Department of Food Science and Technology & Cereal Quality Lab Annual Baking Fair and Contest
The Department of Food Science and Technology and the Cereal Quality Lab are pleased to announce their Annual Baking Fair and Contest, taking place on Thursday, October 16, 2025.
Students are invited to participate, showcase their baking skills, and compete for exciting prizes. Ingredients for the event are generously sponsored by the Texas Wheat Producers Board.
Registration is now open – click HERE to register.
Submit your recipe – click HERE to submit your recipe.
For more information, please contact Dr. Tadesse Teferra at [email protected].
Discover the World of Coffee
Join us for a hands-on workshop that explores coffee’s journey from seed to cup. Guided by experts from the Texas A&M Center for Coffee Research and Education, you’ll gain insights into coffee origins, processing methods, and the global value chain—all while tasting distinctive flavors from major coffee-growing regions.
Polite Coffee Roasters, Bryan, TX
Saturday, Oct. 18 | 2–4 p.m.
Registration: $25
Attendees will also be entered to win coffee giveaways from regional roasters.
Learn more and register HERE
IFANCA-FDIP Department of Food Science Students’ Poster Competition
We are excited to announce the 2025 IFANCA–FDIP Department of Food Science Students’ Poster Competition, to be held on Thursday, October 30th, 2025, in the Cater Mattil Conference Room 124.
This event is all about YOU! 🎉 It’s a great chance for undergrads and grads to showcase your work, get recognized, and even win cash prizes.
👉 This year, we’re switching things up — no big symposium or speaker talks. Instead, the spotlight’s on students!
Grad students can share their research, and undergrads get the perfect opportunity to practice creating and presenting posters — a skill that’ll help with future classes, conferences, and even your career.
Who Can Participate?
Undergraduate Students
- No prior research experience required!
- Select a topic from the suggested list below or propose your own idea
- New for this year- Option for undergraduates to work in pairs!
Graduate Students
- Share a poster based on your current research project.
- Highlight the breadth and depth of Food Science research within our department.
Cash Prizes
Undergraduate Students
- 🥇 1st Prize: $500
- 🥈 2nd Prize: $300
- 🥉 3rd Prize: $200
Graduate Students
- 🥇 1st Prize: $1,000
- 🥈 2nd Prize: $750
- 🥉 3rd Prize: $500
How to Participate
- REGISTER HERE to confirm your participation.
- Limited Space Available-So register early!
- Poster Title Submission Deadline: Tuesday, September 30th, 2025 (send to FDIP Program Manager, Asha Girimaji, at [email protected]).
- If you have any questions, please contact FDIP Program Manager Asha Girimaji at [email protected]
Poster Guidelines
- Acknowledgement (required):
“Sponsored by IFANCA – Food Diversity Innovation Program, Department of Food Science & Technology.” - Poster Size: 36” (height) × 48” (width) – standard Texas A&M template.
- Format Suggestions:
- Introduction/Background
- Current Problem (U.S./Global)
- Specific Issue of Interest
- Impact on the Food Industry
- Strategies for Solutions
- Preparation:
- Create your poster in PowerPoint
Research Poster Template
Options with brand fonts or with default system fonts
Download Research Poster Brand Font PowerPoint Template
Download Research Poster System Font PowerPoint Template
- Day of Event:
- Bring your printed poster (36×48) to Cater Mattil Conference Room 124 by 8:30 AM on October 30th.
- Posters will be displayed on easels (provided) from 9am to 4pm
Mandatory presentation Time: 12:00–1:00 PM — Students must be at their posters to present to judges and attendees.
Suggested Poster Topics
- Upcycling Food Waste into Value-Added Products (e.g., fruit peels, brewers’ spent grains, whey → functional ingredients)
- Alternative Proteins & Consumer Acceptance (plant-based, insect-based, algae, or cultured meat — Religious & cultural aspects)
- Edible & Biodegradable Packaging (films, coatings, 3D-printed packaging to reduce plastic waste)
- Functional Foods for Gut & Mental Health (probiotics, prebiotics, and their impact on wellness & performance)
- Clean-Label Natural Preservatives (plant extracts, essential oils, or natural antimicrobials vs. synthetics)
- Emerging Food Processing Technologies (high-pressure processing, pulsed electric fields, cold plasma, etc.)
