws and regulations.
Pre: STAT 3615, (CHEM 2535 or CHEM 2514).
(3H,3L,4C)
3604 (BIOL 3604): FOOD MICROBIOLOGY
Role of microorganisms in foodborne illness, food quality,
spoilage, and preservation. Control of microorganisms in
foods. Method to enumerate, identify, and characterize
microorganisms in foods.
Pre: BIOL 2604, BIOL 2614.
(3H,3L,4C)
4014: CONCEPTS OF FOOD PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Application to the food industry of principles and standard
practices of research and product development; functionality
of food ingredients; students will work in teams to design
and develop a new food product.
Pre: 3604.
Co: 4504, 4405.
(3H,3C)
4104: APPLIED MALTING AND BREWING SCIENCE
Chemistry, biochemistry, and processing aspects of malting
and brewing operations in the production of beer. Barley,
malting, hops, brewing operations, fermentation and
finishing operations examined. Laboratory exercises focused
on malting and brewing. With permission of department
required.
Pre: 3124, 4504.
(2H,4L,3C)
4304: FOOD PROCESSING
Basic principles, unit operations, equipment in commercially
important food processing applications; raw food materials
and packaging; sanitation. Introduction to food regulations
and standards.
Pre: 3604.
(3H,3L,4C)
4414: FERMENTATION PROCESS TECHNOLOGY AND INSTRUMENTATION
Process design considerations for food and beverage
fermentations, and other industrial fermentation processes.
Critical process parameters, and instrumentation for
fermentation process monitoring. Hands-on process
instrumentation for fermentation.
Pre: 4504 or 3604.
(1H,2L,2C)
4504: FOOD CHEMISTRY
Overview of the chemical and functional properties of food
components including major (water, proteins, carbohydrates,
enzymes and lipids) and minor (vitamins, minerals, flavors,
pigments) constituents; chemical, biochemical reactions and
physical phenomena occuring during food handling,
processing, and storage; their impact on the nutritional and
sensorial quality of food.
Pre: BCHM 2024.
(3H,3C)
4524: FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY ASSURANCE
Monitoring safety and quality of food as well as compliance
with government regulations. Description of regulatory
agencies and food regulations. Development of
specifications, food standards and safety critical control
points. Systems to assure a safe and quality product,
including acceptance sampling and statistical process
control.
Pre: 3604, 4304.
(3H,3C)
4534: FOOD CHEMISTRY LAB
Investigation of functional properties of proteins,
carbohydrates, and lipids in processed foods including
effect of environmental conditions; solubility, foaming
ability and textural properties of proteins, carbohydrate
crystallization, ability of polysaccharides to form gels and
pastes, lipid absorption and tenderization, characterization
of a natural-occurring enzyme.
Co: 4504.
(3L,1C)
4544: DISTILLATION AND FERMENTATION ANALYSIS
Sampling and analysis of pre-and post-fermentation foods and
beverages to determine process termination, efficiency, and
formation of desired and non-desired products. Laws and
regulations pertaining to fermented foods and beverages.
Distillation as an analytical tool and as a production
method for food/beverage products.
Pre: 4504, 3514.
Co: 4104.
(2H,3L,3C)
4634: EPIDEMIOLOGY FOODBORNE DISEASE
Overview of causes, transmission, and epidemiology of major
environmental, food, and water borne diseases. Outbreak and
sporadic detection, source tracking and control of
pathogens. Overview of the impact of foodborne outbreaks on
regulatory activities at the national and international
level. Corequisite: Enrollment in either FST 3604 or BIOL
4674.
Co: BIOL 4674, 3604.
(3H,3C)
4644: FERMENTATION MICROBIOLOGY
Physiology, biochemistry, and genetics of microorganisms
used for production of food ingredients, fermented foods,
and beverages. How microorganisms are used in fermentation
and the effects of processing and manufacturing conditions
on production of fermented foods.
Pre: 4504, 3604.
(2H,2C)
4654: FOOD AND BEVERAGE FERMENTATION
Introduction to the broad range of fermented foods and
beverages. Defining quality parameters of fermented foods
and beverages. In-depth examination of the processing
methods and equipment employed in commercial-scale
production of fermented foods and beverages. Historical,
cultural, sensory, and nutritional attributes of fermented
foods and beverages. Course requirements may be satisfied
by taking FST 3604 or FST 4504 prior to or concurrent
with course.
Pre: 4504 or 3604.
Co: 4644.
(1H,2L,2C)
4974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.
4984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.
4994: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.