Food science is an interdisciplinary field that applies chemistry, biochemistry, nutrition, microbiology, engineering, and related sciences to study, process, preserve, and improve food. Because rankings and program details change over time, this list highlights leading institutions with strong food science and food technology programs.
Top Food Science Schools in the World
1. South China University of Technology
- Study Program
- Location: China | Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D.
South China University of Technology (SCUT) was first founded as the South China Institute of Technology in 1952 by merging engineering schools and departments from several universities and polytechnic institutes in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, and Jiangxi. It is a public research-intensive university in Guangzhou that is directly governed by China’s Ministry of Education.
SCUT’s School of Food Science and Engineering (SFSE) was established in 2015 through the reorganization of the School of Light Industry and Food Science, though its food-related academic history dates back to 1952, when the institute set up Sugar Engineering and Food Engineering programs. Today, SFSE offers undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral study in food-related fields and supports research through national and provincial-level platforms.
2. University of Massachusetts—Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst was founded in 1863 as Massachusetts Agricultural College under the Morrill Land-Grant College Act. It offered its first classes in 1867 with 56 students, and its early curriculum combined agriculture, science, technical subjects, and the liberal arts. After World War II, enrollment expanded sharply as the university grew into a major public research institution.
The Department of Food Science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is one of the country’s historic food science departments. Food science as a formal academic discipline began there in 1918, and the department notes that it was ranked the No. 1 food science Ph.D. research program in the United States by the National Research Council’s 2010 study.
3. Jiangnan University
- Study Program
- Location: China | Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D.
Jiangnan University traces its roots to San Jiang Normal School, which began its first term in 1902. The current university developed from Wuxi Institute of Light Industry, which later merged with two other colleges in 2001 and was renamed Jiangnan University by China’s Ministry of Education.
Food science at Jiangnan University derives from the Department of Food Technology at Nanjing Institute of Technology, founded in 1952. Its School of Food Science and Technology is known for its long history in the field, national-level research platforms, and strong support for undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral training. In the 2025 ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects for Food Science & Technology, Jiangnan University ranked first worldwide.
4. Zhejiang University
The Chinese Zhejiang University’s forerunner, Qiushi Academy, was founded in 1897, and the enlarged school was renamed National Chekiang University in 1928. The current Zhejiang University was re-established in 1998 through a merger with Hangzhou University, Zhejiang Agricultural University, and Zhejiang Medical University.
The College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science brings together biosystems engineering and food science disciplines. It offers undergraduate programs as well as master’s and doctoral programs, and its food science and engineering discipline is among the strongest in China. In the 2025 ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects for Food Science & Technology, Zhejiang University ranked third worldwide.
5. China Agricultural University
China Agricultural University traces its history to the College of Agriculture of the former Imperial University of Peking, founded in 1905. Beijing Agricultural University was established in 1949 after the agricultural colleges of Peking University, Tsinghua University, and North China University were merged, and China Agricultural University was formed in 1995 through the merger of Beijing Agricultural University and Beijing Agricultural Engineering University.
The College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering was formed from the Department of Food Science of the former Beijing Agricultural University and the Department of Food Engineering of the former Beijing Agricultural Engineering University. The college includes departments focused on Food Science and Engineering, Food Biotechnology, Nutrition and Food Safety, and Viticulture and Enology, and it offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in food-related fields. In the 2025 ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects for Food Science & Technology, China Agricultural University ranked second worldwide.
6. Wageningen University and Research Center
The Wageningen University & Research traces its roots to 1876, when the Dutch state took over the local Agricultural College in Wageningen, marking the start of national agricultural education in the Netherlands. In 1918, its status as an institute of higher education was legally ratified, and in 1998 Wageningen University & Research was officially launched after Wageningen University was brought together with research institutes.
WUR’s food-related work spans food sciences and technology, human nutrition and health, biobased sciences, and biomolecular sciences. Its Food Sciences and Technology cluster includes chair groups such as Food Chemistry, Food Process Engineering, Food Microbiology, Food Quality and Design, and Physics and Physical Chemistry of Foods. Wageningen University & Research ranked fifth worldwide in Food Science & Technology in the 2025 ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.
7. Nanchang University
- Study Program
- Location: China | Degrees Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Ph.D.
Nanchang University (NCU) traces its history to Jiangxi Public Medical College and National Chung-cheng University, founded in 1921 and 1940. NCU was formed in 1993 when Jiangxi University merged with Jiangxi Industrial University, and it later merged with Jiangxi Medical College in 2005.
NCU’s food science discipline grew from the Department of Food Engineering of Jiangxi University of Technology and the Department of Food Science of Jiangxi University. These were integrated into Nanchang University’s College of Food Industry in 1993. The Department of Food Science and Engineering later gained master’s authorization in 1993, doctoral authorization in Food Science in 1996, and first-level doctoral authorization in Food Science and Engineering in 2005. Nanchang University remains a strong food science institution, although in the 2025 ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects it is listed at No. 11 rather than in the global top seven.
We hope that this article on the best universities for food science in the world was helpful. To learn more about studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students.
