College of Agriculture and Life SciencesFood Science and Technology
OverviewDoes a thick slice of spicy pizza with gooey stringy cheese sound good right now? How about getting a thick juicy burger with some fries to go? Maybe, your watching those calories and you are looking for something nutritious but delicious. You can always run down to the grocery store and pick up a few things to pop in the microwave for a quick snack. Gone are the days when you had to slave over a hot stove for a tasty meal. Food Science is responsible for this revolution. 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. Consumers drive the industry as they seek more convenience and nutrition, improved taste and quality, yet lower costs in the foods they buy. The food industry is being challenged daily to produce better foods to suit the health and nutritional concerns of association such as the American Dietetic Association, American Heart Association, and the American Cancer Society to help prevent the many disease that affect America and worldwide. As the industry tries to meet the consumer demand, more highly knowledgeable and competently trained food technologists are needed. Virginia Tech's Department of Food Science and Technology can successfully prepare you to compete in this market. You will learn innovative technology in a department that has been successful in placing nearly 100% of its graduates into careers in product development, research, sales and marketing, quality assurance, production management, analytical and technical services and regulatory affairs as well as into higher education or professional programs. Our graduates enjoy an average starting salary of $40,000. Here at 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. Food scientists extend this knowledge to the development of new food products, packaging, processes and equipment. Food Science and Technology is the key to the conversion of raw agricultural materials into a wide variety of properly processed and preserved foods, thus providing an important contribution to the nation's economy, our standard of living and the progress of humanity. The Virginia Tech Department of Food Science and Technology is the only food science department in Virginia with an approved program 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. Our building is home to a 5,000 square-foot processing area, a pilot-scale dairy processing area, a fully-equipped research winery, a cutting-edge high-pressure processing area as well as laboratories modernly equipped for chemical, physical and microbiological analysis. Our faculty and staff received over $3 million in sponsored research funding last year. Our curriculum offers three options: science, food business or pre-professional, in addition to a food biology option with the Department of Biology. The department also offers a minor (please consult a department representative for requirements), 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 option requirements will also be prepared for graduate and professional schools of medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine. Food Science and Technology students have the opportunity to participate in stimulating undergraduate research projects and internships. Science Option
Technology Option
Pre-Vet Option
Satisfactory Progress
Undergraduate Course Descriptions (FST)2014: INTRODUCTION TO FOOD SCIENCEFundamentals 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) II. 2104: DAIRY PRODUCTS SENSORY EVALUATION Study of sensory attributes of milk and dairy products important in evaluation and judging product quality. Consideration of production and processing methods affecting milk and dairy product quality as determined by organoleptic evaluation. Training in different sensory techniques for use in dairy products manufacturing and quality control. Consent required. (3L,1C) I. 2214: MEAT SELECTION AND GRADING LABORATORY Practice in judging and grading beef, lamb, and pork carcasses and cuts. Communication skills for the meat industry will be developed through written exercises. Drills in carcass grading and judging at meat packing plants. Institutional meat purchasing specifications will be studied. (3L,1C) I,II. 2974: INDEPENDENT STUDY Variable credit course. 2984: SPECIAL STUDY Variable credit course. 3104: DAIRY PROCESSING Microbiological, chemical, and physical analyses, quality control, and regulation of milk and dairy products. Evaluation of refrigeration, pasteurization, concentration, homogenization, product manufacture (milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, etc.), automation, and sanitation operations. Pre: 2014 or DASC 2474. Co: BIOL 2604, BIOL 2614. (2H,3L,3C) I. 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) II. 3214 (APSC 3214): MEAT SCIENCE Study of meat science starting with the live animal through the utilization as a muscle food. Fundamentals in live animal evaluation, slaughter, fabrication, fresh meat, byproduct utilization, and processed meats. The physical, chemical, physiological, and microbiological properties of meat as related to meat composition, quality, nutrition, and safety. Even years. Pre: ALS 2304, BIOL 2604, CHEM 1015. (2H,6L,4C) I. 3224: POULTRY PROCESSING AND PRODUCTS Quality factors, and physical and chemical changes in processing and handling of egg and poultry products. Methods for maintaining high quality of these products. (1H,3L,2C) I. 3304: UNIT OPERATIONS IN FOOD PROCESSING Application to the food industry of analytical processing concepts with regards to mass and energy balances, fluid flow, heat transfer, dehydration, evaporation, separation, thermodynamics, and refrigeration. Pre: MATH 2015, PHYS 2205, CS 1014. (3H,3L,4C) II. 4014: FOOD PROD 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: 4604. Co: 4405, 4504. (3H,3C) I. 4204: MARINE FOOD PRODUCTS Fundamentals of the science and technology associated with harvesting, processing, packaging, preservation, storage, distribution, marketing, and safety of marine food products of commerce. An off-campus intensive course for students in education, business, and the physical or biological sciences. Course enrollment is limited to 20 students. Instructor consent required. (2H,3L,3C) III. 4214: MUSCLE FOODS PROCESSING Study of the conversion of muscle to meat. Incorporation of knowledge of muscle ultrastructure and biochemical reactions related to muscle processing parameters. Science and technology of meat products manufacture will be emphasized. Pre: CHEM 2536 or CHEM 2514. (3H,3L,4C) II. 4405,4406: FOOD PROCESSING Basic principles, unit operations, and equipment involved in the commercially important food processing methods and unit operations; materials and containers used in food packaging; food laws, regulations, and standards. Pre: BIOL 2604 for 4405; 3304 for 4406. 4405: (3H,3L,4C) 4406: (1H,3L,2C) 4405: I; 4406: II. 4504: FOOD CHEMISTRY Consideration of the chemical constituents of foods with emphasis on their role in determining the nutritive value, functional properties, storage characteristics and acceptability of fresh and processed foods. Pre: CHEM 2536, BCHM 2024. (3H,3C) I. 4514: FOOD ANALYSIS Sampling techniques and theory and practice of chemical and physical methods of food analysis for determination of food composition; application of analytical methods to quality control and food law regulation problems. Pre: 4504. (2H,3L,3C) II. 4524: FOOD QUALITY ASSURANCE Functions of quality control departments in monitoring safety and quality of food as well as compliance with government regulations. Description of federal regulatory agencies. Development of specifications, food standards and critical control points. Selection of analytical methods. Acceptance sampling and control charts. Microbiological quality control. Pre: 4405, 4604, STAT 3616. (3H,3C) II. 4604 (BIOL 4604): FOOD MICROBIOLOGY Role of microorganisms in foodborne illness and food quality, spoilage, and preservation. Control and destruction of microorganisms in foods. Pre: BIOL 2604, BIOL 2614. (3H,3L,4C) II. 4614: FOOD SANITATION Applications of sanitation principles to food products and processing facilities with emphasis on regulatory programs, sanitation systems, cleaning and sanitizing compounds, and monitoring procedures for evaluation of effectiveness of the system. Pre: 4604. (2H,2C) II. 4974: INDEPENDENT STUDY Variable credit course. 4984: SPECIAL STUDY Variable credit course. 4994: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH Variable credit course.
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Programs of Study
Agricultural and Applied Economics | Agricultural and Extension Education | Agriculture and Life Sciences Agriculture Technology | Animal and Poultry Science | Biochemistry | Biological Systems Engineering Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences | Dairy Science | Entomology | Food Science and Technology | Horticulture Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise | Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science |
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