MONROE, La. (KNOE) – Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has announced a $5 million grant for the construction of the University of Arkansas Department of Food Science’s Center of Excellence for Food Science and Innovation. The announcement followed a vote by the Arkansas Legislative Council.
The investment will be added to $30 million in federal funding for the new home of the two-story, 62,000-square-foot facility. It will house specialized laboratories for food science research. The department’s faculty, staff, and students are expected to create new opportunities to market Arkansas-grown commodities.
The University of Arkansas Department of Food Science will research sensory and consumer sciences, food microbiology and safety, food for health, food chemistry and functionality, and food systems engineering.
Arkansas farmers, ranchers, and agriculture producers will have dedicated spaces for food and beverage processing. Programs will connect researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders, including the Center for Beverage Innovation, the Rice Processing Program, and the Arkansas Food Innovation Center.
More information on plans for the center can be found at the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture website uada.edu/.
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