Howdy!

As we continue the search for a permanent head of the Department of Food Science and Technology, I am truly grateful to faculty, staff, students and partners for moving the department’s important work forward. You are vital to advancing the science that lets us protect our food supply, strengthen our agricultural economy and support healthier communities.

I also thank Dr. Baltensperger for his steady guidance during this period of transition in the department. During his tenure as interim head, the department has continued to grow its research, teaching and extension impacts while preparing the next generation of professionals.

The search for the next head of the department will soon relaunch, in partnership with Texas A&M Executive Search Services. This search will build on the department’s strong foundation and position it for continued leadership in food safety, innovation and workforce development.

Food science is central to agriculture and the resilience of our food system, and I am excited about the future we are building together.

Thank you for all you do,

Jeffrey W. Savell, Ph.D.

Vice Chancellor and Dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences

jeffrey.savell@ag.tamu.edu

Greetings everyone, 

Our spring semester is off to a great start, with students and faculty actively engaged in meaningful projects and research. As we entered 2026, we took a moment to honor and respect the momentum and progress our Food Science and Technology community made during 2025. I shared a few of the many highlights below, and I hope they inspire you as they did me.

Teaching

Across the department, we continue to see encouraging momentum. Enrollment has grown this past year, with more students choosing food science as their path, and our graduates continue to see outstanding success – with 100% placement in industry positions or graduate programs. Our students are gaining meaningful experiences both in and beyond the classroom, from presenting research at scientific meetings to participating in study abroad opportunities like the Mediterranean Food Processing program in Italy.

Research

Our faculty also continue to expand the department’s research impact. In the past year, faculty secured more than $13 million in external research funding and submitted over 70 proposals, advancing work in areas such as food safety, fermentation, functional ingredients and emerging food system challenges. These efforts are strengthening collaborations with industry and federal partners while creating valuable research opportunities for students and postdoctoral scholars.

Extension

Extension continues to be a key part of our department’s mission, and recent federal reports show how our outreach is making a real difference for communities across Texas. Our team is working on practical ways to improve food safety, including helping processors and educators adopt safer practices. For example, through our Acidified Foods Testing program and food safety consultations, we supported more than 80 food businesses across 23 counties last year while assessing more than 260 products. We’re also offering hands-on workshops for teachers and students so food science can come alive in classrooms, and workforce programs like the U.S. Department of Agriculture-supported Summer Research Experience continue to strengthen the pipeline of future food scientists.

As for a few more quick updates, I’m also excited to announce that Dr. Rebecca Buckley will lead our new Study Away Texas course this summer, giving students the chance to explore food systems throughout the state and see firsthand how food science connects agriculture, industry and communities.

We’re moving forward with recruiting a new tenure-track faculty member in dairy science and processing. Meanwhile, as Dr. Savell noted above, the search for our next department head continues, and we will share updates as soon as they are available. 

Thank you for all your support last year, and we are looking forward to another great year ahead of us.

Thanks and Gig'em!

David Baltensperger, Ph.D.

Professor and Interim Department Head

david.baltensperger@ag.tamu.edu

 Texas A&M students take food science from lab to label

Department of Food Science and Technology students are gaining real-world experience by developing and producing their own Aggie-made sauces using industry-grade pilot plant equipment. The project highlights how hands-on learning prepares students to enter the food industry with practical skills and confidence.

 Cherry compounds may slow aggressive breast cancer, study discovers

Researchers are investigating natural compounds found in dark sweet cherries for their potential to slow the growth and spread of triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Their findings show that anthocyanins, or the pigments that give cherries their deep red color, may help reduce tumor growth, limit metastasis and influence genes linked to therapy resistance. The work highlights how food-derived compounds could complement future cancer prevention and treatment strategies.

New research targets unseen paths foodborne illness takes to consumers

Researchers in the Department of Food Science and Technology are developing new, science-based strategies to reduce foodborne illness by tracking how pathogens enter produce and meat supply chains and helping processors validate safer practices. Their work strengthens industry confidence while advancing a safer, more resilient food system.

Texas-grown cabbage meets global tradition
in Texas A&M kimchi research

Department of Food Science and Technology researchers are exploring how Texas-grown napa cabbage can be transformed into kimchi, advancing fermentation science while creating new value-added opportunities for U.S. producers. The project blends food safety, microbiome research and industry collaboration to help strengthen global market potential for fermented foods and prepare the next generation of food science leaders.

Two Department of Food Science and Technology undergraduate students, Jayden Ingalls and Matthew Stinebaker, were selected as Emily J. Prior Scholarship recipients. The scholarship honors Emily Prior’s dedicated military service as Chief of the Concepts and Systems Division at the Army Center of Excellence Subsistence and her continued leadership supporting military food and packaging systems through Research and Development Associates for Military Food and Packaging Systems Inc.

Department of Food Science and Technology faculty member Mian Riaz, Ph.D., continued international engagement throughout 2025, presenting at major global forums including the World Halal Summit in Istanbul, the Dubai International Food Safety Conference and the First International Halal Conference in Manila. His presentations highlighted evolving food safety considerations, global food diversity and the importance of addressing hazards to achieve Tayyab, or wholesome, integrity across food systems.

Kirby Richardson, a master’s student in the Department of Food Science and Technology, has been awarded the Texas A&M University Merit Fellowship. The fellowship recognizes graduate students who demonstrate strong academic performance and promise in advancing research and innovation within their field.

Suresh Pillai, Ph.D., delivered invited keynote and expert presentations across multiple international conferences and scientific forums in 2025, reinforcing Texas A&M’s leadership in electron-beam and X-ray food safety technologies. Engagements included International Atomic Energy Agency programs, the International High Level Forum on NUTEC Plastics, workshops in Korea and Brazil, and academic collaborations across Europe, Asia and North Africa — strengthening global partnerships focused on sustainable food safety innovation.

The Texas A&M Institute of Food Technologists Student Association, IFTSA, chapter celebrated several recent achievements, including winning the annual IFTSA Spirit Week competition. The chapter will host the South Central Area College Bowl Competition in April.

The Food Science and Nutrition Summer Research Experience for Undergraduate Students provides a three-week immersive research opportunity designed to introduce undergraduate participants to hands-on discovery in food science, nutrition and related STEM fields at Texas A&M University.

Texas A&M University’s National Center for Electron Beam Research will host a hands-on workshop exploring electron beam and X-ray technologies and their applications across food safety, agriculture and industry. The program brings together researchers, technology providers and professionals interested in emerging processing innovations.

High school STEM educators will participate in a five-day summer research experience focused on food science and nutrition, designed to help teachers bring applied research concepts and experiential learning back into their classrooms.

Faculty and students from the Department of Food Science and Technology will participate in the annual Institute of Food Technologists’ Food Improved by Research, Science and Technology, FIRST, Expo in Chicago. Departmental former students and industry partners are encouraged to connect during the conference.

The Texas A&M University Food Science Club meets Wednesdays at 6 p.m. The club is open to all majors and features meetings with industry professionals as well as opportunities to network, socialize and volunteer.

Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for more frequent news updates. Former students of the department are also invited to join a private LinkedIn group.

The department offers many gifting opportunities that will have a lasting impact.

Learn about the many scholarship opportunities available in the department.

Established in 2020, the Department of Food Science and Technology aspires to develop a world-class training, research and outreach program that leads the nation in shaping the future direction of the food science profession, while innovatively meeting the current and emerging needs of stakeholders. The department is invested in unique high-impact education and research programs that apply contemporary and novel technologies in food processing, food safety and quality, and sustainability.

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