The University of Massachusetts Amherst

Department of Food Science at UMass Amherst

food science research

SECURING THE SAFETY OF THE FOOD SUPPLY

UMass Amherst scientists are conducting research to promote the safety of the food we eat—and to stop the spread of outbreaks when they occur.

Department News

Food Science Spotlight

UNDERSTANDING COMPLEX FLUID DYNAMICS COULD HELP ADVANCE SUSTAINABILITY OF FOOD SYSTEMS

Dr. Jiakai Lu has been awarded two USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture grants to pursue research designed to benefit the environment and human health in different ways.

In one project, funded with a three-year grant totaling $630,000, Dr. Lu aims to reduce the use of conventional agricultural pesticides by developing an eco-friendly drift reduction agent using essential oils derived from food waste, such as orange peel and culinary herbs. 

In the other project, Dr. Lu was awarded a two-year, $270,000 seed grant to work on developing a potentially scalable processing technology aimed for plant-based seafood that better mimics the texture of fish meat, a significant challenge in the effort to create a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution to overfishing and related pollution.

Jiakai Lu