Dept of Food Science & Nutrition, UMN

09/04/2026

Have you seen CFANS at the MN State Fair yet? We’re back in the Ag Hort Building with all sorts of activities including trivia and free CFANS merch! (Ice cream scoops at 10 AM, 1, 4, and 7 PM, available while supplies last, and alumni can get a bandana any time by checking in with CFANS volunteers)
We also celebrated the launch of the University of Minnesota’s 175th Anniversary ice cream flavor: North Star Apple Crisp! Learn how you can grab a pint of this magnificent Minnesota treat at the link in the comments below

08/21/2026

Some of these sound pretty good 😉

08/12/2026

A summertime staple 😋🍨

🤓🍦📊The Great Minnesota Ice Cream Survey results are in!

Before the reveal of the University of Minnesota's 175th anniversary ice cream flavor later this month, CFANS surveyed ice cream lovers across the state. The verdict? Minnesotans take their scoops very seriously.

What’s the scoop? Five sweet facts:
• 73% enjoy ice cream all year long.
• 60% of Gen Z say vanilla deserves more respect (compared to 48% overall).
• 53% would pick ice cream over every other dessert for life.
• 46% say mix-ins make ice cream even better.
• 89% have suffered through a classic brain freeze.

Check out the full breakdown and stay tuned for the big announcement: https://cfans.umn.edu/news/cfans-ice-cream-survey-2026

08/12/2026

We are accepting applications for a Lecturer in Food and Culinary Science for the ‘26-’27 academic year. This position is a part-time, 9-month appointment with contract dates of August 31st, 2026, to May 30th, 2027.

Learn more and apply at this link: https://hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/375389
Or search for Job ID #375389 at the university employment site: https://hr.umn.edu/jobs

07/29/2026

Check out these cool new renderings drawn up by the architectural design team partnering with us on the upcoming FScN Building renewal! We want to hear your thoughts on the designs – let us know in the comments below!

07/21/2026

From ethanol coproducts to animal feed innovation, assistant professor Prasanth Pillai is helping reimagine how agricultural byproducts can become tomorrow's sustainable food and feed solutions.

As principal investigator on a 2026 Institute on the Environment (IonE) Impact Goal Grant, Pillai is leading research to convert ethanol industry carbon dioxide and thin stillage into sustainable food ingredients using microalgae. By transforming waste streams into valuable products, Dr. Pillai’s work can enrich Minnesota's circular bioeconomy.

His research efforts also extend to partnerships with the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute - AURI, by developing technologies that recover and rebalance nutrients from agricultural feedstocks for improved animal feed, creating opportunities to reduce waste, improve efficiency and generate new value for Minnesota agriculture.

Whether it's creating sustainable food ingredients or enhancing nutrient recovery, Prasanth's research is building a future where innovation benefits producers, consumers and the environment alike.

Learn more about the IonE microalgae project, which is co-led by Pam Ismail and George Annor: https://environment.umn.edu/news/2026-impact-goal-projects-advance-sustainability-across-minnesota/

Learn more about the partnership with AURI: https://www.auri.org/news/article/auri-identifies-strategies-to-reduce-and-recover-nutrients-in-ag-products/

07/20/2026

Meet Xiaoxue 'Sheryl' Qiu, our new assistant professor of precision nutrition! Dr. Qiu joined our department this spring and is a metabolic scientist and bioinformatician, using -omic and single-cell technologies to explore personalized health management at a molecular level. Read more: https://fscn.cfans.umn.edu/qiu-faculty-feature

07/17/2026

Congratulations to the University of Minnesota Chapter of the Phi Tau Sigma Honor Society on being named the 2026 Outstanding Chapter of the Year! This marks the third time in six years our chapter has earned the honor, recognizing its continued leadership and service in the field of food science and technology.

We're also proud to celebrate alum Leslie Loehr-Kicklighter, who received the Dr. Kathryn L. Kotula Special Recognition Award from Phi Tau Sigma for her outstanding contributions to the Society and profession.

Learn more about the MN chapter award: https://www.phitausigma.org/awardees/phi-tau-sigma-chapter-of-the-year-award/university-of-minnesota-chapter

Learn more about Leslie's award: https://www.phitausigma.org/awardees/phi-tau-sigma-special-recognition-award/leslie-loehr-kicklighter

07/16/2026

Which one is your fave? 😍
(Click on pics to view descrips)

07/15/2026

Associate professor Andres Gomez and FScN alum Kylene Guse sat down with MPR News’s Angela Davis to chat about fermented foods and their impact on health! Listen to the interview: https://www.mprnews.org/episode/2026/07/08/from-kimchi-to-kombucha-hype-or-healthy-habit