North Carolina State University. Dept. of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences.

The Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences was established in July, 1961, as the Department of Food Science and Processing in the School of Agriculture. The study of food science at NCSU, however, began in 1918, when the North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station began pasteurizing milk at the creamery it ran in Patterson Hall. In 1962 the name was changed to the Department of Food Science, and in 2007 to the Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences.

The Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences was established in July, 1961, as the Department of Food Science and Processing in the School of Agriculture. The study of food science at NCSU, however, began in 1918, when the North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station began pasteurizing milk at the creamery it ran in Patterson Hall. This marked the first pasteurization of milk in North Carolina. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, North Carolina State College increased its work in the food processing industry, often assigning faculty members to serve in extension positions. By the 1940s and into the 1950s, work done in food science was scattered across several departments, namely Animal Industry, Horticulture, and Poultry Science. In addition, strong extension efforts with consumers and producers were taking place in conjunction with the academic and research efforts of these departments.

By the late 1950s, expansion in the state's food processing industry brought about an increased interest in the role that the University should play in this industry. A report undertaken by the School of Agriculture cited the need for greater contact and cooperation between research and extension faculty in the various departments dealing with food science issues. The recommendation made in the report was to combine faculty from various departments into a new department, a move that was undertaken in 1961 with the creation of the Department of Food Science and Processing. In 1962 the name was changed to the Department of Food Science, and in 2007 to the Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences.

The department has maintained a reputation of outstanding quality in teaching and research. Beyond the classroom, through extension and outreach efforts the department contributes to the improvement of North Carolina's and the nation's food processing industries. In addition, the department runs a number of Pilot Plants across the state and the Seafood Laboratory in the Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST) in order to work more closely with educators, students, and industry on a variety of research topics, including food safety and processing technologies.

Additional information and resources on the history of the Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences can be found through the NCSU Historical State website .