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The SXSW event in March 2022 brought together “a diverse group of experts, leaders, and visionaries challenging us to think about how our food and agricultural systems will need to adapt to new pressures, and what technologies and innovations will help us feed the world while combating climate change and conserving the earth’s precious natural resources.”

For more information about FSTC’s Food Diversity Program supported by IFANCA click Here.

The International Conference on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources: Accomplishments and Future Endeavours, from 20 to 24 June 2022 in Vienna, has brought together more than 600 senior government officials, representatives from organizations involved in the safety and security of sources. For more information click Here.

Food Science Department Showcase for High School Students

During the 3- day camp, FSTC’s Dr. Joseph Awika and Dr. Mian Riaz engaged high school students, inspiring them to join the Food Science Department. The showcase included a special presentation by former FSTC student, Diana Garcia, with Pecan Deluxe Candy Company.

STARS (Summer Training in Agriculture and Related Sciences) is a free, three-day summer enrichment camp hosted by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University. 

STARS target high academically achieving high school students from Texas. These students typically have a passion for environmental and plant sciences, food, helping the community, technology in agriculture, communications, agribusiness, animal sciences & health sciences in the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, and are looking to be a part of the Texas A&M family. 

Congratulations to Paloma Hernandez, FSTC’s 2022 “Senior Merit Award” winner and to Allison Brenner for receiving the “Outstanding Junior Award“!

The Senior Merit Award is the highest award given to undergraduates by the College. Selection criteria include scholarship, community involvement, professional and civic activities, internships and employment, awards, honors and accomplishments in undergraduate research. 

Outstanding student awards are by Alpha Zeta, an honorary professional society for students and industry professionals in agricultural and natural resources fields.

The eBeam center, located on the Texas A&M campus in Bryan-College Station, is a full-scale commercial facility that allows private industry to test the spectrum of the technology’s commercial uses. Those uses include medical device sterilization, food safety, agriculture and environmental remediation.

For the full article click here.

Will lead department in further developing training, research, outreach  

Joseph Awika, Ph.D., is the new head of the Department of Food Science and Technology at Texas A&M University. He started Nov. 1.

Awika, a professor at Texas A&M since 2008, previously led the Cereal Quality Lab within the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences in the university’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. As head of the Cereal Quality Lab, he worked with multiple stakeholders to advance the quality and value of cereal grains to benefit grain producers, food processors and consumers.

An accomplished researcher, Awika has identified mechanisms by which secondary plant metabolites and minor grain constituents can be optimized to improve food quality and human health. Among his many other accomplishments has been developing food processing techniques to improve the health and nutrition profile of grains.

“Dr. Awika’s research involves multidisciplinary and international collaborations with geneticists, nutritional biochemists, agronomists, plant breeders and others from around the world,” said Patrick J. Stover, Ph.D., vice chancellor of Texas A&M AgriLife, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research. “His work has been instrumental in developing value chains for grain-based food products to help address food and nutrition insecurity among vulnerable populations. We are excited to have him enter this new leadership role.”

Stover noted that Awika’s extensive research and innovative work to apply knowledge of food science and technology toward improving food security were among the reasons Awika was asked to lead the department.  

“We want to make this new department the best in the country by being nimble and responsive to the food needs of society through innovations in high impact student training, research and industry engagement,” Awika said.

Department of Food Science and Technology

The mission of the Department of Food Science and Technology is to develop a world-class training, research and outreach program to help shape the future of the food science profession, while innovatively meeting the current and emerging needs of stakeholders. The department was formed in 2020, following a split from the former Department of Nutrition and Food Science.

The department is involved in unique high-impact education and research programs that apply contemporary and novel technologies in food processing, safety, quality and sustainability. Among the efforts in which it is involved is designing innovative processing technologies to improve food quality and nutritive value, while enhancing the safety of foods and ensuring the wholesomeness of the food supply. 

The department’s core teaching and research facilities include commercial-scale electron beam food processing, NASA space food preparation and processing, a hot-fill high-acid pilot plant, and grain processing and baking. The department works closely with government, academia and industry scientists to respond to society’s needs. 

Awika’s academic, research background

Awika earned his undergraduate degree in dairy science and technology at Egerton University, Kenya, and doctoral degree in food science and technology from Texas A&M. His main areas of expertise are cereal science, carbohydrate chemistry, polyphenol-food polymer interactions, bioactive compounds chemistry, and international food and nutrition security research.

His research explores how the quality and healthful biological properties of foods can be affected by interactions between bioactive secondary plant metabolites and macromolecules such as carbohydrates and proteins.

Awika has also investigated the effect of such interactions on specific markers of chronic disease prevention and how this knowledge can be used to develop innovative processing techniques that will lead to improved health and nutrition benefits from grains and other plant-derived commodities.

Awika’s research in cereal science has resulted in 75 peer-reviewed articles, 10 book chapters and two books. He serves as a reviewer for several journals, including Food Chemistry, Food Hydrocolloids and Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. He currently serves as editor of the Journal of Cereal Science.

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