News Releases

  1. Among the waste types analyzed in the study was fried donut waste, a potential candidate for anaerobic fermentation to biogas. Photo: Getty Images

    Spinning food processing waste into ‘gold’

    COLUMBUS, Ohio–There is money to be made – and potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – by finding a second life for the potato peels, fried dough particles, cheese whey and other industrial food-processing waste products that routinely end up in landfills, according to new research. Scientists have taken the first step at estimating the best large-scale uses for food processing waste, first analyzing its contents and, based on those findings, proposing production opportunities ranging from sustainable fuels, biogas and electricity to useful chemicals and organic fertilizer. This work is known as valorization, or determining the potential value of something “that is otherwise valueless or even a drain on resources for a company – when you have to...
  2. Douglas Jackson-Smith

    Jackson-Smith appointed to the Kellogg Endowed Chair in Agricultural Ecosystems Management at Ohio State

    LCOLUMBUS, Ohio—Douglas Jackson-Smith, interim director of the Agroecosystem Management Program (AMP) at The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), has been named the college’s W.K. Kellogg Foundation Endowed Chair in Agricultural Ecosystems Management, pending final approval by the Ohio State University Board of Trustees. His appointment runs through May 15, 2027. Jackson-Smith first joined CFAES as a professor and associate director in the School of Environment and Natural Resources in 2016. He was named interim director of the AMP in 2021. He has won numerous national awards and authored, co-authored, or reviewed more than 362 publications including books, book chapters, journal articles, research papers, and...
  3. Wasted food – and land, labor, chemicals, water and energy.

    Read more about how Central Ohio got people to eat their leftovers in this New York Times article published on January 1, 2023.  You saw it at Thanksgiving, and you’ll likely see it at your next holiday feast: piles of unwanted food – unfinished second helpings, underwhelming kitchen experiments and the like – all dressed up with no place to go, except the back of the refrigerator. With luck, hungry relatives will discover some of it before the inevitable green mold renders it inedible. U.S. consumers waste a lot of food year-round – about one-third of all purchased food. That’s equivalent to 1,250 calories per person per day, or US$1,500 worth of groceries for a four-person household each year, an estimate that doesn’t include recent food...
  4. Photo: OSU Extension

    Five Ohioans awarded Friend of Extension honors

    COLUMBUS, Ohio–A lifetime 4-H supporter, an Ohio State Fair general manager, and three Darke County judges are being honored for their work, commitment, and dedication to Ohio State University Extension. Pat Brundige, the biggest individual benefactor in the history of The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), along with Virgil Strickler, the longest-running general manager in the history of the Ohio Expo Center & Ohio State Fair, and Darke County judges Jonathan Hein, Julie Monnin, and Jason Aslinger, are each being honored with a Friend of Extension award from the Ohio chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP) for their outstanding support and personal involvement in Extension efforts. The award is the highest state-level...
  5. Stan Gehrt with a captured coyote being tagged and fitted with a tracking device. Photo courtesy of Stan Gehrt

    Reliance on moose as prey led to rare coyote attack on human

    COLUMBUS, Ohio–Wildlife researchers have completed a study that may settle the question of why, in October 2009, a group of coyotes launched an unprovoked fatal attack on a young woman who was hiking in a Canadian park. By analyzing coyote diets and their movement in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, where the attack occurred on a popular trail, the researchers concluded that the coyotes were forced to rely on moose instead of smaller mammals for the bulk of their diet – and as a result of adapting to that unusually large food source, perceived a lone hiker as potential prey.  The findings essentially ruled out the possibility that overexposure to people or attraction to human food could have been a factor in the attack – instead, heavy snowfall, high...
  6. Photo: Adobe

    Tips to better manage holiday spending

    COLUMBUS, Ohio—Increased expenses that can occur during the winter holiday season can make it hard for some consumers to avoid overspending. While this has become an annual issue for many people, increased inflation this year has more consumers looking for ways to stretch their budgets while still enjoying the festive season. According to the 2022 Holiday Outlook by PwC, formerly Price Waterhouse Coopers, total holiday spending this year will be similar to last year, with the average consumer planning to spend $1,430 this year. The international accounting firm surveyed more than 4,000 consumers. “Despite citing fears of inflation and the rising costs of transportation and utilities as deterrents to holiday spending, most consumers—74%—told us they plan to...
  7. Brittany Towers Lewis. Photo: Ohio State University

    Science in 60 seconds helps Ohio State alum share knowledge on social media

    COLUMBUS, Ohio–From tips on how to pickle vegetables to info on foods that can help you sleep, in 60 seconds, Ohio State alum Brittany Towers Lewis is working to bring food science to the masses through a booming social media message. Towers Lewis, known as the @theblackfoodscientist on her Instagram and TikTok accounts, delivers energetic and informative lessons about food, diet and cooking techniques. A graduate of the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in food science, Towers Lewis was back on the Columbus campus Monday to discuss science communication in social media. “I wanted to find something that I really loved and had a passion for. My mom actually told me about food science when I...
  8. Maple Syrup on pancakes

    OSU Extension to teach maple growers how to tap into business planning during Maple Days Dec. 9–10

    General public invited to enjoy three-course, maple syrup-infused buffet and robber bingo during One Sweet Gathering on evening of Dec. 9 COLUMBUS, Ohio—Ohio State University Extension presents Ohio Maple Days, a series of educational sessions on maple syrup production to help maple syrup producers and hobbyists prepare for the coming season. The event will run Dec. 9–10 at the John C. Myers Convocation Center, Ashland University, 638 Jefferson St., Ashland, Ohio 44805. New this year, the Ohio Maple Producers Association will host One Sweet Gathering, which includes a social hour; a cash bar with maple beers and other maple beverages; a three-course, maple-infused benefit dinner; and game night. Proceeds will support education and research at The Ohio State University...
  9. Photo: Getty Images

    Chow Line: Safe ways to thaw and cook a frozen turkey

    I’m buying a frozen turkey this week to serve for Thanksgiving this year. What’s the best way to thaw it? With the traditional holiday just days away, if you’ve purchased a frozen turkey, the time to think about how to defrost it is now. Depending on how large your frozen bird is, it could take up to six days to safely defrost it in a refrigerator. It’s very important that you thaw and cook your turkey safely to help avoid developing foodborne illnesses. Thawing a frozen turkey correctly helps minimize the growth of bacteria, which can cause foodborne illnesses. While frozen, a turkey is safe indefinitely. However, as soon as it begins to thaw, any bacteria that might have been present before freezing can begin to grow again, according to the USDA...
  10. From left to right: David Benfield, Mary Rodriguez, Steve Neal, and Mary Kay Pohlschneider.

    Four CFAES professionals honored by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities

    COLUMBUS, Ohio–An expert in community leadership, a food scientist, a retired associate dean and a retired associate vice president of Agricultural Administration were honored this month for their research, teaching and service to The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU). Mary Rodriguez, assistant professor of agricultural communication, education and leadership; Mary Kay Pohlschneider, senior lecturer in the CFAES Department of Food Science and Technology; Steve Neal, retired associate dean, and director of CFAES academic programs; and David Benfield, retired associate vice president of Agricultural Administration, director of the CFAES Wooster Campus, and associate...

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