Candidate Students

What is food engineering? What does food engineer do?

Food Engineering is an engineering discipline in which the basic sciences (physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology) find application in the fields of food processing, preservation, transporting, marketing and production of new foods.

The main tasks of a food engineer include production of food with high nutritional value and safety, developing new processing techniques through biochemical, technological and economical evaluations, adding values to foodstuffs, reduction of food waste, protection of foods in terms of quality and quantity, using available  raw materials in various perspectives to increase number of food products.

Food engineers participate in all processes and stages in the food production and consumption chain from the field/farm to the table/consumption.  They aim to present in a wide range of functional products with nutritious, hygienic, free from chemical residues for all consumer groups (astronauts, babies, adults, old persons, pregnant and groups intended for particular nutritional uses).

Today, food engineers can work in almost every stage of production/consumption chain of various sub-sector of food industry: production, quality control, research-development, distribution, marketing and purchasing department of food manufacturing companies.  They also work as a food safety auditor in several audit/observance firms, as an expert in special food laboratories, and as expert in government (Republic of Turkey Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Turkish Standards Institution, Public Treasury, Customs).

Unıversity Entrance Exam (ÖSYM) Scores and Ranking

Our department ranks within the top two department in Turkey according to the central exam that is applied by OSYM. According to 2015 exam results, the highest score was 409,13 (the success order 26997), the lowest score was 389,07 (the success order 37685) among the students that enter our department.

Research Facilities in Europe

To access research facilities in abroad, graduate students benefit from Erasmus Office and EU Research Office webpage of the University.

Erasmus Office: http://www.eucentre.itu.edu.tr/Icerik.aspx?sid=240

EU Research Office: http://www.eucentre.itu.edu.tr/Icerik.aspx?sid=240

Research

Due to a clearer understanding of the relationship between food and health, urbanization, increase of the working population and changes in life style, there has been increasing demand for food products with high safety, nutritional value, sensory quality and storage stability. In this respect, we are conducting researches in various fields of  food science and technology to meet the needs of food industry, government and general public.  The research areas of the department includes:.

  • Microbial metabolites
  • New product development
  • Functional foods
  • Mycotoxins (Aflatoxin, Ochratoxin etc.)
  • Food contaminants (Heavy metals, Agricultural drug residues, Hormones etc.).
  • Food Additives (Antioxidants, Emulsifiers, Colorants etc.)
  • Food Processing Technologies (Cereal, dairy, oil&fat, fruit and vegetable etc.)
  • HACCP system applications and quality assurance systems in food industry
  • Food Packaging – Modified Atmosphere Packaging
  • Sensory Analysis of Foods
  • Microbiological analysis
  • Rheology and food texture
  • Shelf life of foods
  • Nanotechnology
  • Healthy components and antioxidant capacities of foods
  • Novel food processing technologies (Food irradiation, UV, ultrasound, ozone, magnetic filed, microwave, modified atmospheres)