This major is concerned with all technical aspects of foods, beginning with harvesting or slaughtering, and ending with its cooking and consumption, an ideology commonly referred to as "from field to fork." It prepares you to develop new food products, design innovative processing technologies, improve the nutritional value of foods, and enhance the safety of our food supply. Food Science and Technology majors apply the principles learned in the basic sciences such as food chemistry, biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, food engineering and nutrition to provide consumers with safe, wholesome and attractive food products that contribute to their health and well-being. The undergraduate curriculum is approved by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and offers two tracks, a Food Science Option and an Industry Option.

The Food Science Option provides a strong knowledge base and fundamental understanding of chemistry, biology, engineering, physics, statistics, genetics, biochemistry, microbiology and nutrition that is applied toward the preservation, processing, packaging and distribution on foods that are wholesome, affordable and safe. The goal of the curriculum is to prepare Food Scientists for career opportunities in the food and allied industries or for further studies in graduate or professional schools.

The Industry Option integrates knowledge from the basic disciplines of chemistry, microbiology, physics and biology and applies scientific principles from food engineering, food processing operations, sensory evaluation, food safety, HACCP, quality assurance and management to produce foods that are wholesome, affordable and safe. The goal of the curriculum is to prepare Food Technologists for careers in the food and related industries. These careers may involve food processing, manufacturing, technical service, food product development, operations management, regulatory oversight and other technology based opportunities.