News

Aspiring Food Scientist Creates Low-Calorie, Eco-Friendly Candy Product

‘Fit Candy’ is Made from Upcycled Watermelon Rinds

Driven by his passion for food science and brimming with ideas, UC Davis student Dion Skaria created Fit Candy – a nutritious treat that blends sweet and sour flavors while reducing food waste. This innovative gummy candy is crafted from upcycled watermelon rinds.

Junior Specialist - Selina Wang Lab

Food Science and Technology

The position of Junior Specialist provides technical or specialized expertise in the planning and execution of research projects in a food chemistry laboratory. The junior Specialist stays apprised of the research area and maintains technical competence in the designated area(s) of specialization. The role of this position is to provide specialized expertise in food chemistry research in the laboratory of the Principal Investigator Dr. Selina Wang. The Junior Specialist is actively and significantly engaged in research including various projects that are related to food quality and analytical chemistry method development.

Awards and Announcements

Viticulture and Enology

The following is a list of awards, honors, and announcements about Viticulture and Enology Faculty, Staff, Students, Executive Leadership Board members & UCCE Advisors.

Spring 2024 Extension Update

Viticulture and Enology

The Extension team started off the first half of 2024 at the Unified Symposium on January 24 and 25. The Department had a booth, where we got to meet with a lot of attendees, and hosted our annual reception, where we got to catch up with many alumni and friends! We also announced our new department chair, Ben Montpetit!

Research Profile: Block Lab

Viticulture and Enology

The Block lab is working in several areas related to wine. First, we are continuing our work with the Oberholster lab trying to gain a deeper understanding of phenolic extraction in red wines to be able to control the finished wine phenolic profile more efficiently. Over the last decade, we have examined the impact of cap and juice temperature on phenolic extraction, as well as the impact of cap management (also in conjunction with E. & J.

Course Profile: VEN 126

Viticulture and Enology

The Physical and Chemical Stability of Wine (a.k.a. VEN 126 Wine Stability) course deals with the most important physical, chemical, and enzymatic reactions in juices and wines, together with the theory and principles associated with the adjustment of acidity, fining, stabilization for shipping, and the clarification of wines. The course provides students with a scientific basis and a quantitative perspective of our understanding of the physical and chemical reactions in wines, other than ethanol and malolactic fermentations.

Student Profile: Justin Ito

Viticulture and Enology

Student standing: Freshman/Sophomore/Junior/Senior/Graduate etc.
2nd-year master's degree student

Degree/Focus/interest areas:
Viticulture and Enology

Where are you from originally?
Los Angeles, CA

What brought you to UC Davis?
I knew I wanted to learn everything there is to know about wine and Davis is the best place to start! The program is well-rounded, and I love learning about the reasoning behind important decisions in the winery.

Alumni Profile: Nicole Marchesi

Viticulture and Enology

Year and degree of graduation
B.S. in Viticulture & Enology, 2003

Current job title/company
Winemaker, Far Niente Winery

Junior Specialist - Simmons Lab

Food Science and Technology

The position of Junior Specialist provides technical or specialized expertise in the planning and execution of research projects in a Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1) Laboratory. The Junior Specialist stays apprised of the research area and maintains technical competence in the designated area(s) of specialization. The role of this position is to provide specialized expertise in microbial food safety research projects of the laboratory of the Principal Investigator Dr. Christopher w. Simmons.

Grad Student Exit Seminar, June 14, 2024, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Food Science and Technology

A Graduate Student Exit Seminar will be held Friday, June 14, 2024, from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm PDT.

In-person in room 3215 Robert Mondavi Institute South, or you can attend remotely by Zoom: https://ucdavis.zoom.us/j/99572934447

World Food Safety Day, June 7, 2024

Food Science and Technology

Food Science and Technology's Cooperative Extension would like to wish you all a happy and safe World Food Safety Day today, June 7th. World Food Safety Day is an initiative that was started by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The motto for this year is "Food Safety: Prepare for the Unexpected".

PLASMA Demo Day Spotlights Student Startups

Food Science and Technology

The Student Startup Center at the University of California, Davis, shined a spotlight on student-led startups at PLASMA Demo Day, the culminating experience of their 12-week early-stage cohort accelerator program.

Ten teams of undergraduate student entrepreneurs pitched their companies to industry experts in front of a packed California Hall on May 2. Of them, five were awarded more than $25,000 in prizes.

Donpon (Dawn) Wannasin wins IFT's Caldwell Graduate Fellowship

Food Science and Technology

A huge congratulations to Donpon (Dawn) Wannasin on her being awarded the prestigious and competitive IFT Feeding Tomorrow Fund Dr. Elwood F. Caldwell Graduate Fellowship! Dawn, a first-year Ph.D. student in Selina Wang's lab, was awarded the $25,000 fellowship for her research which focuses on the extraction and characterization of phenolic compounds and other important bioactives in agricultural and food byproducts for potential food and supplement application to improve human and planetary health.

Yeast and Microbial Oils feature in Bon Appetit

Food Science and Technology

Research on yeast oil being done at UC Davis was mentioned in a May 15, 2024 article in Bon Appetit magazine about microbial cooking oils. Phaff Yeast Culture Collection curator Dr. Kyria Boundy-Mills was quoted several times in this article about the future of cooking oils made by fermentation of microbes, including yeasts. The article discusses the favorable properties of several commercially available microbial cooking oils, the improved carbon footprint relative to vegetable oils, and discusses challenges, especially the costs of production.

2024 Distinguished Graduate and Postdoctoral Mentorship Award Recipients

Food Science and Technology

Graduate Studies and Graduate Council are thrilled to honor four extraordinary faculty members with the Distinguished Graduate and Postdoctoral Mentorship Awards. These awards shine a light on the power of mentorship in shaping the academic and professional journeys of UC Davis graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.

Meet the 2024 Recipients

Bruce Hammock, Distinguished Professor
Department of Entomology and Nematology

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