Degree: B.S.

Undergraduate Program Director: Mukund Karwe

(karwe@aesop.rutgers.edu)

Food science is the study of the chemical, biological, and engineering aspects of food and its components. While this curriculum applies principles acquired in biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics to foods, attention also is given to the development of important problem-solving skills, giving students experience in reasoning and the use of scientific and mathematical techniques. Attention also is devoted to current issues, innovations, and ethical issues in foods and food processing. Finally, students are given an opportunity to utilize their creative abilities in a course devoted to development of new foods and food products.

The program offers three options. Food biological technologies and food chemistry are recommended for students seeking careers in basic or applied food research, as well as for those preparing for graduate or professional study in the sciences. The food operations/management option directly prepares students for careers in the food industry.

Please see the Programs of Study Summary on page 272 for information regarding changes in degree requirements.

I. Interdisciplinary/Ethical Analysis (5 credits)

  11:015:101  Perspectives on Agriculture and the Environment (2)

  11:015:400  Junior/Senior Colloquium (3)

II. Introductory Life and Physical Sciences

Specific courses that fulfill the introductory life and physical sciences requirement are listed under VIII A and B, required courses for competence in food science.

III. The Arts (6 credits)

See suggested courses in the Degree Requirements chapter.

IV. Human Diversity (6 credits)

See suggested courses in the Degree Requirements chapter.

V. Economic and Political Systems

A. Economic Systems (3-6 credits)

See suggested courses in the Degree Requirements chapter. Both 11:373:121 Principles and Applications of Microeconomics (3) and 01:220:103 Introduction to Macroeconomics (3) or equivalents are required of students in the Food Operations/Management option.

B. Political Systems (3 credits)

See suggested courses in the Degree Requirements chapter.

VI. Oral and Written Communication (6 credits)

See suggested courses in the Degree Requirements chapter.

VII. Experience-Based Education (3 credits)

Students are encouraged to seek employment in the food industry, particularly during the summer between junior and senior years. Credit may be obtained for an internship through the Cook College cooperative education program. Students also may fulfill this requirement by working in the laboratory of a professor in the department (11:400: 493,494 Research Problems in Food Science).

An additional adviser-approved cooperative education placement may be substituted for an elective course in all options.

VIII. Competence in Food Science (92-100.5 credits)

A. REQUIRED COURSES (71-75.5)

Quantitative Methods (11)

  01:640:135  Calculus I (4) and 01:640:136 Calculus II or 01:640:138 Calculus II for the Biological Sciences (4)

  01:960:401  Basic Statistics for Research (3) or equivalent

Computer Competence (0-3)

  01:198:110  Introduction to Computers and Their Application (3) or equivalent or  appropriate experience

Professional Ethics (2)

  11:400:314  Current Issues in Food Science and Food Law (2)

Other Required Courses (58-59.5)

  11:115:301  Introductory Biochemistry (3) and 11:115: 313 Introductory Biochemistry Laboratory (1) or 11:115:403 General Biochemistry (3) and 11:115:413 Experimental Biochemistry (2.5)

  01:160:161-162  General Chemistry (4,4)

  01:160:171  Introduction to Experimentation (1)

  11:400:104  Food and Health (3) or equivalent introductory course in nutrition

  11:400:201  Principles of Food Science (3)

  11:400:202  Principles of Food Science Laboratory (2)

  11:400:304  Food Analysis (4)

  11:400:401  Introduction to Food Engineering Fundamentals (4)

  11:400:402  Introductory Food Engineering Processes (4)

  11:400:411  Food Chemistry (3)

  11:400:412  Food Product Development (3)

  11:400:419  Food Physical Systems (3)

  11:400:423  Food Microbiology (3)

  11:400:424  Food Microbiology Laboratory (1)

  01:447:390  General Microbiology (4)

  01:750:193-194  Physics for the Sciences (4,4)

B. OPTIONS (21-25)

1. Food Biological Technologies (25)

Required courses (19)

  01:119:101-102  General Biology (4,4)

  01:160:307-308  Organic Chemistry (4,4)

  01:160:311  Organic Chemistry Laboratory (2)

  11:400:416  Food Biotechnology Topics (1)

Electives (6)

  11:115:404  General Biochemistry (3)

  11:115:412  Protein and Enzyme Chemistry (3)

  11:115:414  Experimental Biochemistry (2.5)

  11:115:422  Biochemical Mechanisms of Toxicology (3)

  11:115:452  Biochemical Separations (3)

  11:126:406  Plant Gene Transfer (4)

  11:126:413  Plant Molecular Biology (3)

  11:126:427  Methods in Recombinant DNA Technology (4)

  11:126:481  Molecular Genetics (3)

  11:126:483  Molecular Genetics Laboratory (3)

  01:146:474  Immunology (3)

  01:146:475  Immunology Laboratory (1)

  11:400:405  Sensory Evaluation of Foods (3)

  01:447:380  Genetics (4)

  11:776:401  Postharvest Physiology of Horticultural Crops (3)

  11:776:452  Plant Tissue Culture (3)

2. Food Chemistry (21)

Required courses (15)

  01:119:103  Principles of Biology (4) or equivalent

  01:160:307-308  Organic Chemistry (4,4)

  01:160:311  Organic Chemistry Laboratory (2)

  11:400:418  Topics in Food Chemistry (1)

Electives (6)

  11:115:404  General Biochemistry (3)

  11:115:410  Physical Biochemistry (3)

  11:115:412  Protein and Enzyme Chemistry (3)

  11:115:414  Experimental Biochemistry (2.5)

  11:115:422  Biochemical Mechanisms of Toxicology (3)

  11:115:452  Biochemical Separations (3)

  11:126:413  Plant Molecular Biology (3)

  01:160:251  Analytical Chemistry (2.5)

  11:400:405  Sensory Evaluation of Foods (3)

  11:400:410  Nutraceuticals, Nutrition, and Food Processing (3)

3. Food Operations/Management (23)

Required courses (14)

  01:119:103  Principles of Biology (4) or equivalent

  01:160:209  Elementary Organic Chemistry (3) or equivalent

  01:160:211  Elementary Organic Chemistry Laboratory (1) or equivalent

  11:400:405  Sensory Evaluation of Foods (3)

  11:400:421  Hazard Control in Food Processes (3)

Electives (9)

  11:373:231  Agribusiness Marketing I (3)

  11:373:241  Agribusiness Management (3)

  11:373:331  Economics of Food Marketing Systems (3)

  11:373:341  Management: Human Systems Development (3)

  11:400:410  Nutraceuticals, Nutrition, and Food Processing (3)

  14:540:333  Quality Control (3)

  01:960:___   statistics (excluding 960:211 and 401) (3)

IX. Unspecified Electives (0-4 credits)