Students have main say in making everything from coffee to pomegranate jelly

While many students sit in lectures, study for tests and write papers, students in Fresno State̢۪s culinology program put their education to the test by creating, marketing and monitoring their own products at the Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market.

The culinology program, headed up by Dr. Dennis Ferris, blends culinary arts and food science. “The program is designed to produce people who are very sharp in product development,â€Â Ferris said.

The two main classes that work to develop products sold at the Farm Market are Sensory Evaluation (Food Science 100) and Cost Analysis in Food Systems Management (Food Systems Management 134).

These classes teach students to determine the tastes and trends emerging in the marketplace, focusing on food research and production, quality, taste, texture and visual appearance. The classes allow students to experience “real worldâ€Â working conditions and practical applications to complement the curriculum they learn in the classroom.

Students conduct research such as focus groups, surveys and tastes tests to determine what products will be successful. Students in the cost analysis class also keep financial records and monitor the success of their product over a period of time.

Ferris said the various projects come about in different ways. Sometimes students or Ferris propose them, other times, they are approached by outside organizations and companies.

“Sometimes we say yes and sometimes we say no,â€Â Ferris said. This semester, the sensory class blended different coffees to create Fresno State’s own “Bulldog Blend.â€Â For this specific project, the class worked in partnership with Peerless Coffee and Tea.

Students used the Farm Market as a laboratory to conduct taste tests and consumer surveys. The Farm Market now sells the coffee.

“We only sell it at the farm market.â€Â Ferris said. “We have kept it pretty exclusive.â€Â

The process of creating a new project can take as little time as a semester or as long as several years. Ferris said products often work in small batches, but it can take time to scale up the recipes for mass production.

Some products are only sold in the store for a limited time due to cost, storage and production issues. For example, pomegranate jelly, sold about a year ago, turned the largest profit yet. “Ever since, people have been asking when are we gonna have it? When are we gonna have it?â€Â Ferris said.

Ferris added that he and his students work hard to get popular items into the production schedule so they can remain a constant at the store.

Currently, the Farm Market carries about 24 different student-produced products. Ferris hopes to eventually get up to 35.

Although many products are developed by Ferris̢۪ classes, others are developed by graduate students like Quinn Zweigle, who worked on the pomegranate jelly class project as an undergraduate senior and is now pursuing a project of his own.

The fruits and nuts produced on campus are currently enrobed in chocolate off campus. For his thesis project, Zweigle wants to alleviate this process and complete the enrobing at the campus processing plant, where he manages production.

Zweigle said working within the culinology department allows him to gain further education while giving back to his instructors and the campus.

“The program allows Fresno state to produce items that people enjoy and gives money back to the students.â€Â Zweigle said.

Before coming to Fresno State Zweigle earned a degree in culinary arts. “Fresno State took me in with open arms. The program has allowed me to take my skills in culinary arts and has shown me how to apply the science behind it,â€Â he said. “I have been able to expand what I already knew with research.â€Â Zweigle said.