UMass Food Science
Share
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
06/10/2026
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.
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!
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.
🎓 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!
hashtag
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!
05/29/2026
Congratulations to our graduate students! 🙌
🎓 Alumni Weekend 2026: Alumni Interviews Part 1 🎤✨
Where are our UMass Food Science alumni now? From industry leaders to researchers and innovators, we got to hear about their journeys after graduation and the advice they have for current students navigating their own paths in food science 🍫🔬🌱
Thank you to all the alumni who shared their experiences, insights, and words of encouragement with our students. Stay tuned for Part 2! 👀
05/25/2026
Honoring achievements, sharing great food, and wrapping up with unforgettable raffles. A perfect recap of the Food Science Annual Gathering!
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.
Category
Contact the university
Telephone
Address
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 |