The Graduate Program in Food Science (Master’s and Doctorate) prepares individuals for teaching, for original and independent research, and for technical-scientific leadership in Food Science.
The program involves, in particular, the development of knowledge relevant to food quality, chemical composition and biochemical changes in food, and the effects of food on the health status of individuals and populations, contributing to the evolution of the area of Food Science, in addition to improving the population’s quality of life.
The PPGCA had its origin in the Master’s degree in Food Science and Technology, created in 1972, by an agreement signed between the Federal University of Minas Gerais, the Federal University of Viçosa and the Minas Gerais Technological Center Foundation. In 1977, the course was definitively allocated to the School of Pharmacy and in 1983, with the reorganization of the Departments, it was linked to the newly created Department of Food Science. The course was restructured with respect to the area of concentration, lines of research and disciplines, and renamed Graduate Course in Food Science. In 1992, the Master’s Degree was accredited and in the 1999/2000 biennium, it was awarded a grade 5 by CAPES. Due to the course’s success and the expansion of its faculty, the PPGCA was created, with the Food Sciences concentration area, at the Masters and Doctorate levels. The creation of the Program was approved in April 2002 by the University Board of UFMG and in July 2002 by the Scientific Technical Board of CAPES. Currently, the PPGCA has a grade 4 in the CAPES evaluation