Food Science

In the food science program at UMass Amherst, you’ll explore how science and technology interact with our food supply through the study of the chemical, biological, and physical nature of food.  

Food science as a formal academic discipline began at UMass Amherst in 1918, and more than a century later, it remains one of the world’s preeminent food science programs, recently ranking as the number one food science Ph.D. research program in the United States by the National Research Council.

Food science is a highly interdisciplinary field focused on providing nutritious, safe, and wholesome food for populations around the world. With access to state-of-the-art labs and technology, you’ll study and conduct research in food technology development, sustainable food solutions, culinary science, and more.  

Our program delves into a range of research areas, such as molecular properties of foods, the safety of foods, foods for health and wellness, and sustainable food material processing.

Food scientists are in high demand across many industries, including product development, sales, quality assurance, international development, and food company management.