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Fifteen high school students and 10 undergraduates (Freshman and Sophomores) participated in the USDA summer program at Alabama A&M University from June 1st to July 2^nd  for 5 hours per day. They participated in various hands-on activities related to food science and completed group projects (2-3/group). The project included Food Microbiology/Food safety, Food Chemistry, Meat Science, Food Analysis, Product development, Food Processing, and Food Biochemistry.

Some of the High school and undergraduate students who participated in the USDA Summer Scholar’s program (June 30, 2015)

Undergraduate students attending a career planning workshop as a part of the USDA Summer Scholar’s program (June 3, 2015)

Food Processing project presentation

Food Microbiology/Safety project presentation

Product Development project presentation.

Groups of high school students presenting data gathered from research conducted during the USDA Summer Scholar’s program (June 30, 2015)

Science teachers and counselors in the Huntsville and Birmingham school districts (Sparkman High School (Huntsville, AL), Colombia High School (Huntsville, AL), Buckhorn High School (Huntsville, AL), Madison County High School (Huntsville, AL), Bob Jones High School (Madison, AL), Fairfield High School (Birmingham, AL), Ramsey High School (Huntsville, AL) were contacted and information (booklets) on Food Science/Food Safety including lab experiments to be used in science classes were distributed.  Contacts were made for future/potential students for the summer programs. There will be 12 high school science teachers visiting the department in the 4^th week of January to be trained in Food Science/safety/chemistry experiments from the booklets provided to them.

Salam A. Ibrahim at North Carolina A&T State University worked with the NC Community College System and Reno A. Palombit (NC Department of Public Instruction Career & Technical Education) to host a  food science workshop for high school teachers on July 13-14 in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, NCA&T, Greensboro, NC.   A total of 19 teachers attended the workshop.  Topics were: 

•   Teaching food science in the FACS classroom
• Food safety class
• Laboratory safety
• Understanding bacteria
• Food safety practices
• hazard associated with food products (3 hazards: biological, chemicals and physical)

  Laboratory practices:

•   Preparation of laboratory solutions, agar plates, peptone
• Effect of cooling and heating on bacteria survival and growth in food
• Fresh hamburger vs hamburger left out overnight
• Milk kept in the refrigerator vs room temperature

Teachers can use this site as a valuable resource on food safety: 

  http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodScienceResearch/ToolsMaterials/UCM430367.pdf  

Salam A. Ibrahim (North Carolina A&T Sate University) with help from Reno A. Palombit (NC Department of Public Instruction Career & Technical Education), hosted several food technology classes for high school teachers during spring 2015. The classes focused on food science and relevant technology plus modern food safety practices. Teachers were provided materials, equipment, and lectures.  These activities were part of two food science classes: FCS 235 Introduction to Food Science and FCS 346 Food Safety and Sanitation.

Topics included: 

• What is food science, food technology, food processing
• Understanding food safety
• Fermentation
• Probiotics
• Food proteins (animal and plant sources)
• Food carbohydrates
• Fibers
• Lipids: Good lipids vs bad lipids
• Resources to teach food science
• Food science organizations (IFT, ACS, ASM, ADSA)
• How to teach the new food technology curriculum at high school