- Food Accessibility & Diversity on Campus (cultural, religious, health, sustainability/environmental, and economic factors shaping TAMU students’ food choices — ties directly to your survey research!)
- Food Safety & Rapid Detection Methods (biosensors and rapid pathogen testing)
We look forward to seeing your innovative ideas and impactful research!
Friends of Texas A&M University Department of Food Science and Technology 2025 Reception
Register for Texas A&M’s FSTC Alumni Dinner during the IFT First event on Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Come and join your fellow Aggies and the faculty of The Department of Food Science and Technology for an informal dinner on Tuesday, July 15th, 2025, at 6:00 PM at 55 W Van Buren, 5th Floor, Chicago, IL 60605. This is a wonderful chance to reconnect with your classmates and professors, as well as to discover more about the TAMU Food Science Department.
We are excited to celebrate your accomplishments and continue fostering our relationship with you.
Please submit your RSVP HERE by 5:00 PM on Tuesday, July 8th.
Don’t let this opportunity slip away — we hope to see you there!
Biomanufacturing Workshop
Monday, October 6th & Tuesday, October 7th, 2025
We are excited to announce the Biomanufacturing Workshop, scheduled for October 6-7, 2025, organized by Texas A&M University Department of Food Science and Technology. This USDA-funded event will bring together industry experts, researchers, and practitioners to explore cutting-edge developments in biomanufacturing.
Event Details:
- Dates: October 6-7, 2025
- Time: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
- Location: The National Center or Therapeutics Manufacturing 100 Discovery Drive, 4482 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843
This workshop promises to offer hands-on sessions, insightful presentations, and networking opportunities focused on advancing biomanufacturing techniques and innovations. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to the field, this workshop is designed to foster learning and collaboration within the biomanufacturing sector.
For more information, please visit our Biomanufacturing Workshop page.
Please submit your RSVP HERE by September 1st, 2025.
For questions, please contact Dr. Reza Ovissipour at [email protected]
IFANCA’s Food Diversity Innovation Program Symposium on Alternative Proteins
Wednesday, October 30th, 2024; 8:30 am to 4:00 pm
Venue: The Shirley & Joe Swinbank ’74 AgriLife Center
556 John Kimbrough Boulevard
College Station, TX 77843-2140
Join us for an enlightening exploration of the future of protein at the IFANCA-FDIP Symposium on “Alternative Proteins”. Hosted by TAMU Food Science & Technology Department’s IFANCA-Food Diversity and Innovation Program (FDIP), this symposium is being held in conjunction with the joint Alamo and Longhorn IFT section meeting.
Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Events
Since 1939, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has been a forum for passionate science of food professionals and technologists to collaborate, learn, and contribute all with the goal of inspiring and transforming collective scientific knowledge into innovative solutions for the benefit of all people around the world. As a scientific community grounded in purpose, IFT feeds the minds that feed the world.
Longhorn IFT Events
Longhorn IFT is a nonprofit networking and educational organization. As part of the Institute of Food Technologists, they have built a community of food professionals from across the globe who come together to advance the science and industry of food. Their members network and develop both personal and business relationships. They also work to support students and new professionals in the area who are beginning their careers in food science.
Alamo IFT Events
The mission of Alamo IFT is to encourage and provide a way to share information related to food production and utilization. To advance the profession of food science and technology, to promote interest in the field of food science and technology. To provide cooperative relations in the section with the faculties and students of educational institutions that provide food science, food technology and related courses. Alamo IFT covers south Texas. From El Paso to just south of Waco, including Austin, San Antonio, College Station, Houston, Laredo, and the Rio Grande Valley.