Students have the opportunity to engage in innovative and dynamic courses that broaden their academic experience, while developing skills directly applicable to their field of study and real-world contexts. The Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering's food engineering minor allows students to dive into the sector of the growing food industry with riveting projects and unique content.
Introduced in Fall 2023, the program was developed through an ACT proposal authored by Dr. Li Cao, Dr. Erick S Vasquez-Guadardo and lead writer Dr. Amy Ciric.
Students interested in the minor complete four courses, from Food Engineering Design to Separation Techniques. In Food Engineering Design, students study the food industry, food safety and the requirements for Kosher and Halal certification. Another course, Particles and Powders, focuses on how crystal size and shape influence the taste, texture and chemistry of ingredients.
Through these courses, students gain a deeper understanding of food systems and skills directly applicable to industry challenges.
Senior chemical engineering student Jack Norfolk, speaks highly of his experience within the program, attributing the minor to his newfound passion for the food industry.
“While the role of an engineer is not always associated with food production, engineers are essential in creating most processed foods,” Norfolk said.
Students in the food engineering program experience hands-on learning with rewarding projects and freedom to experiment.
“The course projects are particularly exciting,” Dr. Amy Ciric said. “Students make yogurt to learn about fermentation, extract sugar from dried pineapple and study the properties of emulsions and dispersions by making their own salad dressings. Students use advanced microscopy and other techniques to study the surface properties of common foods and use specialized 3D printers to print custom designed chocolate treats.”
“My favorite project so far was the fermentation of yogurt in Food Engineering Design,” Norfolk said. “In this experiment, we fermented milk with cultures and whey to observe changes in viscosity over the course of a week. I especially enjoyed how the course balanced learning the theory in lecture with applying it in the lab, which made the experience both engaging and rewarding.”
While many engineering graduates explore careers in traditional sectors, ten percent of graduating seniors in UD’s chemical engineering program pursue careers in the food industry.
“Our alumni work in every major sector of the food industry, making instant coffee, chocolate and other candy, sugar and salt, yogurt and specialized flavorings,” Ciric said.
“The idea of working with products that so many people can enjoy makes the work especially meaningful and rewarding,” Norfolk said. “With so many sub-industries under the broader field of food engineering, the opportunities are both unique and nearly endless.”
The food engineering program empowers students to turn knowledge into innovation, preparing them to shape the future of how the world produces and enjoys food.
“This program overlaps with many aspects of chemical engineering, allowing me to apply techniques in new ways and gain a deeper understanding of the material,” Norfolk said. “Since I plan to enter the food industry, the coursework, guest speaker insights and lab experiences have prepared me extremely well for a smooth transition into my career.”