School of Food and Agriculture

AP reports on green crab taste test results

The Associated Press reported two University of Maine food scientists and a former graduate student believe they may have found a solution to the state’s trouble with invasive green crabs. The crustaceans threaten Maine’s marine economy because they’re predators of softshell clams, which are one of the state’s signature seafood items, the AP reported. Fishermen […]

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student in tidal area with green crab

Food for thought: Green crab pastries pass UMaine taste test

For clam harvesters in Maine, invasive green crabs are voracious predators that threaten their livelihood. One green crab (Carcinus maenas) can devour 40 half-inch clams in a single day, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. University of Maine food scientists Beth Calder and Denise Skonberg and former graduate student Joseph Galetti have […]

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Camire comments on white asparagus for Tribune News Service

Mary Ellen Camire, professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Maine, spoke with the Tribune News Service for a column about white asparagus that appeared in the Portland Press Herald. White asparagus grows in the absence of light under mounds of soil so the spears don’t have the opportunity to undergo […]

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Camire speaks with BDN about getting fit in midlife

Mary Ellen Camire, a professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Maine, was interviewed by the Bangor Daily News for the article, “Losing weight, getting fit in midlife is a reachable goal.” “Our bodies do change as we age,” Camire said. A natural tendency toward lower metabolism and a more sedentary […]

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Camire speaks with BDN about providing healthy school lunches

Mary Ellen Camire, a professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Maine, was quoted in the Bangor Daily News article, “Maine schools resist national plan to relax healthy lunch guidelines by serving fresh, local foods.” Camire said that for many children, school is the only place they get healthy food. “So […]

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sustainable ag student old town elementary

Students, community enhance gardens at Old Town Elementary School

The grounds at Old Town Elementary School grew a bit lusher this spring when the University of Maine teamed up with members of the local community to build raised garden beds The garden expansion and improvement project was led by four UMaine sustainable agriculture seniors, Emma Sanchi, Gradeigh Cameron, Ben Nelson, and Matt Derrah, for their capstone […]

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Camire quoted in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article on white, green asparagus

Mary Ellen Camire, a professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Maine and fellow with the Institute of Food Technologists, spoke with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for an article about white and green asparagus. Camire, who studies the sensory evaluation and nutritional content of foods, said white asparagus requires a vegetable peeler. […]

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wild blueberry

Klimis-Zacas guest edits book about berry antioxidants’ influence on health

A special issue book guest edited by Dorothy Klimis-Zacas, professor of clinical nutrition, has been published. “Berry Antioxidants in Health and Disease” was published by the Antioxidants journal of the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute. The book presents advances made in the past 10 years regarding the understanding of berry antioxidants’ role in maintaining health. Chapters […]

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Focused on Food Waste

Fourth-year UMaine Food Science and Human Nutrition major Olivia Conrad took the first place award in the 2017 Sustainability & Water Conference Undergraduate Poster Competition. Her poster, titled “Objective analysis of the physical and microbial quality changes that occur in packaged baby spinach when stored past the best-by date,” was the result of a research […]

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