Jim Gratzek, director of the University of Georgia’s Food Product Innovation and Commercialization Center, earned his doctorate in food process engineering from UGA’s Department of Food Science and Technology. He returned to the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in 2022 after nearly 30 years in the commercial food industry, bringing a new perspective. In his experience, the biggest hurdle for new food entrepreneurs who don’t yet have sufficient working capital or manufacturing facilities is moving a product from concept to consumer.

Georgia’s geographic diversity — from beaches and swamps to mountains and flatlands —makes the state an attractive place to live, but each region is vulnerable to weather-related emergencies year-round. When disasters strike, navigating the milieu of steps to recover and rebuild can be difficult. With a presence in all 159 Georgia counties, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is uniquely positioned to help communities prepare for and rebound from calamity.

Without direct intervention, food systems could be the largest contributor to environmental pollution by mid-century. This warning — and more importantly, the research efforts in place to make change — were highlighted in Edward Buckler’s keynote address at the 2023 D.W. Brooks Lecture and Awards. “Right now our food system is costing us more than the value we are getting out of it. This is something we need to fundamentally address,“ said Buckler, a research geneticist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service.

Do Nutrition Facts labels provide a complete picture of what "healthy" really means? And does the way information is provided on food labels change consumers' perceptions and purchasing behavior? Chen Zhen, a University of Georgia professor in food choice, obesity and health was awarded $794,000 to lead a four-year international study to better understand how the use of supplementary nutrition information on packaged food labels have unintended consequences across the socioeconomic spectrum.

Consider your favorite breakfast cereal, granola bar or other similar food, then imagine the production facility where it is made. If you picture large machines, conveyor belts and lots of moving parts, you get the gist of the environment. Keeping all these moving parts clean is of utmost concern to manufacturers, who spend considerable time and investment on food safety, making sure their production lines are free from harmful pathogens that may make consumers sick.

The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences has been selected as one of five university partners participating in a multi-year effort focused on identifying and addressing consumer questions involving the pork industry, announced the National Pork Board. The establishment of the Real Pork Trust Consortium will bring together the diverse expertise of five universities and will focus on three key areas to build consumer trust.

Consumers hold high standards for fresh food, which farmers aim to meet, but hot summer temperatures and long-haul deliveries can degrade quality even before produce makes it into stores. In a collaborative study, Angelos Deltsidis, assistant professor of horticulture in the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, teamed up with UGA Cooperative Extension agents to improve upon a decades-old method of precooling to increase efficiency and reduce postharvest losses along the value chain.

Though flour does not seem to be a raw ingredient, most flour is raw and is considered a "not-ready-to-eat" ingredient, meaning it should not be consumed uncooked. Flour is at risk of contamination with harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella, pathogens that can cause foodborne illnesses in people who consume contaminated, raw flour.

Interest in preserving food can be driven by several factors, ranging from the pursuit of a hobby or recreational activity to continuing a family tradition to saving money. But does preserving food at home really save money? There are several variables involved, including the availability of raw materials such as produce and ingredients, equipment, resources and time.