About

Welcome to the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences

The Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences aims to address challenges at the intersection of food, nutrition, sustainability and human health through research, education and outreach. Faculty, staff and students collaborate across disciplines to advance human knowledge at the nexus of food and nutrition.

Numerous food- and nutrition-related challenges face society today. Consumers worry about sustainable sources of food, waste production, and artificial dyes as well as obesity, vitamin deficiency and disease. Researchers in the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences work to address these challenges and improve human health through their work, which includes the production of natural food dyes and sustainable food packaging, the understanding of gene regulation and vitamin metabolism, and the development of precision nutrition and microbial therapeutics.

Students in the department can prepare for careers in biotechnology, food manufacturing, scientific research, food safety, nutrition, human health and disease, and more. The department also aims to foster opportunities for internships, experiential learning, interdisciplinary research and career training.

The department was established in 2026 when the Department of Food Science and the Department of Nutritional Sciences merged in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS). The Department of Food Science, which was initially called Dairy Husbandry, was founded in 1890 in CALS. The Department of Nutritional Sciences was established in 1968 in CALS after a review of the Department of Foods and Nutrition in the UW–Madison’s School of Home Economics highlighted a need for a more specific focus on human nutrition. More historical information is available on the history page.

The Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences strives to be a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students, faculty and staff, offering an excellent learning and work environment.