About

The world’s population is projected to reach 9 billion by the year 2050, and global food production must increase by about 70 percent to feed this anticipated population. Across the globe, approximately a third of all food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted every year.

In the U.S., approximately 40 percent of food goes uneaten. Much food loss stems from failures or inadequacies in processing, transportation, and storage methods and technologies. In 2021, while the COVID-19 pandemic continued to expose weaknesses in the national and global food supply chains, global hunger surpassed all previous records, with nearly 193 million people experiencing acute food insecurity.

The Focus on Outreach, Opportunity, and Diversity in Food Science and Technology (FOOD FSR) project goal is to diversify the food science educational pipeline by building an engaging and clearly defined pathway to degrees and careers in food science for students.

The project will advance the four HSI Education Grants Program goals by developing and implementing a targeted recruitment and retention plan to and attract and support undergraduate and graduate students to prepare them for careers in food science and enhancing the quality of postsecondary instruction by developing new community college food science courses and degree/certificate options, providing experiential learning opportunities, and developing a supported pathway to a four-year degree university. The Food Science Program at City will provide opportunities and access to food science careers with the support of Los Angeles area food and beverage industry employers.