This presentation is a historical overview of the development of Food Science and Technology and Fermentation Science at Oregon State University on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the program. It features emeritus professor Mark Daeschel with additional remarks by Robert McGorin. Drawing on his archival research in OSU's Special Collections, Daeschel traces the program’s origins to the Department of Horticulture in the 1910s and 1920s, a period shaped by World War I, Prohibition, and the growing need for food preservation and processing. Key figures, including Ernest Wiegand, helped establish foundational programs in canning, food preservation, and extension education, including the long-running canner school (established 1921–1922) and early partnerships with industry leaders such as the American Can Company.
Daeschel follows the formal establishment of the Food Industries Department in 1938 and its subsequent expansion into enology in 1939. It examines the development of major research and outreach facilities, including the OSU Seafood Laboratory (founded in 1940) and Wiegand Hall (completed 1951/1952). Mid-century developments included the incorporation of dairy science, early sensory evaluation research, and a significant shift during the 1960s from a technology-centered curriculum to a science-based approach emphasizing food chemistry, microbiology, food safety, and food engineering under department head Howard Schultz.
Daeschel talks about the rise of modern fermentation science beginning in the 1990s, including coursework and research in beer, wine, and distilled spirits, the establishment of brewing facilities, and growing student interest in fermentation-related careers. Additional topics include the expansion of extension programs, pilot plant training, and long-standing collaborations with industry partners.
In the early 21st century, programs continued to expand through increased enrollment and growing research strengths in food safety, food processing, sensory science, functional foods, fermentation science, seafood innovation, and value-added products. The presentation highlights the role of facilities such as the Food Innovation Center in Portland and the Oregon Wine Research Institute, as well as research in high-pressure processing, brewing science, viticulture and enology, distilled spirits, and byproduct utilization in food systems.
Overall, Daeschel situates OSU’s Food Science and Fermentation Science programs within broader agricultural, economic, and social contexts, illustrating their evolution from early horticultural processing and prohibition-era constraints into a diversified, research-intensive discipline with strong ties to industry, extension, and student training.
