Department of Dairy and Food Science

Feed the World – With Science

Dairy is a huge industry that helps feed the world, and the science behind it helps employ a lot of SDSU graduates. All of the decisions that go into the products consumers pick up from their grocery aisle were meticulously made by professionals in the dairy and food science field.

Undergraduate Degrees Graduate Degrees Minors

Our Programs

Dairy Manufacturing

Dairy products are vital components of nutritious diets around the world. Dairy manufacturing graduates develop a working knowledge of the chemical, physical and microbiological properties of select dairy foods.

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Microbiology Specialization

The microbiology specialization emphasizes food safety and quality management systems.

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Dairy Production

This major focuses on the production of high-quality milk with an emphasis on lactation, nutrition, breeding and farm management.

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Food Science

This major focuses on the science behind the processing of high-quality, safe and varied food products.

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Graduate Programs

Biological Sciences (M.S.) – Dairy Science Specialization

Biological Sciences (Ph.D.) – Dairy Science Specialization

Biological Sciences (M.S.) – Food Science Specialization

Biological Sciences (Ph.D.) – Food Science Specialization

9-1 student-to-��Ƶ ratio

Over $165,000 in departmental scholarships awarded annually

100% job-placement rate

[I believe] I can make a difference, whether that's a small difference with saving water or even a big difference with making a new product. What interests me specifically about the dairy world is just how complex it is.

Raul Berrones Pedraza , Current Student and Intern

I love how chemistry affects the food by the way it's cooking and how it's prepared. It's cool how chemistry relates to what I want to do in the future, and how much there is yet to be explored.

Sadie Streff , Current Student and Student Employee in the Davis Dairy Plant

The mission of Dairy Extension at SDSU is to help dairy producers improve their lives through an educational process that uses science-based knowledge focused on issues and needs.

Dairy Extension

The Department of Dairy and Food Science has a long history of strong research programs in dairy production, dairy manufacturing and, more recently, food science.

Research

Student eating ice cream and standing outside the Davis Dairy Plant building.

The Department of Dairy and Food Science has several state-of-the-art facilities for research.

Facilities

Maneesha Mohan

Nanobubble Applications in Dairy Food Processing

Dr. Clifford Hall

Srinivas Janaswamy

Sanjeev Anand

Controlling Environmental Listeria Research - Dairy & Food Microbiology

Steve Beckman

Davis Dairy Plant Manager

Prafulla Salunke

Visit Us

Schedule a Tour

Who wouldn't love to see how the delicious dairy products we all know and love, such as cheese and ice cream, are made? Here's your chance to see SDState's state-of-the-art Davis Dairy Plant for yourself. Simply schedule a tour, and we'll walk you through the facility and give you a chance to see how SDState's signature products are produced.

Schedule a Dairy Plant Tour