home departments & majors departments Food Science & Nutrition

Join the Food Science & Nutrition Department at Cal Poly, and you'll open yourself up to a world of opportunities. Our graduates find challenging careers in the food processing industry-the largest industry in the world-and in the rapidly expanding field of human nutrition. The focus at Cal Poly is on hands-on learning experiences to support the solid knowledge base gained in the classroom. 

	Department Website:  http://foods.calpoly.edu Department Head:   Dr. Doris Derelian, derelian@calpoly.edu Phone:   805-756-2660 Fax:  805-756-1146 College of Agriculture E-mail address:   cafes@calpoly.edu

What is Food Science? Food Science applies fundamental scientific principles to the research, development, manufacture, packaging, storage, and marketing of food products. Have you ever wondered?

• How an ear of corn becomes a corn flake? 
• What is the difference between good and bad bacteria in the food you eat?
• How Gatorade became the drink of athletes? 
• Why you cry when you chop an onion? 
• What makes Jell-O wiggly?

You'll learn the answers to these questions when you become a Food Science major at Cal Poly. Our applied, laboratory-based courses, taught in a food processing pilot plant, are designed to educate you about functional components of foods, food safety, sensory evaluation, quality assurance, new product development, food chemistry, food processing and engineering, and much more. Outside the classroom, an abundance of summer work experiences and internships will enable you to put Cal Poly's learn-by-doing experience into practice. Career opportunities for Food Science graduates are as diverse as the products on supermarket shelves. 

What is Nutrition? Nutrition is the study of food, its components, and how the body handles food substances. Nutritionists are especially interested in how health is affected by food choices and how nutrient needs are influenced by activity, genetics, age, and disease.

• Good health-are you what you eat?
• Help moms make the right food choices for their babies and children.
• Do you want to lead the next hot restaurant trend-or just be a follower?
• Can nutrition make a good athlete a great athlete?
• How about joining a team to develop next generation healthy snacks?

The Food Science & Nutrition Department offers the following degree programs:

• B.S. in Food Science (approved by the Institute of Food Technologists)
• B.S. in Nutrition (approved by The American Dietetic Association)

The Nutrition curriculum will provide you with a strong foundation in the science of human nutrition plus the opportunity to focus in one of the following four concentrations:

• Applied Nutrition - a broad-based general nutrition curriculum that provides a route to becoming a registered dietitian and leads to a variety of employment opportunities, including clinical or public health nutritionist, nutrition counselor, and medical sales representative.
• Nutrition Science - prepares students for post-graduate studies in medicine, physical therapy, nutrition research, and allied health professions.
• Nutrition and Food Industries - gives graduates a blended nutrition-food science background and excellent employment opportunities in food product research and development, food and health communications, and quality assurance and regulatory affairs.
• Culinary Science and Management in Nutrition - prepares students for careers in the culinary arts and foodservice management such as corporate chef, food and beverage manager, school lunch program director, food consultant, and food ingredient specialist.

The Food Science & Nutrition Department also offers the following programs:

• Specialization in Food Science and Nutrition under the Master of Science in Agriculture
• Minor in Nutrition
• Minor in Food Science

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