Food Science and Technology

Enhancing Student Learning with Virtual Reality

In a peach processing facility, the air might be filled with the sweet aroma of ripe peaches and the sound of equipment humming as it carries out the canning process. At the California Processing Tomato Industry Pilot Plant on campus, students within the Department of Food Science and Technology (FST) get to see that action firsthand. They can also now experience it – virtually.

More Than a Taste Test: What It’s Like to be on a Trained Sensory Panel

Pieces of dried mango rest on the bottom of a black opaque goblet. Next to it, another glass contains apricot jam. Leticia Cardoso Madureira Tavares, a second-year Ph.D. student in biosystems engineering, brings the glasses up to her nose one at a time to take a sniff.

Honey varieties being studied

Orange blossom: gathered from California citrus groves, it’s light in color with mild citrus and floral notes.

Chardonnay Marc: A ‘Trifecta’ of Health, Taste and Sustainability

UC Davis researchers are providing more insight into how grape skins and seeds, which usually go to waste during the making of chardonnay wine, may be a valuable and healthful ingredient in new food products.

A review paper published by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry outlines how chardonnay marc can serve as a model for developing plant-based natural product food ingredients, and perhaps make upcycling agricultural byproducts relevant to other post-harvest processing scenarios.

New Sensory Immersive Room at UC Davis Simulates Real-life Environments for Product Testing

What makes a cup of coffee or an energy bar enjoyable is usually more than just the taste. The surrounding environment may also influence the experience.

With that in mind, the Department of Food Science and Technology at University of California, Davis has constructed a new multi-sensory immersive room that can be used for product development, innovation and research.