Source: Curtis Kastner, 785.532-1234, ckastner@k-state.edu
http://www.k-state.edu/media/mediaguide/bios/ckastnerbio.html
News release prepared by: Katie Mayes, 785-532-6415, kmayes@k-state.edu
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
K-STATE'S FOOD SCIENCE INSTITUTE TAKES A PROGRESSIVE APPROACH TO FOOD SAFETY AND SECURITY
MANHATTAN -- Keeping the food people eat safe sounds like it would be easy. But ensuring a product's integrity from the lab to the store shelf is much more difficult than it sounds -- and it takes a comprehensive approach.
That's a major reason why Kansas State University developed the Food Science Institute, where nearly every aspect of food safety research and education at K-State can be addressed. From a product's scientific challenges to its labeling and marketing, K-State researchers from five colleges and 11 departments work together to solve the world's food safety problems.
"We're taking a truly interdisciplinary approach to food safety research, extension and education," said Curtis Kastner, director of K-State's Food Science Institute. "With the institute, we're able to quickly tap into K-State's expertise and connect researchers from disciplines as varied as veterinary medicine to hotel, restaurant, institution management and dietetics and animal sciences. Ultimately, that will mean timely solutions to the problems that could affect every dinner table in America."
The Food Science Institute, established in 2001, was designed not only to bring researchers together, but also to provide food science students at K-State with a broad enough education so they can serve today's marketplace. Around 50 food science graduate faculty members from agricultural economics, animal sciences and industry, biochemistry, communications, engineering, entomology, grain science and industry, veterinary medicine, human nutrition, journalism and mass communications, and hotel, restaurant, institution management and dietetics work with the institute.
Institute faculty collaborate on research projects, as well work to develop a comprehensive curriculum to prepare K-State's students to meet the demands of tomorrow's food safety professional.
The food science program offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as certificates and distance education.
"These comprehensive offerings put K-State at the forefront of the food science and food safety and security initiatives," Kastner said. "We are one of only a handful of universities nationwide that has managed to pull together such an extensive and flexible program in food science."
"By integrating expertise across the university, the institute will turn out more qualified food science professionals and will better serve industry, governmental clientele and consumers," he said.
More information on K-State's Food Science Institute is available at http://foodsci.k-state.edu