School of Nutrition and Food Sciences
The School of Nutrition and Food Sciences aims for excellence with comprehensive, education, scholarship, and outreach. Nutrition professionals provide training in nutrition science, community nutrition, and clinical nutrition with a focus on improving health and well-being of all citizens and populations. Food science professionals train students in the quality, processing, and safety of foods for the multibillion dollar food industry.
Scholarly and educational programs at the undergraduate and graduate level integrate the basic and applied sciences with outreach. In the spirit of the land-grant university system, the School offers students unique opportunities to gain valuable experience by working with our diverse research faculty on projects covering a broad range of nutrition and food science topics.
Our extension faculty, with specializations in consumer/ producer food safety, community nutrition, health and well-being, work with parish agents to deliver science-based information to Louisiana citizens.
The school also collaborates with LSU AgCenter Food Innovation Institute (FOODii) which is a business incubator that specializes in developing emerging food ventures and providing technical services to existing and emerging companies.
Dietetics
Students can pursue a concentration in dietetics to gain specialized skills in human nutrition, food and food system management. Upon successful completion of the program, students can apply for a dietetic internship with the ultimate goal of obtaining professional credentials in dietetics.
Nutrition Sciences with Pre-Med option
The nutrition and food sciences curriculum prepares students for careers in the health professions, specifically dietetics or medicine, or in the food industry. The nutritional sciences/pre-medical concentration provides students with a strong grounding in nutritional sciences while meeting the course work requirements for students planning to apply to most medical or dental schools.
Nutrition, Health, and Society
The concentration of nutrition, health and society prepares students for a variety of careers in nutrition including, but not limited to nutrition education, the food industry, or scientific writing.
Food Science and Technology
For students taking the food science and technology area of concentration, there are several job areas available in the food industry related to food quality and safety, applied microbiology, food engineering, processing and technology, food chemistry and analysis, food business and marketing research, and product development.
Explore Research and Outreach
The School of Nutrition and Food Sciences is integrating basic and applied learning through outreach and extension.
School of Nutrition and Food Sciences in the News
Fahmina "Mina" Ali, an undergraduate senior with a concentration in dietetics, and a microbiome science researcher in Dr. Ezgi Özcan's MinD-Gut lab received project grant funding from the Office of Undergraduate Research to conduct research on "Elucidating the Effects of Dietary Lipids on Gut Microbiome and Neuroinflammation". The purpose of these grants is to provide students a learning opportunity through participation in faculty-mentored projects. Full-time LSU undergraduate students can receive funding for hourly wages, supplies, and travel related to research. The MinD-Gut Lab studies how microbes and diet interact to influence the connection between the gut and the brain. Trillions of microbes live in our body, and they actively interact with our nervous system. What we eat affects how these microbes communicate with our body and brain. Mina is using techniques such as DNA extraction, microbiome sequencing, lipidomics, and ELISA to connect dietary lipids metabolism by microorganisms in our gut to inflammation in the brain-a common cause of cognitive decline. Mina will be presenting a poster and give a lightening talk at the LSU Summer Undergraduate Research Forum on Friday, August 1st, 2025. https://www.lsu.edu/our/funding/index.php
Dr. Witoon Prinyawiwatkul received the 2025 AgExcellence Legacy Educator Award. The Legacy Educator Award recognizes a tenured faculty member at LSU who has exhibited a sustained program of excellence as measured by significant contributions to their field. https://www.lsuagcenter.com/articles/page1745950663564
Aleen Rodriguez, an undergraduate senior with a concentration in dietetics and a food science student researcher in Dr. Witoon Prinyawiwatkul's lab, earned third place in the College of Agriculture Monetary Awards division at LSU Discover Day 2025. Discover Day is LSU's annual undergraduate research and creativity symposium, featuring over 450 presenters from across disciplines. Aleen's project focused on the development of a high-protein, plant-based, gluten-free cupcake using mung beans. The research highlights the potential of mung beans as a functional ingredient while demonstrating the intersection of product development, sensory evaluation, and nutrition science within the food science field. The project also included a consumer sensory evaluation with 90 participants, using a 9-point Hedonic scale to assess acceptability. Results showed the prototype was moderately liked, indicating potential for future refinement and development. By focusing on a product that is both plant-based and gluten-free, the research helps address a growing demand for inclusive food options that align with health and dietary needs. This work bridges the gap between food science and dietetics by promoting accessible, nutrient-dense alternatives that support individuals with celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or those seeking more sustainable, plant-forward diets.