Jean-François Meullenet, professor of food science at the University of Arkansas and in the statewide U of A Division of Agriculture, has been appointed head of the university’s food science department following a nationwide search.

The food science department is an academic unit of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences and offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. As a department of the statewide Division of Agriculture, it’s 14 faculty members and 10 adjunct faculty members conduct interdisciplinary research and extension programs.

Meullenet holds the Tyson Distinguished Professorship in Food Sensory Science and has served as interim head of the department since December 2008.

“I am honored to serve in this role,” Meullenet said. “Our faculty offers great career opportunities for students and conducts outstanding research and extension programs in support of the food industry, which is so critical to our economy and the health and well-being of consumers.”

Meullenet developed the department’s rheology and sensory research program and the Sensory Evaluation Service Center for testing consumer responses to food products. He has developed new and enhanced consumer research methods and is the author of over 70 scientific publications.

Meullenet joined the university’s food science faculty in 1996 after receiving a Ph. D. degree at the University of Georgia. He has a master’s degree in food engineering from the National Superior School of Agronomy and Food Sciences, Nancy, France.

The department is housed in the Food Science Building at the Division of Agriculture’s Arkansas Agricultural Research and Extension Center on Garland Avenue, 1.5 miles north of the Fayetteville campus.

Meullenet said food science includes the study of raw and processed food issues related to production and processing, product development and testing, food safety and security, consumer preferences, marketing, nutrition and the functional and nutraceutical qualities of food products.