Research

It is our pleasure to serve your research needs.

Our core areas of expertise are food processing, food microbiology, structure-function, functional foods, and computer integrated food manufacturing. For more in-depth review of our expertise and links to the Center web pages, please visit our main research section.

There are several ways to sponsor research within the Department of Food Science. To facilitate discussions and ensure your research needs are met, please contact our Administrative Director, Laurie Swift, at (765) 494-6303.

Here is an example of how a research project would be started in the Department of Food Science. It is meant to only be a sample of how a project moves forward. Projects are separate issues with various challenges and are always approached on a case-by-case basis.

1. A company approaches us to perform a research project on developing and incorporating a sensor into an already developed food manufacturing process.
2. Purdue provides a Confidentiality Disclosure Agreement to the company’s lawyers. This ensures privacy be kept between all parties involved.
3. The company and Purdue meet, the company divulging the areas of interest, foreseen problems, past research. Purdue researchers then discuss possibilities and an outline of a project is agreed upon.
4. The company and Purdue enter into a contract agreement where protection regarding ownership, licensing, and liability is spelled out and agreed upon.