New food science and fermentation minor connects students to Arizona's $23.3B food industry
At the University of Arizona, students are turning their passion for food into real-world impact through the new minor in food science and fermentation, gaining the skills and experience needed to launch careers in a rapidly growing industry.
The food science and fermentation minor, launched in fall of 2025, is giving students a direct pathway to one of the largest industries in the state. Through hands-on coursework and applied learning, the program equips students with the skills needed to pursue careers in product development, food safety, and more.
Filling a gap in Arizona’s food industry
Arizona’s food industry is a $23.3 billion sector employing 162,000 workers, but in recent years, no food science curriculum existed within Arizona’s public university system. The 19-unit minor offered by the School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness is designed to help fill that gap while preparing students to step into those roles.
Historically, food science was a strong suit of the nutritional sciences program at the U of A, so this minor marks an important step toward reestablishing that strength. By training future professionals and expanding curriculum in this area, the minor constitutes a broader effort to regain the university’s prominence in food science regionally and nationally while supporting the evolving needs of the food industry.
Interest in the program has been strong from both students and industry professionals. During the curriculum’s development, surveys indicated a clear demand for trained food scientists, while many undergraduates expressed enthusiasm about combining interests in food, science and career opportunities.
“The food industry offers well-paying, engaging career opportunities for food scientists that most students know nothing about,” said Tedley Pihl, a professor of practice in SNSW and driving force behind establishing the new program. “The food science minor was created to introduce the discipline of food science to college students so that there would be awareness brought to these careers."
Pihl added that the minor complements majors such as nutrition, chemistry, microbiology, marketing and engineering, and it also prepares graduates for careers that impact “the safety, nutrition, and sustainability of our food supply.”
Within the minor, courses like Science of Good Cooking invite students to explore the chemistry behind everyday cooking techniques, while classes like Fermented Foods and Beverages dive into the science behind products like beer and cheese, giving students a hands-on look at how food transforms into finished products. Additional electives and applied experiences, including research and internships, also allow students to tailor the minor toward their specific interests.
A deeply collaborative field
Aaron Malone spent more than 20 years in the food industry before he joined SNSW as the minor began last fall. He describes food science as studying the “physical, microbial, and chemical makeup of food.”
Food scientists work in a variety of fields, including food product development, quality assurance and safety.
According to Malone, the field is deeply applied and collaborative. Product developers work alongside marketing, finance, operations, regulatory and sensory teams to move a product toward commercialization, launching what consumers ultimately see on store shelves.
For him, this consumer-facing dimension is one of the minor’s most compelling selling points.
“You can literally walk down the grocery store and see your product standing there,” he said.
Students may not initially realize that food scientists help determine everything from ingredient specifications and packaging requirements to sweetness levels and texture adjustments. In sensory science, a structured form of consumer testing, professionals gather data through taste panels and focus groups to determine whether a product is “too sweet,” “too thick,” or ready for launch, Malone explained. Sensory teams then combine subjective consumer feedback with analytical metrics before a product is approved for commercialization.
The minor also opens doors beyond research and development. Malone highlighted technical sales as an area students rarely associate with science. In technical sales, food scientists work directly with corporate buyers and retail executives, pitching ingredients or finished products for placement in prominent stores.
“There’s no way a robot is going to say, ‘Hey I want you to buy these products,’” said Malone, emphasizing the continued importance of relationship-building and communication in the field. For Malone, the appeal of food science lies in its immediacy. Unlike pharmaceutical development, which can take decades to reach consumers, the food industry moves much quicker.
“In a food line, you could launch your product within a year,” he said.
That speed, combined with the ability to impact sustainability, food safety, and global nutrition, is what he hopes will draw more students into the field.
“Food science is just so important,” said Malone. “The innovations and strategies that come out of our field will help us feed the world.”