FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Colorado State University (CSU) recently expanded its fermentation program to include a stronger focus on food science, reflecting its wide-ranging applications.
The fermentation science and technology program began in 2013, and CSU is one of a few schools in the country offering this specialized degree. Jeff Callaway, director of the fermentation and food science program at CSU, explained that changing the name of the program and understanding the science of fermentation is helping to build a bigger reach for students interested in the food science world.
"We had a food science program that ultimately was kind of buried. So, it wasn't something that, if you were interested in food science, would be very easy to find," explained Callaway. "So we created the fermentation science program, which was wildly successful. We got these beautiful facilities on campus, a lot of attention, and students going out and making a good impact."
Callaway explained that this new focus allows the curriculum to work with more companies and that being a land-grant university will help students do more in the food science world. Students will now decide between the fermentation science and technology concentration or a food science concentration.
"Faculty are excited because it opens up new fields that we can broadly focus on. So it's exciting and more accurately reflects what the program is because fermentation science is a subset of food science," Callaway said.
Charlie Hoxmeier, an assistant professor of food and fermentation science, explained that beer is a model that can help students learn about the ingredients, the recipe design process, and the hazards of large-scale food production.
He explained the importance of students learning about fermented foods.
"Chocolate, coffee, most salamis, cheese, yogurt, kombucha- we make all of those here, and we train students on how to understand the science behind them—the microbiology, the QC, the QA, the product quality control of all of those products. It's a really dynamic environment because they get their hands on all the different aspects of food production like that," Hoxmeier said.
At the CSU Spur campus, fermentation is also being recognized in chocolate, with senior scientist Caitlin Clark explaining how it works.
"Fermentation is a tool for a lot of production, and one of the great things about the program up at CSU is that they're learning the principles of the science of fermentation, and then they can apply that in a lot of different areas. So it just so happens that chocolate fermentation is a major part of the production of chocolate, but it happens in a way that is hidden right, that happens on the farm at origin," Clark explained.
For students like Maria Valler, coming to CSU, she wanted to pursue her passion for beer and was impressed by the program's hands-on approach. She discovered an interest in research and fermentation in other foods. Now, with a greater knowledge of the food and beverage realm, she feels prepared for her future.
"Because wherever the brewing industry is at, wherever any industry is at, you can always make a lateral into another one because you've learned how to do it with beer, you have learned how to do it with bread. There are endless opportunities in the food beverage realm," Valler explained.
Details about the program can be found online. Callaway encouraged people to ask about the program and the work being done.
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