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
Pratiksha Shrestha, a PhD student in the LSU School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, has been recognized as one of the top three finalists in the 2025 IFTSA Research Video Competition, hosted by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and sponsored by Campden BRI, a global leader in food research and innovation. Pratiksha's video showcased her research in Dr. Kharel's Food Safety and Microbiology Lab, where she is developing antibacterial nanocomposite films to mitigate post-process contamination in packaged, ready-to-eat low-moisture foods. Her work emphasizes the critical role of food safety in protecting public health and demonstrates the real-world impact of innovative food science. This recognition highlights Pratiksha's dedication to advancing food safety through cutting-edge materials science and her ability to communicate complex research in an accessible and compelling format.
Mina Ali, an undergraduate student in the LSU School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, presented a poster and gave a lightning talk at the Summer Undergraduate Research Forum (SURF) on August 1, 2025. Mina shared results from her LSU OUR project grant, which explored how dietary lipids impact the gut microbiome. As a researcher in Dr. Ezgi Özcan's MinD-Gut Lab, Mina had the opportunity to connect with fellow scientists from across Louisiana and explain the dynamic relationship between diet, microbiota, and brain function. She captured the audience's imagination by saying, "Imagine the Inside Out movie characters in Riley's head living in your gut." Her research contributes to a growing understanding of the gut-brain axis and how nutrition can influence both physical and mental health. Learn more about SURF: LSU Summer Undergraduate Research Forum https://www.lsu.edu/our/events/surf-summer-undergraduate-research-forum.php
Chien-I Hsu, a PhD candidate in the LSU School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, earned first place in the Graduate Student Oral Competition (Fruit & Vegetable Products Division) at the 2025 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) First Annual Event & Expo held in Chicago, IL. His award-winning presentation, "Effect of Rosemary Oil-Incorporated L-Arginine Cross-Linked Carboxymethylcellulose Edible Coating on Microbial Safety and Storage Stability of Cantaloupe Under Cold Storage," impressed judges with its scientific rigor, practical relevance, and engaging delivery. The competition drew nearly 100 graduate student submissions from top universities and research institutions worldwide. As a finalist, Chien-I competed against outstanding doctoral candidates from institutions including Cornell University and the University of Guelph, ultimately earning the top honor. This achievement highlights Chien-I's commitment to addressing critical postharvest food safety challenges through innovative edible coating technologies. His research has promising applications for improving produce safety, extending shelf life, and reducing food waste--key issues in the global food supply chain. Chien-I extends his gratitude to Dr. Sam Sathivel for research guidance and resources, Dr. Witoon Prinyawiwatkul for support in refining the presentation, and his lab members for their encouragement throughout the process.