As summer ends and the Department of Food Science and Technology eagerly awaits the start of the Fall 2024 semester, I want to extend my welcome and enthusiasm for the 2024-25 academic year. We look forward to welcoming new and existing students back to the department and of course all the energy that the Fall semester brings for students, staff, and faculty.
In April, the department held the annual student awards ceremony and the J.G. Woodroof lecture. The Woodroof lecture was selected as one of the Provosts’ signature lectures and turned out to be an excellent opportunity for engagement among the FST Department with retirees, alumni and friends in the area. Thanks to our donors which include alumni and associations across Georgia and beyond, we were able to recognize 36 students for various awards.
I would also like to extend my gratitude to all the hard work our recent student graduates have put in and congratulate them on their accomplishments while at our department.
The past year was filled with many other exciting events such as the CAES Dean’s Signature Event - Flavor of Georgia Contest, which could not have happened without the help of student and staff volunteers. We also celebrated the retirement of Dr. Yen-Con Hung, whose 38 years of dedication to our department is truly inspiring. Last October, the department assisted in hosting the first annual Alumni Homecoming Tailgate with the UGA Food Science Club, an exciting event we are looking forward to continuing this year and in the future.
This summer, our department hosted an Alumni Social at the annual Institute of Food Technologists conference again and had the privilege of witnessing our students’ successes at IFT FIRST 2024 in Chicago and the International Association for Food Protection conference in Long Beach, California.
As we begin this school year, I would encourage you all to stay connected with UGA Food Science and Technology. We are very appreciative of all the support that we receive from you all and for the commitment to our department.
Before your favorite produce arrives at the grocery store, it must be carefully harvested and maintained across long stretches of time. A recent University of Georgia review suggests new temperature measuring technologies could make that process much simpler, amid growing agricultural challenges fueled by fluctuating climates. Maintaining temperature, humidity and light is critical to ensuring fruits and vegetables don’t spoil or deteriorate rapidly. Temperature spikes are the root of adverse outcomes, so monitoring these changes quickly and accurately is key.
The Rural Engagement Workshop for Academic Faculty at the University of Georgia has announced the list of funded faculty seed grants to address issues in rural Georgia. The grants offer funding between $5,000 and $10,000 for faculty to engage with rural Georgians on issues that are critical for their communities. The program encourages collaboration between faculty in UGA schools and colleges with faculty in Public Service and Outreach and UGA Cooperative Extension already working throughout rural Georgia.
Nestled among cappuccinos and traditional espresso lattes, a unique, golden-hued beverage has grown increasingly popular on cafe menus over the past several years. Advertised as a caffeine-free, healthy coffee alternative, “golden” turmeric milk is a take on haldi doodh — a traditional Indian beverage often used as an at-home cold remedy. Now researchers at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences have developed a new method to make a plant-based, instant version of the beverage.
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